Former Indian batter Mohammad Kaif questioned Yuzvendra Chahal’s place in Punjab Kings’ playing XI after they suffered a three-wicket loss against Delhi Capitals at Dharamshala in the ongoing IPL 2026 on Monday. 

While defending a par score of 211, PBKS skipper Shreyas Iyer decided not to give even a solitary over to Chahal. Meanwhile, Chahal has been in decent form in the ongoing IPL 2026, taking eight wickets in nine innings at an average of 35.75 and an economy rate of 9.53. The leg-spinner had created a lot of chances in the previous match against Sunrisers Hyderabad but PBKS fielders had failed to grab them.

Mohammad Kaif said on his YouTube Channel, “Suppose if you do not want Yuzvendra Chahal to bowl in Dharamsala, then what is he even doing in the playing XI? Do not play him in the XI then. Keep him out because Punjab still have two more matches to play here at home, and pitch conditions won’t change then what role does he serve? He does not contribute with the bat either. A huge question has now come up for Punjab because if Chahal is not going to bowl, then which other bowlers are they going to bring in? On what basis does he fit into the playing XI then?”

On the other hand, the former UP batter, Kaif, expressed his surprise after Delhi Capitals skipper Axar Patel decided not to bowl himself against PBKS.

He added, “I was surprised by Delhi’s tactics as well. Overall, Axar Patel also did not bowl. Axar Patel is not someone who depends on massive turn. He actually bowls using angles. His deliveries drift, and he makes good use of angles. Axar Patel was one of the players who helped India win the World Cup, right? He bowls in the powerplay as well. So I was really surprised that he did not bowl. If he had bowled and got hit in his first over, then that would have been a different discussion. But he did not bowl at all, which really surprised me a lot.”

Patel, however, scored a crucial knock of 56 runs off 30 balls in the run chase.