Kolkata, May 23 (IANS) Delhi Capitals assistant coach Ian Bell said the mood in the camp remains upbeat despite the high‑stakes clash against Kolkata Knight Riders in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 to be played at the Eden Gardens on Sunday evening. At the same time, Bell admitted that consistency has been the missing link in their campaign.

DC, currently at eighth spot with 12 points, must not only get a big win over KKR, but also rely on favorable outcomes from other remaining matches. “We’ve had a couple of down days, and the guys have trained really well yesterday. The spirits are good. Obviously, we know there’s a big game tonight and a big game before us tomorrow.

“We’re doing everything we can at the moment, training and preparation, just to win our next game. I think that’s the important thing. We’ve got to turn up here in the right attitude to get a win tomorrow.

“But the atmosphere around the group is brilliant. Certainly through the playing group, there’s some really good characters that have stuck together through some highs and lows, so it’s in a positive way,” said Bell in the pre-match press conference.

On facing KKR, who are in the midst of a resurgence in the second half of the season, Bell said, “Another class team, isn’t it? Obviously, we’re on the wrong end of a bad result at home against KKR.

“We know, and I’ve worked with the likes of Finn Allen, and we know the qualities they have with Narine. All the way through their team is world-class players, so we know we have to turn up tomorrow and put in a really good performance, probably one of our best performances of the season so far.”

Bell further admitted that inconsistency has hurt DC and felt it’s an area they can look to improve upon in the 2027 season. “I think most teams will say that, the teams that aren’t in the top four are down to consistency. I think we’ve proven this season that we can score 265 and then follow that up by being bowled out for 70. We couldn’t defend 265 as well with the ball.

“So there have been times when we’ve been brilliant, and then there have been times when we haven’t been good enough. We know in the IPL, when you have your opportunities against these teams, you have to take them, and I think that’s probably where we have to be honest and say we haven’t taken those key moments.

“We lost the game against GT off the last ball and, as I said, the game against Punjab, where we scored 265 and didn’t defend it. You turn those into wins, and suddenly, if we win tomorrow, we’re on 18 points and looking at the top two.

“So the margins are so small in IPL, and that’s why, as a coach and as a player, you want to be in this league because you’re in the highest pressure against the best players in the world, with the biggest fan base and the best stadiums.

“But you also realise that the margins are so small and you have to make sure every day when you are on top, it’s like Test cricket when you play against the best teams, you don’t give good teams an opportunity to get out.

“I think at times we’ve been a bit guilty of not seeing the game through. As I said, two different results with fine margins, and we’re suddenly guaranteed top four. But you have to be ruthless in those opportunities,” he concluded.

–IANS

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