RCB's Virat Kohli has been in sublime touch this IPL season. | Photo Credit: K. MURALI KUMAR

Delhi Capitals’ (DC) performance against Punjab Kings on Saturday in the Indian Premier League (IPL) had the fluctuations of a volatile stock market.

So wildly did it oscillate from the sublime to the ridiculous, as an exemplary batting effort to amass 264 for two — DC’s highest total in IPL history — was followed by a horror show with the ball and in the field. While the bowling appeared rudderless on a pitch that played better than expected, the malaise of dropped catches spread like wildfire, allowing Shreyas Iyer and Prabhsimran Singh to make merry with half-centuries.

Dispiriting as that was, Axar Patel’s men have little time to contemplate, given that they run into another formidable opponent in Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Monday.

Besides Royal Challengers oozing with confidence after five wins from seven matches, Capitals’ task is compounded by the likelihood of the defending champion enjoying a lion’s share of the support. Virat Kohli, the one constant in RCB’s ever-evolving set-up, may no longer be living here, but residents of the national capital continue to exhibit fierce loyalty to a superstar whose formative years can be traced to the by-lanes of west Delhi.

More importantly, the 37-year-old is showing no sign of slowing down in white-ball cricket. Despite prolonged breaks from competitive cricket following his Test retirement last year, his impact for the southern franchise hasn’t dimmed in the slightest — 328 runs in seven innings at a strike rate of 163.18 is proof.

The former skipper will be given company by Jacob Bethell at the top of the order. With Phil Salt yet to recover from injury, Bethell, who was drafted in for the last game, will get another chance to step up.

Other than that, RCB’s combination looks well-settled. The same cannot be said of Capitals, who are in desperate need of a win to shrug off Saturday’s erratic display.

Published on Apr 26, 2026