Delhi Capitals vs Cricket Australia: Hemang Badani Blames CA for Starc’s Absence

The Mitchell Starc Impact: A Double-Edged Sword for Delhi Capitals

Delhi Capitals [Source: AP]

In the high-octane world of the IPL, timing is everything. For the Delhi Capitals, the arrival of Mitchell Starc in his full, lethal form may have come just a moment too late for their 2026 campaign. During a high-scoring thriller against the Rajasthan Royals in Delhi on Sunday, May 17, Starc proved exactly why he commands such a high price tag and why his absence during the first half of the tournament has become a major point of contention.

In a match where batters dominated and the aggregate score soared toward the 400-run mark, the legendary Australian left-arm pacer turned the tide. With the Rajasthan Royals cruising at 161-2 after 14 overs, they seemed destined for a total well beyond 220. However, Starc’s intervention was clinical. By the time the 20 overs were completed, the Royals were restricted to 193-8. Starc finished with figures of 4 for 40, a performance that earned him the ‘Player of the Match’ honors and reminded the cricketing world of his death-overs mastery.

Hemang Badani Goes to War with Cricket Australia

While the victory provided a much-needed boost to the Capitals’ points tally, it also opened old wounds. Head coach Hemang Badani did not hold back in his post-match reflections, openly criticizing Cricket Australia (CA) for their role in managing Starc’s workload and availability. The 36-year-old pacer was forced to miss the entire first half of the IPL 2026 season, a decision rooted in CA’s management of his long-standing injury concerns following a grueling international schedule.

“Ideally, I would want my players to be available to me from day one,” Badani stated with visible frustration. “Mitchell Starc is probably one of the biggest players in my squad. We’ve invested heavily in him, and we know that he’s a match-winner. But when certain things are decided by associations and governing bodies, there’s very little that we as coaches or franchises can do. If Cricket Australia does not release him, we are left at a disadvantage.”

Badani’s comments highlight a growing rift in the T20 landscape where franchises, having spent millions of dollars on player auctions, find themselves at the mercy of national boards. Starc had been sidelined since the conclusion of the 2025-26 Ashes series and the subsequent Big Bash League (BBL) season in January. His absence even extended to the 2026 T20 World Cup, raising questions about whether his IPL unavailability was a necessary precaution or an overly cautious move by the Australian authorities.

The Financial and Tactical Cost of Absence

The Delhi Capitals’ management feels particularly aggrieved given the financial commitment made to secure Starc’s services. In the competitive ecosystem of the IPL, missing a marquee overseas pacer for seven or eight games can derail an entire season’s strategy. Badani emphasized that the franchise’s investment should ideally guarantee player availability, especially when the player is not actively participating in other competitive cricket during that window.

However, the transition back to the field hasn’t been entirely seamless for Starc. While his four-wicket burst against the Royals was spectacular, his overall return to competitive cricket has been a mix of brilliance and rustiness. Since debuting in the 2026 season on May 1 with a three-wicket haul, Starc has struggled with consistency. He went wicketless in crucial matches against the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and suffered a particularly expensive outing against the Punjab Kings, where he conceded 57 runs in his four-over quota.

Statistical analysis shows that in his five appearances so far, Starc has claimed nine wickets at an average of 22. However, his economy rate of 10.42 remains a concern for a player of his stature. This inconsistency is perhaps the very reason Badani is so vocal; had Starc started the season on time, he might have found his rhythm much sooner, potentially turning some of Delhi’s close losses into victories.

Delhi Capitals on the Brink: The Road Ahead

As the league stage nears its conclusion, the Delhi Capitals find themselves in a precarious position. Currently ranked seventh on the IPL 2026 points table, their playoff hopes are hanging by a thread. With six wins and seven defeats from 13 matches, the equation is simple yet daunting: they must win their final fixture against the Kolkata Knight Riders on May 24.

Even a victory might not be enough. The Capitals are now reliant on other results falling in their favor to sneak into the top four. The frustration voiced by Badani serves as a narrative for their season—a story of ‘what could have been’ if their primary strike bowler had been spearheading the attack from the opening week. As the franchise prepares for its final stand, the battle between club and country continues to be a defining theme of the modern game.