Delhi Capitals head coach Hemang Badani has given a big statement regarding the nature of the pitches in IPL 2026.
On 5 May, DC lost to Chennai Super Kings at their home ground – Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi. In fact, DC has now lost 4 out of 5 matches played at their home ground in IPL 2026. After the match, Badani said that the franchise had little control over the nature of the pitches at their home ground.
key points
- Delhi Capitals coach Hemang Badani claimed that the franchise has no control over IPL pitches.
- Badani said BCCI controls surfaces to avoid unfair home advantage
- DC has now lost four consecutive matches at the Arun Jaitley Stadium
Delhi Capitals’ domestic struggle continues
Delhi Capitals lost to CSK on a surface that was designed for the strength of its spin. Akeel Hossein and Noor Ahmed worked hard in the proceedings and never allowed DC to get ahead in the game.
On a slow surface, Mukesh Choudhary and Gurjapaneet Singh played a supporting role for CSK’s spinners as they restricted DC to 69/5 in the eleventh over. Twice in the two home matches, Delhi were forced to use their impact players to bring in a batsman despite batting first.
Impact player Sameer Rizvi top-scored with a quickfire 40, pushing DC to 156/7. CSK’s start to chase the target was also not very fast.
After a slow start from Ruturaj Gaikwad, Urvil Patel played another cameo to balance things out. Karthik Sharma played a perfect second fiddle to Sanju Samson, who chose his moments to attack and his moments to defend.
Samson was ultimately named player of the match for his unbeaten 87, while Sharma had scored an unbeaten 41 against DC in the previous match. This was Delhi’s fourth consecutive defeat on home ground.
In their last home game, Delhi Capitals were reduced to 8/6 and were eventually bowled out for 75 by RCB.
“We have no control over the surfaces” – Hemang Badani drops bombshell on IPL pitches
Badani spoke about the nature of the pitches at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in the post-match press conference. DC managed to chase down the target of 265 runs against Punjab Kings – a T20 world record – before being bowled out for 75 by RCB.
Asked about the varying nature of these pitches, Badani said, “We have no control over the surfaces. One might think that we are in control over the surfaces we want to play on, but the BCCI has a clear mandate that they take care of the pitches and they are the ones who ensure that there is no local side who gets an advantage over the surfaces. You play on what is presented to you.”
So far there has been no indication from any other team that the BCCI is controlling the surfaces. Hemang Badani’s claim is a first in the 19-year history of IPL.
Also Read: DC Qualification Scenario IPL 2026: Can DC reach the playoffs even after the loss against CSK?
DC’s next match
If what Hemang Badani said is true, then neither his nor his team’s struggle seems to be ending. Delhi Capitals’ next match is against KKR on May 8 in Delhi.
DC is now placed seventh in the points table while KKR is placed eighth. Delhi has got only 4 wins in 10 matches while Kolkata has won 3 matches and there is no result in 9 matches. KKR is also on a winning streak of 3 matches.
questions to ask
- What did Hemang Badani say about IPL pitches?
Hemang Badani claimed that the franchises do not control the pitch preparation and the BCCI oversees the surfaces. - Why are Delhi Capitals unhappy with their home pitch?
Delhi Capitals have struggled badly at the Arun Jaitley Stadium and have lost four consecutive home matches. - Does BCCI control IPL pitches?
According to Hemang Badani, the BCCI manages pitch preparation to prevent teams from gaining unfair home advantage.
