DC vs RR IPL 2026: Ex-India cricketer Sunil Gavaskar sharply criticized Rajasthan Royals skipper Riyan Parag's choice to let Donovan Ferreira bowl the 18th over during their IPL 2026 match against Delhi Capitals, calling it a "suicidal move" that shifted the momentum. Gavaskar analyzed this decision and outlined why he considered it flawed based on the match specifics.
He first targeted the tactical decision to change the bowling lineup, stating, "Handing the ball to Donovan Ferreira for the 18th over was a suicidal move. You brought in a slow bowler on a pitch with no support. He just delivered in the slot. It was his first over of the match," Sunil Gavaskar declared on JioStar.
He stressed Ferreira's visible struggle and added, "He also scored a golden duck with the bat. Sometimes you must notice where the fortune is headed that day."
ALSO READ: BCCI Out Of RTI Ambit: What's Behind CIC's Decision? Explained
Gavaskar further suggested Ferreira's poor form influenced the decision: "Had he scored 40 or 50 runs and felt confident, giving him an over would have made sense. But he got out on his first ball, and you still handed him the ball."
He pointed out the over's impact: "He conceded 16 runs in that over, and the match was lost, over and finished."
He then rebuked the RR skipper's tactics: "Riyan Parag could have given the ball to a specialist, a regular bowler. Even if that bowler leaked 20 runs, that's not the issue. At such a critical stage, handing the ball to Donovan Ferreira was a suicidal decision for Rajasthan Royals."
ALSO READ: MS Dhoni Unlikely To Feature In CSK vs SRH Amid IPL Retirement Rumours; Check Details
He made these remarks after a dramatic match in which Parag's team collapsed despite leading. They stood at 160/2 after 14 overs, on track to post over 220 runs, until Mitchell Starc devastated their batting.
Starc delivered a match-winning 4/40, dismantling RR's middle and lower order, while Lungi Ngidi and Madhav Tiwari claimed vital wickets, restricting Rajasthan to 193/8.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (46 off 21), Dhruv Jurel (53), and Riyan Parag (56 off 21) relentlessly attacked the DC bowlers.
Parag's aggressive knock maintained RR's scoring rate, but Starc's late burst reversed the match and triggered a batting collapse for the visitors.
The Axar Patel-led side chased the target smoothly. Openers Abhishek Porel (51 off 31) and KL Rahul (56 off 42) crafted a strong 105-run stand, while Axar Patel's steady 34 and Ashutosh Sharma's rapid finish secured victory.
With this win, DC climbed to seventh place with 12 points, boosting playoff hopes, while Riyan Parag's team faced scrutiny for their tactical blunder.