🏏IPL 2026: DC vs CSK, 48th Match, Delhi on 05/05/2026 at 7:30PM IST🏏

🏏IPL 2026: CSK vs DC, 48th Match, Delhi on 05/05/2026 at 7:30PM IST🏏

If there's one thing Delhi has refused to offer this past week, it's consistency. The capital has swung wildly between heatwave alerts and hailstorm warnings, sometimes both in a day's span. On the field, incidentally, Delhi Capitals have mirrored that same volatility.

Over the course of their last home stretch, Delhi scaled unprecedented heights of 264 - their highest total in competition history - only to then crash to an embarrassing low of 75 all out in the next outing. Crushingly, both of those extremes ended in defeats: the first ended as the highest total chased in Men's T20 history, the second is now the second-biggest defeat by balls remaining. It extended a losing run that briefly threatened to derail yet another promising campaign - their fifth defeat in six games. But, just as Delhi got on the road, points returned in an equally dramatic fashion. Against a strong RR side, Delhi gunned down 226 with an over to spare - their highest successful IPL chase in 19 years.

DC might still be unsure of their best overseas combination - and by extension, their starting XI - but whatever unfortunate injury and concussion episodes have dictated lately, has helped them snap out of a losing streak with a morale-boosting victory. 'Was benching David Miller the best strategy' has no straightforward answer, as it allowed them to rejig their misfiring pace department with two foreigners and hand a comeback window to Pathum Nissanka, who has grabbed the chance with both hands. Mitchell Starc's addition has brought the much-needed bite to their new-ball attack, and with Lungi Ngidi's impending return, DC might just be very close to locking in their best combination just as the business end approaches.

CSK are in the same boat in more ways than one. For starters, both sides are tied at eight points each from their nine games, separated only by CSK's better NRR following their last win. In terms of injuries, CSK may have been the worst hit side. Stringing together victories has been a constant struggle for both teams. Both arrive in the national capital on back of comprehensive victories, but calling either "back in form" can be a bit generous. CSK and DC are both walking a tightrope with four more teams tied on 12 points above them in the standings. Although if numbers offer any solace ahead of their Tuesday away game, CSK have consistently prevailed over Delhi, and in Delhi.

DC's home record isn't the best lately. Since winning 4/5 in 2024, the Capitals have only two wins so far across the 2025 and 2026 seasons in nine completed games here. As they return home, the question lingers: which Delhi will show up? Much like the city's weather, their season has been anything but predictable. Unlike the summer though, DC can't afford any more slip-ups.

When: Tuesday, May 5 at 7:30 PM IST

Where: Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi

What to expect: A different track than the four previous games - pitch no. 4 - has been prepared, but should aid scoring. Average first innings total at the venue in wins has been 210 runs; the only aberration was DC's 75 all out. GT is the only team this season to defend a total here.

Head-to-head: CSK comfortably lead 20-12. Even in Delhi, the visitors have a strong 6-2 record. Since 2022, CSK have won four times to Delhi's two victories.

Teams Watch:

Delhi Capitals

Injuries & Availability: Lungi Ngidi is now available again after serving the seven-day stay-down period as mandated by the ICC concussion rule. Sahil Parakh is "still injured". The teenager's back injury prompted combination changes, including Nissanka's comeback and Miller's benching. DC will stick with this starting XI, as bowling coach Munaf Patel has all but ruled out a change at the top.

Matchups & Tactics: Although they've had their moments, CSK's opening partnership aggregate of 205 at an average of just 22.77 is the second-lowest among all the teams this season after KKR's. They haven't got the best of match-ups against the Delhi captain. Axar Patel has dismissed Ruturaj Gaikwad (SR 140.35) thrice and Sanju Samson (SR 122.97) twice in T20s before, and might just be tempted to bowl himself in the Powerplay again in search of early wicket(s).

Probable XII: KL Rahul (wk), Pathum Nissanka, Nitish Rana, Sameer Rizvi, Tristan Stubbs, Abishek Porel/Vipraj Nigam, Axar Patel (C), Ashutosh Sharma, Lungi Ngidi, Mitchell Starc, Kuldeep Yadav, T Natarajan

Chennai Super Kings

Injuries & Availability: MS Dhoni hasn't travelled to Delhi as he continues his rehabilitation on the sidelines. CSK are yet to announce a replacement for the recently-injured Ramakrishna Ghosh.

Matchups & Tactics: KL Rahul's first-10 ball strike-rate has skyrocketed to 147.76, and he has already scored a 152* and a 92 at the venue this season. Pathum Nissanka too has struck form to go with his explosive batting style. Anshul Kamboj - who has enjoyed a fair bit of success vs RHB in Powerplays this edition (47 balls, 4 wickets, economy 8.29) would be CSK's best bet to make early inroads.

Probable XII: Sanju Samson (wk), Ruturaj Gaikwad (C), Urvil Patel, Kartik Sharma, Dewald Brevis, Shivam Dube, Jamie Overton, Prashant Veer, Noor Ahmad, Anshul Kamboj, Mukesh Choudhary, Gurjapneet Singh/Akash Madhwal

In the spotlight: Nitish Rana and Akeal Hosein

Nitish Rana is a batter transformed. Originally selected, then dropped, and again brought into the side, Rana has scored 182 runs at a strike rate of 182 in his last four games, including two fifties. His improved game against good-length and back-of-good-length deliveries has been one reason behind his apparent ease at the crease, and his performances have also reflected in DC's strong recent run with the bat.

Akeal Hosein's arm ball has been devastating against right-hand batters since 2024, earning him 21 wickets at an economy of 6.2. But he has lost that potency in IPL 2026, taking no wickets with the arm ball and going at 10.50 per over. His success with the stock delivery, though - economy 6.8 and four wickets - against right-hand batters means he remains a threat against DC's two right-hand openers.

Pitch and conditions

This is the first game on pitch no. 4 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium this season. Across the last two seasons, the team batting first has a 3-2 record, even though the toss decision has been to chase in seven of the last eight games. When India played on this deck at the T20 World Cup, they scored 209 for 9 before skittling Namibia out for 116.

Thanks for the tag

Stats and trivia

• Anshul Kamboj is the second-highest-ranked Indian bowler on ESPNcricinfo's MVP list for the season. His bowling average of 15.82 is the second-best among all bowlers (min. 20 overs). He is also second in the Purple Cap race. On all these metrics, he is only behind Bhuvneshwar Kumar.
• DC's bowlers have been poor in the powerplay. They are last in the rankings for balls-per-wicket (36) and second-last on wickets taken (nine).
• CSK could target Rana with quick bowlers. In the 14 straight IPL games before being dropped, his strike rate was 100 against 140-plus-kph deliveries; he still strikes at only 93 against that pace in the last four games, despite bouncing back into form.

Csk need good fielder so they did better add him to playing xi Dube is a good hitters of spin can play clutch inning so they should keep him as impact

Did you know?

- 20 wins for CSK against DC is the second-most for them against a team after 21 wins against KKR and RCB.

- Delhi have lost three straight games at home - out of four so far. The only game they won was against MI.

- Capitals have dropped 16 catches so far, and their catching efficiency of 65.2% is the worst among the 10 teams.

What they said:

"I don't think one must link his runs to his captaincy. He's always been very clear around the leadership, and he's very much the leader of the team... He's had some tough innings, in the sense that we've been in trouble, the wicket's been tough, and he's battled through them. That's the hallmark of a really quality batsman, that just doesn't score runs on good wickets. To me, I've always called him a surgeon in this world of chaos batting. He's the kind of guy that gets 50 runs in 22 balls, and you haven't noticed him. We're starting to see that part of him again. The leadership has always been there, he's always been the captain. It's just good that he's now scoring runs, but there was never a doubt that he was going to." - CSK bowling coach Eric Simmons on Ruturaj Gaikwad finding his batting mojo back

"We made changes because Sahil was injured. Pathum came in as a replacement, and we will continue with that approach because he performed well. I don't think there is a need for further changes." - DC bowling coach Munaf Patel on benching David Miller