IPL 2026: ‘A mature captain never...'- Former India cricketer questions Axar Patel’s leadership

Mohammad Kaif has criticised Axar Patel for publicly pointing fingers at teammate Kuldeep Yadav during Delhi Capitals’ difficult IPL 2026 campaign.

Despite keeping their slim playoff hopes alive with a thrilling three-wicket win over Punjab Kings in Dharamsala on Monday, Delhi Capitals remain under pressure after losing seven of their 12 matches this season. Questions have also continued to surround their spin department, particularly the performances of Axar and Kuldeep.

Following Delhi’s earlier defeat against Chennai Super Kings, Axar had publicly spoken about Kuldeep’s struggles, something Kaif believes should not have happened.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Kaif said experienced captains avoid singling out players in public, especially someone with Kuldeep’s proven record.

“A mature captain never publicly names one of his players or lets his player down. He does not openly blame him. I can understand that Kuldeep has gone through a tough phase this season-he has not bowled that well and hasn't picked up many wickets. But ever since he joined Delhi, he has been a proven bowler,” Kaif said.

Kaif further backed Kuldeep’s long-term value, highlighting his consistency for both Delhi and India across formats over the years.

“Forget just the IPL; even if you talk about India in ODIs or T20Is over the years, he has consistently performed. Yes, this season has been a bit quiet for him and his bowling has not been at its best. But you should never take a player's name publicly. Instead, you should simply say that things did not go well as a team,” he added.

Interestingly, Axar himself delivered a captain’s knock during Delhi’s dramatic chase against Punjab Kings. After DC slipped to 33/3 while chasing 211, Axar smashed 56 off 30 balls and stitched together a crucial partnership with David Miller to revive the innings.

After the win, Axar praised the character shown by his side and insisted Delhi had been playing good cricket despite failing to win key moments earlier in the season.

“I have been saying that we are a good team, playing good cricket but not winning the crucial moments,” Axar said after the match.

“I am really happy with how we played and hopefully we continue playing like this.”

He also praised the youngsters in the squad, adding: “Given the type of cricket we are playing and the bench strength we have, the future is in good hands. Youngsters standing up in such situations is a good sign.”