Dodda Ganesh Questions Delhi Capitals’ Opening Choice After Nissanka’s Slow Start
Former seamer Dodda Ganesh criticised Delhi Capitals for opening with Pathum Nissanka and leaving out David Miller, after the loss to Chennai Super Kings.
By SportCricket Desk · 6 May 2026 · 2 min read
Former cricketer Dodda Ganesh has openly questioned Delhi Capitals’ team selection in IPL 2026, saying the side’s think tank is overlooking plenty of options in its own squad.
His comments followed Pathum Nissanka’s innings of 19 off 15 balls against Chennai Super Kings at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on May 5. Nissanka was dismissed by Mukesh Choudhary.
What Ganesh suggested
In a pointed social media post, Ganesh sarcastically called the Delhi management “geniuses”. He argued that the squad has so much Indian batting talent that it could open with Prithvi Shaw, Nitish Rana or Abishek Porel alongside KL Rahul, while bringing David Miller back into the middle order. Instead, he wrote, the team plays Nissanka at the top and leaves Miller out, and he asked how that could be seen as a serious cricket team.
The numbers behind the debate
Nissanka has played nine matches for Delhi this season and scored 228 runs at an average of 25.33 and a strike rate of 156.17.
Rana has made 217 runs in eight innings at No. 3, averaging 27.13 with a strike rate of 156.12.
Of the other names Ganesh mentioned, Porel has had limited chances, appearing in only one match as an Impact Player. Shaw is part of the squad but has not yet featured in IPL 2026.
