Delhi Capitals captain Axar Patel is facing intense criticism for his batting performance in the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL), having scored only 44 runs in 11 matches at an average of 6.29. After a particularly slow innings against the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), where he managed just 11 runs off 22 balls without hitting a boundary, former India batter Cheteshwar Pujara labeled his approach as 'conservative'. Pujara emphasized that Axar, known for his attacking style, should play more aggressively to relieve pressure on himself and the team. Last season, Axar performed much better, scoring 263 runs at an average of 26.30 and a strike rate of 157.49. In the match, KKR's spinners effectively restricted Delhi to a total of 142 for 8, while Finn Allen's explosive batting, which included 10 sixes in his unbeaten 100 runs, led KKR to a comfortable victory by eight wickets.