DC vs RR, IPL 2026: Rajasthan Royals have mysteriously left out veteran all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja out of their XI for the vital clash against the Delhi Capitals on May 17, Sunday at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. It is the first time this season that Jadeja will miss a game, with the spin-bowling all-rounder traded from the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) for a fee of ₹14 crore.
DC vs RR, IPL 2026: Why did Rajasthan Royals omit Ravindra Jadeja from their XI to face the Delhi Capitals?
At the toss, Riyan Parag, who made a comeback after missing the game against the Gujarat Titans, announced that they have left out the Saurashtra all-rounder due to ‘load management’. Hence, 24-year-old Ravi Singh have been handed a debut. The 24-year-old, born in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh has played only 10 T20s alongside a strike rate of 174.55 with 295 runs in 10 matches, amassing a best of 68*. Parag returned for the clash after missing the previous game due to a hamstring injury, forcing Yashasvi Jaiswal to captain the inaugural IPL champions.
DC vs RR, IPL 2026: What happened the last time the Delhi Capitals and Rajasthan Royals locked horns?
It is also the second time in the season that the Royals and Capitals are squaring off in this edition of the IPL. The earlier clash in the ten-team tournament at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium saw the Royals amass 225/6, largely due to Riyan Parag’s 90, followed by the death-overs exploits from Donovan Ferreira. Although Donovan Ferreira’s death-overs exploits propelled the home side to 225/6, the Capitals were helped by half-centuries Pathum Nissanka (62) and KL Rahul (75) to chase down the target with seven wickets and five deliveries to spare.
Both the Royals and Capitals are now in a must-win territory as the playoffs beckon. The Capitals cannot afford a misstep, given they only have 10 points and possess the worst net run-rate. The task is also equally steep for the Royals, whose campaign have slightly derailed after a promising start.
