Dev Chaudhary for North Delhi Tigers in DPL 2026. Image Credits: Web
The 2026 edition of the Delhi Premier League (DPL 2026) has finally reached its business end, with the 1st Quarterfinal set for August 26, 2026, between Central Delhi Kings and South Delhi Superstars. However, since the New Delhi Tigers’ opener Dev Chaudhary made his debut, the DPL 3 has come under massive scrutiny in the past week.
Delhi’s very own Indian Premier League-inspired T20 league is designed to give the capital city’s talent pool a platform to showcase their mettle alongside established names in Indian cricket, such as Rishabh Pant and Harshit Rana.
Outstanding performances in the previous two editions have opened doors for many players to higher domestic opportunities and IPL contracts. Some players who have benefitted from the DPL are: Digvesh Rathi, Priyansh Arya, Prince Yadav, Sarthak Ranjan, and Tejasvi Dahiya.
So what exactly has happened since Dev Chaudhary’s DPL debut and why are people criticising the fundamental framework of the DPL so much? Read ahead to know about the matter.
Meet Dev Chaudhary: DPL batter’s batting and fielding go viral but for the wrong reasons
22-year-old Dev Chaudhary played a DPL game for the Himmat Singh-led New Delhi Tigers on 19 August 2026 against West Delhi Lions. Opening the innings, Chaudhary could only manage to score 16 off 24 balls, at a below-par strike rate of 66.67.
Eventually, thanks to Ayush Doseja’s 64-run knock, the defending champions, WDL, went on to win Match 35 of the DPL 2026 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium by six wickets.
Also read: Players To Watch Out For In DPL 2026
Earlier, in his maiden DPL match, against South Delhi Superstarz, Dev got out on a 2-ball duck. Despite his underwhelming performances, the NDT batter became the centre of attention across social media platforms. Videos of him batting and fielding in a very unconventional style drew massive attention.
Dev Chaudhary’s DPL participation raises eyebrows
To some netizens, his batting technique seemed questionable, and his technically flawed catching and fielding did him no favours.
Not only that, but the lack of information available about Dev Chaudhary, a senior-level Delhi player, raised eyebrows about his selection in the Delhi Premier League.
Some reports have been circulating that Dev wasn’t even part of the DPL 2026 auction. However, through our research, we found that Dev had secured his DPL contract with the New Delhi Tigers at the July 1, 2026 auction, ahead of the tournament, where the NDT picked him for INR 1 lakh.
Nonetheless, one of the members of the Delhi cricket fraternity emphasised his absence from the DDCA 40-over league, a club-level structure which is the basic criterion for eligibility in the DPL auction.
All in all, his poor returns in the tournament for the New Delhi Tigers, who became the first team to be eliminated from the knockout race, prompted serious allegations from the fans about how he earned a spot in a prestigious league like the DPL.
There have been conversations circulating claiming his selection was made through an unverifiable process, using the term ‘fraud’. Notably, neither the DPL’s governing body, DDCA, nor his franchise, New Delhi Tigers, have officially released a statement over the controversy.
Also read: How Did Indian Team Players Perform In Duleep Trophy 2026 Quarterfinals?
