David Miller and heartbreaks is a story that keeps repeating in the most ridiculous manners. On Wednesday, he suffered once more as Delhi Capitals lost to Gujarat Titans by 1 run in a thrilling IPL 2026 clash. Chasing 211, Miller brought down the equation to 2 off 2 with an incredible knock (41 off 18) before denying a single and missing the final ball that had Kuldeep Yadav run out.
The South African star has received heavy criticism for his call to not take the single and secure at least a tie. Miller backed himself to get the job done but could not. These things happen in the sports and the player should not be chastised, especially when he’s already distraught. Not to forget, Delhi Capitals’ loss wasn’t down to that moment. They went into the game with a huge blunder, and it cost them.
Delhi Capitals had made a trade with Rajasthan Royals ahead of the auction, acquiring Nitish Rana in return for Donovan Ferreira. A decision that seemed baffling and received quite a flak. They have trusted him at number three in this early phase but the experienced batter hasn’t delivered, managing 15, 0, and 5 in three innings.
Their decision to trust him over the likes of Karun Nair, Abhishek Porel, and Ashutosh Sharma hasn’t made sense at all. You could argue they didn’t have a clear option for number three at the start of the season. But after Sameer Rizvi delivered a match-winning performance in the first game, they should have moved him to number three, and used Ashutosh as Impact Player. Instead, they had Rana in the main line-up while Rizvi and Ashutosh were named in the substitutes in the second game. They didn’t correct it even after Rizvi’s 90-run knock against Mumbai Indians.
🎥 𝙍𝙖𝙬 𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨 from a 𝙂𝙖𝙢𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙈𝙖𝙧𝙜𝙞𝙣𝙨 🔢
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 9, 2026
Twists, turns and a rollercoaster of emotions 🎢
Relive the final moments from the thrilling #DCvGT contest 🔁#TATAIPL | #KhelBindaas | @gujarat_titans pic.twitter.com/JQEZiWc3OP
This was a blunder waiting to cost them, and eventually it did. Delhi Capitals were lucky in the first two games as Rizvi single-handedly took them to victories. But the signs were there. Rana had a poor season for the Royals last year barring a couple of fifties, averaging just 22. He was once known as a good spin hitter but that ability has diminished. Add to that his serious limitations against pace, and the picture becomes clearer. DC simply can not afford him.
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By benching Nitish Rana, Delhi Capitals can improve significantly as it could give them better stability and better roles for their star players.
Apart from moving Rizvi one spot up, they could have Miller at number four. The Proteas veteran takes some time at the beginning before he can explode. He has the ability to take on spin and pace alike, making him an ideal option to carry the innings from number four.
DC should also bring in Ashutosh Sharma to bat as a finisher, a role he excelled in last year. It was unfair on him to sit out in these three games after what he did in the previous edition. He made 204 runs from nine innings at a strike rate of 160 while averaging 29.
With Tristan Stubbs not looking at his best, the Capitals need Ashutosh’s power down the order. The sooner the team management understands this, the better it is for their IPL 2026 chances.
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