The Axar Patel-led Delhi Capitals will have to make a difficult choice ahead of the 19th edition of the IPL.
Whilst all the eyeballs are fixated on the T20 World Cup 2026, the Indian Premier League (IPL) franchises will slowly get their hands on the planning for the 19th edition of the tournament. The Delhi Capitals will have an important decision to make ahead of the next season.
The franchise retained its core ahead of the IPL 2026 auction in the form of players like Axar Patel, KL Rahul and Abhishek Porel, amongst others. With a decent auction for the franchise, the management has put together formidable squad, capable of taking on any opposition in the tournament, which will last over two months.
However, the Delhi Capitals will have to make an important decision in the form of their fast bowling combination – between Dushmantha Chameera and Mitchell Starc. While both bowlers propose a different angle and proposition altogether, it might not be possible to play both because of the team combination.
While the Australian speedster has called curtains over his T20I career in September 2025 in order to focus on the other two formats, Dushmantha Chameera still remains to be a vital prospect for the Sri Lankans. And the best part is, he has only gotten better.
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There are two parts of the game, which every management gives a thought before selecting a player in the playing XI. One is quality, and the second – which is the most important for the shortest format is the form. And for a bowler, the form has got to do a lot with the economy.
If we compare the economy of the two bowlers since the beginning of 2025, there is a contrast which is easily visible. While Dushmantha Chameera has gone for 8.27 runs an over, the Australian pacer has given 9.39 runs an over – which is almost touching 10.
To add to that, the Sri Lankan speedster has added a lethal weapon to his armoury, wherein he targets bowling wide yorkers to right-handers from around the wicket – making it very difficult for the batter to hit the ball to the boundary in the death overs. The 34-year-old also possesses a good set of variations, making him a wily customer.
With Mitchell Starc bidding adieu to the shortest format internationally, it will be challenging for him to stay connected with the pressures of bowling in T20 cricket. He last featured for the Sydney Sixers on January 25, 2026 in the Big Bash League (BBL). Though there are absolutely no doubts on the quality that he brings to the table, whether he can have the same impact will be a point to ponder upon.
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