Former India Captain Sunil Gavaskar has criticised Rajasthan Royals captain Riyan Parag’s tactical decision-making during their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 clash against Delhi Capitals, calling the move to introduce Donovan Ferreira in a crucial phase of the match a “suicidal decision”. Rajasthan Royals suffered their third consecutive defeat of the season after failing to defend a total of 193 runs against Delhi Capitals on Sunday. The match turned during the 18th over when Parag handed the ball to part-time bowler Donovan Ferreira at a stage when DC still required 35 runs from the final three overs.

Ferreira, who had earlier been dismissed for a first-ball duck, conceded 16 runs in the over, including two sixes, significantly reducing the pressure on the chasing side. The over proved decisive in shifting momentum firmly in Delhi’s favour as they closed in on the target with increasing ease.

Speaking on Star Sports’ “Amul Cricket Live,” Gavaskar strongly questioned the decision, saying Rajasthan had used a non-regular bowler in a high-pressure phase without considering match conditions or player confidence. He argued that the move backfired badly given Ferreira’s lack of rhythm and poor outing earlier in the game.

Gavaskar noted that while a bowler’s performance can vary, the timing of such decisions is critical in T20 cricket. He suggested that Rajasthan should have trusted a frontline bowler instead of introducing an occasional option in a decisive over. According to him, even if a regular bowler had conceded runs, the strategic logic would have been more acceptable than the gamble taken.

The former India batter also highlighted Mitchell Starc’s impact in the match, particularly his decisive spell in the death overs. Starc picked up key wickets, including a triple strike in one over that dismantled Rajasthan’s middle order after strong contributions from Dhruv Jurel, Riyan Parag, and Vaibhav Suryavanshi had earlier lifted them to a competitive total.

Also Read: Sunil Gavaskar Tears Into Punjab Kings After Mumbai Indians Loss In IPL 2026

Starc’s late breakthroughs ensured Rajasthan, who appeared set for a total above 200 at one stage, were restricted to 193/8. Delhi Capitals eventually capitalised on the momentum shift, with Ashutosh Sharma finishing the chase early in the final overs. With the result, Delhi Capitals moved to seventh place in the standings with 12 points, while Rajasthan Royals remained fifth, also on 12 points but with a slightly better net run rate. The defeat added further pressure on Rajasthan after three consecutive losses in the ongoing season.

Also Read: Sunil Gavaskar Responds to Sanju Samson’s Selfless Hundred Remark in IPL 2026