Mumbai: Speaking exclusively on Kuhl Fans Match Centre Live on JioHotstar, JioStar expert Sanjay Bangar assessed Pat Cummins’ performance in the first innings: “It worked out well for Pat Cummins that Mohammed Shami opted out, which cleared the way for Cummins to take the new ball. Initially, he may have expected Shami to do most of the damage, which might have held him back a little. But today was his opportunity. He hit those hard lengths consistently, he wasn’t really trying to swing the ball and ended up taking three crucial wickets early in the innings.”
Commenting on Delhi Capitals’ recent struggles, Sanjay Bangar said: “They’ve lost momentum, and when the openers don’t fire, it’s always a danger sign for any T20 team. When the top three perform, it eases pressure on the middle order and boosts the confidence in the dugout. But when you lose two or three wickets in the powerplay, you find yourself in complete disorder. Losing half the side for under 60 was a tough position for DC. Credit, however, to the partnership between Ashutosh Sharma and Tristan Stubbs, they gave DC something to fight with, which could’ve ended up being a competitive total.”
Sharing his perspective on Delhi Capitals’ frequent opening changes and selection dilemmas, Piyush Chawla commented on the instability at the top: “When KL Rahul opened, it was a forced change because Faf du Plessis was injured. Rahul was meant to bat at No. 3 or 4 to anchor the innings during pressure situations. DC have already tried six or seven combinations at the top. Their biggest bet was Jake Fraser-McGurk, which didn’t pay off recently. But I feel they should go back to him — if he fires, he can give you explosive start in the powerplay. If he doesn’t, it’s no different from what’s already happening. This is the time to take bold decisions. They’re in a do-or-die situation. A team that once looked like the first to seal a play-off spot is now in danger of missing out entirely.”
Commenting further on Delhi Capitals’ play-off hopes, Chawla was realistic about their chances: “It’s going to be really tough. In their last six games, they’ve lost four. While the game wasn’t completely over for DC against SRH, it looked like it was heading SRH’s way based on the total they posted. The next three games are critical and they need to win at least two — ideally all three — and for that to happen, their experienced players must step up and deliver.”
On Sunrisers Hyderabad being knocked out of the play-off race, Sanjay Bangar commented: “It’s been that kind of season for SRH. They started strong, scoring 280+ in their very first match, and perhaps believed that same aggressive approach would carry them through. But that’s a high-risk strategy and doesn’t always work consistently. When your batters are in form, it looks great. But when they’re not, you see the other end of the spectrum — and that’s where SRH find themselves now. Still, this being the first year of a new cycle, they’ll likely rethink their strategy going forward. It’s unfortunate for SRH fans, especially since Hyderabad has become such a vibrant venue. The fans have shown great support, and hopefully, they’ll have better memories in seasons to come.”
