Axar Patel sounded a warning to the rest of the teams. “Let’s make Kotla our fortress,” he said on the eve of Delhi Capitals’ first IPL 2026 match at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. The Capitals duly delivered, easing past Mumbai Indians at home last week. Now, they face a struggling Gujarat Titans side, hoping to complete an early-season hat-trick of wins.
After winning just one of five at Kotla last season, Delhi will aim to build on their strong start as they play all seven home games in the capital this year.
Standing in their way, however, is the looming threat of rain, as northern India continues to feel the effects of a Western Disturbance. The return of Shubman Gill from a neck muscle spasm strengthens the Titans, but Delhi – who appear a well-oiled machine – will start as favourites against a Gujarat side that looks formidable on paper but has been hampered by poor form among several of their key players.
Delhi Capitals will take on Gujarat Titans from 7:30 pm IST on Wednesday, April 8. JioHotstar will stream the match live in India, while Star Sports will broadcast it on television.
RINGSIDE VIEW: DC vs GT
On the eve of the game in Delhi, early evening rain provided both teams with an opportunity to iron out their shortcomings. In the Gujarat Titans camp, the focus was firmly on their misfiring middle order. Washington Sundar, entrusted with bringing solidity to that unit, underwent a 40-minute workout. Tested by Prasidh Krishna, Rashid Khan and Sai Kishore, the young all-rounder gradually found his rhythm. After taking his time to settle, Sundar began striking the ball crisply, dispatching deliveries into the stands – something the Titans will hope he can replicate in Wednesday’s match.
Then came Shubman Gill, their captain, who missed the game against Rajasthan Royals in Ahmedabad – where their middle order collapsed after a strong start in a failed chase of 211.
Gill eased into the nets session, arriving minutes after his opening partner Sai Sudharsan confirmed that the skipper would be fit to play. Once he found his timing, Gill sent a few balls soaring into the stands. As is typical of India’s ODI and Test captain, there was nothing extravagant – just precise timing and elegant strokeplay, putting the likes of Mohammed Siraj and Gurnoor Brar under pressure.
Rahul Tewatia, who appears out of touch, also spent time in the nets, as Gujarat look increasingly desperate to stabilise their middle order.
On the other side of the main strip, KL Rahul was the focal point. Following routine, the wicketkeeper-batter walked out with Pathum Nissanka, but it was Rahul who dominated the session, clearly eager to make a significant contribution after two successive failures (0 and 1). While the Sri Lankan opener looked in sublime touch, Rahul appeared sharp, though occasionally troubled by the pace of Auqib Nabi.
Nitish Rana, brought in as a dependable presence at No. 3, also spent time in the middle, taking throwdowns near the boundary in what appeared to be a specially curated session.
TEAM NEWS: DC vs GT
Delhi Capitals are unlikely to make any changes to their winning combination. With Mitchell Starc still in Australia and early-season momentum firmly on their side, they are expected to stick with what has worked so far.
Bowling coach Munaf Patel echoed this sentiment, while also indicating that Sameer Rizvi will continue as the Impact Player despite his back-to-back match-winning performances with the bat. He did not rule out the possibility of including Ashutosh Sharma or an additional bowling option in Nabi if conditions demand, highlighting the squad’s flexibility.
Gujarat Titans, meanwhile, are set for a straightforward change, with Gill returning in place of the young Kumar Kushagra. They may also consider bringing in Jason Holder in place of Kagiso Rabada to strengthen the lower middle order, which currently lacks confidence.
They will also be keen for Rashid Khan to rediscover his rhythm with the ball after a subdued start to the season. Their pace attack, featuring the express Ashok Sharma, has the potential to trouble Delhi’s inconsistent top order.
DELHI PITCH AND WEATHER CONDITIONS
The pitch used for the game against Mumbai Indians last Saturday afternoon offered assistance to the bowlers. On the eve of this match, there was a slight green tinge on the surface, suggesting that bowlers may once again find some help.
That said, Delhi remains one of the higher-scoring venues, particularly in evening matches.
While there was overnight rain in the capital, the forecast during match hours is more favourable. There may be a shower or two in the afternoon, but a full game is expected on Wednesday.
PREDICTED PLAYING XIs AND IMPACT SUBS
Delhi Capitals: KL Rahul (wk), Pathum Nissanka, Nitish Rana, David Miller, Tristan Stubbs, Axar Patel (captain), Vipraj Nigam, Lungi Ngidi, Kuldeep Yadav, T Natarajan, Mukesh Kumar.
Impact Sub: Sameer Rizvi
Gujarat Titans: Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill (captain), Jos Buttler (wk), Glenn Phillips, Washington Sundar, Shahrukh Khan, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Ashok Sharma, Mohammed Siraj.
Impact Sub: Prasidh Krishna
PRESS WATCH: WHAT THEY SAID
Sai Sudharsan on GT’s misfiring middle-order: “If someone from the top three batters plays longer, it’s always a great thing for the team. We believe in our middle order. This is the team which played last year and we qualified. So it’s just two games and I and the whole team believes that our middle order will win games.”
DC bowling coach Munaf Patel on Mitchell Starc’s absence: “We’ve won two matches, so his absence hasn’t been felt so far. But if results don’t go our way, questions will come up. Starc is one of the best bowlers in the world. In the IPL, only someone like Jasprit Bumrah can be compared with him. He brings pace, swing, and experience. We’re closely following up on his fitness because he’s very important for us.”
