Delhi Capitals Opt to Bowl First Against Chennai Super Kings in IPL 2026 Clash

In a thrilling IPL 2026 match, Delhi Capitals won the toss and opted to bowl first against Chennai Super Kings at the MA Chidambaram Stadium. With both teams eager for a win, DC aims to bounce back from a recent defeat, while CSK seeks their first victory of the season. Captains Axar Patel and Ruturaj Gaikwad share their strategies and team updates ahead of the match. Stay tuned for the exciting clash!

By Narendra Chaudhary Apr 11, 2026, 19:49 IST

Match Overview

In the 18th match of the IPL 2026 season, the Delhi Capitals (DC) won the toss and chose to bowl first against the Chennai Super Kings (CSK), who are five-time champions. This exciting match is taking place at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.

Delhi Capitals are entering this match following a narrow one-run loss to the Gujarat Titans, while Chennai Super Kings are still in search of their first victory this season after suffering three consecutive defeats.

DC Captain Axar Patel's Insights

After winning the toss, DC captain Axar Patel announced that Aquib Nabi from Jammu and Kashmir is making his debut, and Ashutosh Sharma is included in the Impact Sub list. He stated, "We prefer to bowl first as the pitch appears favorable. We aim to chase whatever score is set. The IPL is a lengthy tournament, and our dressing room atmosphere is quite relaxed. Our focus is on controlling what we can, without overthinking things."

Patel expressed confidence in the team's balance, noting, "We have a well-rounded side this year compared to last. The pitch has been good for batting, and we hope to restrict CSK to a low total before chasing it down. We have made two changes: Nabi replaces Vipraj, and Ashutosh Sharma is in the Impact Sub list."

CSK Captain Ruturaj Gaikwad's Response

Following the toss, CSK captain Ruturaj Gaikwad confirmed that Dewald Brevis is joining the team. He remarked, "The pitch seems a bit dry. We were uncertain about the toss outcome, but we are ready to give our best today to secure our first win and improve our position on the points table. We've been enhancing our performance in all areas, especially batting, where we've had some missed opportunities that we need to capitalize on."

Gaikwad added, "The team is in a positive mindset and eager to perform. Brevis is back and excited, and our middle order looks strong. Gurjapneet Singh has also been included in place of Matt Edwards. Regarding MS Dhoni, he is currently at the hotel supporting us, but he will be back on the field soon."

Playing XIs

Here are the playing XIs for both teams:

Chennai Super Kings (Playing XI): Sanju Samson (wk), Ruturaj Gaikwad (capt), Ayush Mhatre, Sarfaraz Khan, Dewald Brevis, Shivam Dube, Jamie Overton, Noor Ahmad, Anshul Kamboj, Khaleel Ahmed, Gurjapneet Singh.

Chennai Super Kings (Impact Subs): Matthew Short, Akeal Hosein, Kartik Sharma, Prashant Veer, Matt Henry.

Delhi Capitals (Playing XI): KL Rahul (wk), Pathum Nissanka, Sameer Rizvi, Axar Patel (capt), Tristan Stubbs, David Miller, Aquib Nabi, Lungi Ngidi, Kuldeep Yadav, T Natarajan, Mukesh Kumar.

Delhi Capitals (Impact Subs): Vipraj Nigam, Ashutosh Sharma, Karun Nair, Dushmantha Chameera, Nitish Rana.