IPL 2026: Axar Patel Opts to Bowl First as Delhi Capitals Face Rajasthan Royals at Arun Jaitley Stadium

New Delhi, May 2026 : Delhi Capitals captain Axar Patel won the toss and elected to bowl first against Rajasthan Royals in Match 61 of IPL 2026 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Sunday night.

The encounter carries significant importance for Rajasthan Royals, who are aiming to strengthen their chances of qualifying for the IPL 2026 playoffs. RR currently have 12 points from 11 matches and are looking to push further up the points table with a crucial win. Delhi Capitals, meanwhile, are still mathematically in the playoff race but remain on the edge with 10 points from 12 matches. Even if DC win their remaining matches to reach 14 points, qualification may still depend on other results.

All eyes are on young batting sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi, who has been in outstanding form this season and has become one of the most talked-about emerging stars of the tournament. His performance at the top will be key for Rajasthan Royals as they aim for a strong total.

Playing XIs:

Rajasthan Royals (Playing XI): Yashasvi Jaiswal, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Riyan Parag (c), Ravi Singh, Donovan Ferreira, Shubham Dube, Jofra Archer, Adam Milne, Brijesh Sharma, Yash Raj Punja.

Delhi Capitals (Playing XI): KL Rahul (wk), Abhishek Porel, Sahil Parakh, Tristan Stubbs, David Miller, Axar Patel (c), Madhav Tiwary, Tripurana Vijay, Lungi Ngidi, Mitchell Starc, Mukesh Kumar.

Delhi Capitals, led by Axar Patel, will depend heavily on their experienced bowling attack featuring Mitchell Starc and Lungi Ngidi to restrict Rajasthan early. On the other hand, Rajasthan Royals will rely on their strong batting lineup, especially the opening pair of Jaiswal and Suryavanshi, to set the tone.

With both teams in a must-win situation for different reasons, the contest promises to be a high-intensity battle under the lights in Delhi.