Axar Patel with Kuldeep Yadav, IPL 2026 (Image: AFP)
The high-flying Punjab Kings are taking on a low-on-motivation Delhi Capitals in a crucial mid-season clash at the magnificent Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) Stadium in Dharamshala. However, what has come as a shocker for fans is the snub of Kuldeep Yadav from DC’s playing 11 as well as impact subs.
Thus, in this article, let’s shed light on what could be the reason for Kuldeep Yadav’s ouster in today’s IPL 2026 match.
Why is Kuldeep Yadav not playing in PBKS vs GT?
The premier left-arm wrist-spinner, Kuldeep Yadav, is the “magician” in their bowling attack, recognised for his deceptive googlies and ability to turn the ball on any surface. He was a crucial, high-impact wicket-taker for DC, notably taking 21 wickets in 2022 and 15 in 2025.
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However, after being retained for the following season, the veteran Indian spinner has struggled, enduring a significant dip from his previous high standards. Retained for INR 13.25 Cr, he has taken only 7 wickets in 11 matches, with a high economy rate of 10.67 and has conceded the most sixes (24) in the tournament so far.
Thus, it seems that Kuldeep has been left out after being deemed too expensive in previous games, with captain Axar Patel choosing to restructure the bowling lineup.
It is worth noting that even in DC’s previous IPL 2026 fixture against Kolkata Knight Riders, Kuldeep Yadav was not added in their primary playing 11, but was later used as an impact sub. However, in the PBKS vs DC match today, he has been completely left out.
“Missed my partner”: Kuldeep Yadav’s ineffective IPL 2026 exposed by captain Axar Patel
After their 8-wicket loss against Chennai Super Kings on May 5, the Delhi Capitals’ skipper Axar Patel admitted that he “missed” his partner in the bowling department.
In the ongoing IPL 2026 season, the spin duo of Delhi Capitals’ Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav has faced significant challenges, with Kuldeep massively underperforming.
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This led Axar to publicly cite Kuldeep’s absence as a factor in crucial losses, particularly after a costly performance against CSK, when they failed to defend a total, placing immense pressure on their partnership to lift DC into playoff contention.
Take a look at the playing Xls for both the teams:
Delhi Capitals Playing XI: KL Rahul (wk), Abishek Porel, Sahil Parakh, Tristan Stubbs, David Miller, Axar Patel (c), Madhav Tiwari, Mukesh Kumar, Auqib Nabi, Lungi Ngidi, Mitchell Starc
Impact Player Substitutions: Sameer Rizvi, Ashutosh Sharma, Vipraj Nigam, Tripurana Vijay, Pathum Nissanka
Punjab Kings Playing XI: Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh (wk), Cooper Connolly, Shreyas Iyer (c), Suryansh Shedge, Marcus Stoinis, Shashank Singh, Marco Jansen, Ben Dwarshuis, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal
Impact Player Substitutions: Vishnu Vinod, Yash Ravisingh Thakur, Xavier Bartlett, Harpreet Brar, Praveen Dubey
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