Horrendous! Axar Patel averages 5.50 with bat in IPL 2026
What's the story
Delhi Capitals captain Axar Patel is having a nightmarish season with the bat in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026. He has managed to score just 33 runs across seven innings, an average of just 5.50 per match, as per ESPNcricinfo. In his latest outing, against Chennai Super Kings at the Arjun Jaitely Stadium, Axar was dismissed for just two off six balls. Here we decode his poor numbers this season.
Performance analysis
His batting performance in IPL 2026
Axar's performance this season has been nothing short of dismal. His scores read 0, 2, 1, 26*, 2, 0, and 2. The only time he managed to do something useful with the bat was when he scored 26* off 19 balls against Royal Challengers Bengaluru before retiring hurt. This is a stark contrast to his previous seasons, where he had scored 283 runs in 13 innings in 2023, followed by 235 in 2024 and then 263 runs in 2025.
Information
Worst average this season
Axar's average of 5.5 is the lowest among all players who have batted at least seven times in IPL 2026 irrespective of the position. The southpaw has a paltry strike rate in this regard (89.18).
Team impact
His bowling numbers have also taken a hit
Axar's batting woes have also affected his other roles in the team. His bowling economy this year has gone up to 8.54 from a career average of 7.41, while he has only taken eight wickets across nine innings this season. Overall, Axar owns 136 wickets in the league. The tally also includes 1,949 runs at a strike rate of 132.85.