Irfan Pathan has put the spotlight on a real and important question for Delhi Capitals heading into IPL 2026 — can Axar Patel rediscover his wicket-taking form with the ball? Because last season, that side of his game was largely absent.

The Numbers That Concern Pathan

Axar had a solid IPL 2025 campaign with the bat — he scored 263 runs in 12 matches at an impressive strike rate of 157.49. But his bowling was another story. In those same 12 games, he took only five wickets at an economy rate of 8.47. For a player earning Rs 16.5 crore and doubling up as DC’s captain, those numbers with the ball are well below what Delhi Capitals need from him.

Pathan pointed this out plainly on his YouTube channel.

“The wicket-taking ability was missing from Axar Patel’s bowling last year. His confidence will surely be high, but if he gets regular wickets from his end, they have Kuldeep Yadav, who is a wicket-taker, and Vipraj Nigam will also get a lot of support.”

The Spin Trio That Could Change Everything

Pathan was also quick to highlight what DC’s spin attack could become if Axar fires on all cylinders.

“You won’t see a spin-bowling pair like Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav. You have to add Vipraj Nigam’s name too. Along with Vipraj, they have two experienced players who have won back-to-back World Cups. You don’t get that experience with the Indian core everywhere.”

Kuldeep Yadav was DC’s best bowler last season with 21 wickets in IPL 2025, making him one of the most consistent spinners in the competition. Vipraj Nigam, the young legspinner from Madhya Pradesh, offers a different challenge to batters and gives DC a genuine three-pronged spin option that most teams in the tournament cannot match.

If Axar rediscovers his wicket-taking instincts alongside this duo, Delhi’s bowling unit could be one of the best in the competition.

DC’s Pattern Last Season — Bright Start, Sharp Collapse

DC’s 2025 campaign tells its own cautionary tale. They won their first four matches in a row — beating LSG, SRH, CSK and RCB — and looked like genuine title contenders. Then came a loss to Mumbai Indians, followed by a collapse in form, winning just three of their remaining ten games and finishing fifth.

That kind of inconsistency is exactly what Pathan flagged. For a team missing Mitchell Starc for at least the opening games of IPL 2026 and without Ben Duckett after his withdrawal, DC need contributions from every senior player — and Axar’s bowling has to be one of them.

Delhi Capitals remain one of three franchises — alongside Lucknow Super Giants and Punjab Kings — yet to win an IPL title despite being in the competition since the very first edition in 2008. For that to change in 2026, Axar Patel the bowler needs to show up alongside Axar Patel the captain and batter.

DC open their IPL 2026 campaign against Lucknow Super Giants at the Ekana Cricket Stadium on April 1.