IPL 2026 | 'Doesn't trust himself:' Ex-AUS skipper Finch calls out DC captain Axar Patel's attitude issue

Former Australia skipper Aaron Finch has hit out at Delhi Capitals (DC) skipper Axar Patel for his bowling choices in loss vs SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) in IPL 2026 on Tuesday (Apr 21) in Hyderabad. DC lost the match by 47 runs after failing to chase 242 which was set up by Abhishek Sharma's 135 not out off 68 balls. Finch said Axar didn't trust himself to bowl against left-hand batters (SRH top 3) and that it was an attitude issue rather anything else. Axar, winner of 2024 and 2026 T20 World Cup, bowled only two overs in the match, giving away 23 runs and taking the wicket of Travis Head.

Finch calls out Axar's attitude issue vs left handers in SRH match

"It's the responsibility of your captain, your senior player, your retained player, your best bowler, Indian bowler, he's one of your core bowlers in the Indian cricket team. That's no small bit. He's a double World Cup winner. So the fact that he doesn't trust himself to execute under pressure and to defend himself against any left-handers - as soon as a left-hander walks to the crease, not for me today, thanks. To me that says more about his attitude towards it than anything else," Finch said while speaking on ESPNCricinfo's TimeOut.

DC's bizarre bowling choices vs SRH

With Abhishek Sharma in full song, DC, having two world class spinner in Axar and Kuldeep Yadav, made part-timer Nitish Rana bowl four overs. The idea was taking the ball away from left-handers which didn't work as effectively with Rana going for 55 runs in four overs without a wicket. Axar and Kuldeep, on the other hand, bowled two overs each for 23 and 30 runs, respectively but still should have completed their quota ahead of Rana.