Did DC Drop David Miller Against RR? Know His Replacement

Delhi Capitals meet Rajasthan Royals in the 43rd match of the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season. The contest is being played in Jaipur's Sawai Mansingh Stadium, where RR skipper Riyan Parag won the toss and opted to bat first.

Meanwhile, DC skipper Axar Patel surprised everyone by announcing David Miller's absence from the playing XI in a crucial match for the franchise. David Miller is a key player in DC's batting order, which makes his absence even more surprising.

Why David Miller is Not Playing Today?

Delhi Capitals took a huge step by dropping their star finisher David Miller from the RR vs DC IPL 2026 match. However, the franchise were forced to drop Miller from the match as their opener Sahil Parikh got injured, due to which, they had to bring in the Sri Lankan opener Pathum Nissanka.

As Mitchell Starc is also playing, DC already have four overseas players in the playing XI, which means that there is no place for Miller in the match. In his absence, Ashutosh Sharma has been given a chance as David Miller replacement for the finisher's role.

With DC struggling in the IPL points table, Miller's unavailability could prove to be costly for the Capitals. In his absence, Tristan Stubbs, Axar Patel and Ashutosh Sharma will be the finishers.

David Miller's Mixed Season For DC

Seen as one of the best finishers in IPL, David Miller’s IPL 2026 season with Delhi Capitals has been mixed. In seven innings, he has scored 123 runs at an average of 41 and a strike rate of around 146.

His biggest talking point came in the 209 run-chase against the Gujarat Titans, where Miller smashed a brilliant 41 off 20 balls, but a costly late decision meant Delhi Capitals fell short by just one run in a dramatic finish. However, he bounced back strongly against RCB, producing a match-winning cameo, 22* off 10 balls, including two sixes and a boundary in the final over, to seal a tense chase of 176.
Given his experience, Miller's absence was a shocking one. While he is not playing this match, he is likely to be back in the Playing 11 at some point. He is a game-changer with the bat and can be a match-winner on his day.