Home disadvantage? Delhi Capitals' 42.3% IPL win rate paints a grim picture
Delhi Capitals’ IPL 2026 campaign ended before their final league match, after Punjab Kings defeated Lucknow Super Giants in Lucknow on Saturday. DC, who will face Kolkata Knight Riders at Eden Gardens on Sunday, are out of the playoffs race with 12 points from 13 matches.
While Delhi struggled with consistency through the season, their poor performances at home once again became a major factor behind their poor campaign.
DC played seven matches at the Arun Jaitley Stadium this season and managed to win only two. Their first home win came against Mumbai Indians on April 4 by six wickets, while the second arrived much later against Rajasthan Royals last week by five wickets.
In between, they lost five straight home games against Gujarat Titans, Punjab Kings, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Chennai Super Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders.
One of the biggest issues for Delhi this season was their inability to read the nature of the Kotla surface and settle on a clear strategy or combination at home.
“Earlier I used to think a lot after seeing the wicket, but now I’m not thinking too much because whenever I’ve tried to predict it, the opposite has happened,” skipper Axar Patel had said earlier in the season.
Head coach Hemang Badani was even more direct after the win against Rajasthan Royals.
“We have stopped discussing the surface. We play this venue as an away venue,” he said.
The numbers show that this is not just a one-season issue for Delhi. According to IPL home venue records, DC have the second-worst home win percentage among all IPL teams at 45 per cent, only ahead of Lucknow Super Giants, who stand at 40 per cent.
The figures become worse when only matches at the Arun Jaitley Stadium are considered. In 93 matches played at the venue, Delhi have won only 39 and lost 53, with one no result. Their win percentage at Kotla drops further to 42.3 per cent.
Their recent qualification history also highlights the problem. DC qualified for the playoffs in 2021, but that season was not played in the hom-away format because of COVID-19 restrictions. In 2020, when they reached the final, all matches were played in the UAE. Since 2012, Delhi have qualified for the playoffs only once while actually playing home matches at Arun Jaitley Stadium — in 2019.
In comparison, the league’s most successful home sides have built strong records in familiar conditions. Five-time champions Chennai Super Kings have a 66.6 per cent home win record, while Mumbai Indians have won 62.5 per cent of their home matches.
The issue has again raised questions over whether IPL franchises should have greater control over pitch preparation to build a proper home advantage.
“If it has to be a consistent decision for all [then yes], but it should at least be where you know at least what to expect,” Badani said. “Here, we don't know what the surface will do.”
While Delhi struggled with consistency through the season, their poor performances at home once again became a major factor behind their poor campaign.
DC played seven matches at the Arun Jaitley Stadium this season and managed to win only two. Their first home win came against Mumbai Indians on April 4 by six wickets, while the second arrived much later against Rajasthan Royals last week by five wickets.
In between, they lost five straight home games against Gujarat Titans, Punjab Kings, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Chennai Super Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders.
One of the biggest issues for Delhi this season was their inability to read the nature of the Kotla surface and settle on a clear strategy or combination at home.
“Earlier I used to think a lot after seeing the wicket, but now I’m not thinking too much because whenever I’ve tried to predict it, the opposite has happened,” skipper Axar Patel had said earlier in the season.
Head coach Hemang Badani was even more direct after the win against Rajasthan Royals.
“We have stopped discussing the surface. We play this venue as an away venue,” he said.
The numbers show that this is not just a one-season issue for Delhi. According to IPL home venue records, DC have the second-worst home win percentage among all IPL teams at 45 per cent, only ahead of Lucknow Super Giants, who stand at 40 per cent.
The figures become worse when only matches at the Arun Jaitley Stadium are considered. In 93 matches played at the venue, Delhi have won only 39 and lost 53, with one no result. Their win percentage at Kotla drops further to 42.3 per cent.
Their recent qualification history also highlights the problem. DC qualified for the playoffs in 2021, but that season was not played in the hom-away format because of COVID-19 restrictions. In 2020, when they reached the final, all matches were played in the UAE. Since 2012, Delhi have qualified for the playoffs only once while actually playing home matches at Arun Jaitley Stadium — in 2019.
In comparison, the league’s most successful home sides have built strong records in familiar conditions. Five-time champions Chennai Super Kings have a 66.6 per cent home win record, while Mumbai Indians have won 62.5 per cent of their home matches.
The issue has again raised questions over whether IPL franchises should have greater control over pitch preparation to build a proper home advantage.
“If it has to be a consistent decision for all [then yes], but it should at least be where you know at least what to expect,” Badani said. “Here, we don't know what the surface will do.”
Next Story