Shane Watson was left baffled by Delhi Capitals’ decision to send Karun Nair to open the batting ahead of Abhishek Porel during their critical IPL 2025 clash against Sunrisers Hyderabad on May 5. Speaking on Star Sports, Watson questioned the rationale behind this change, especially with DC’s playoff hopes hanging in the balance. "Something as simple as randomly changing the opening combination—for no apparent reason—was just not needed. I was genuinely surprised. I nearly fell off my chair when I saw Karun Nair walk out to open with Faf du Plessis. That move made no sense," Watson said. In a season already marred by inconsistencies, DC's decision to alter their top order once again seemed like an unnecessary risk. This was the sixth different opening pair the franchise had used, and it backfired immediately. Nair, who replaced Porel at the top, was dismissed on the very first ball of the match by SRH captain Pat Cummins. "Whatever the thinking was in the Delhi Capitals’ camp, I think they got that one completely wrong. When you start chopping and changing positions like that, it suggests there's no clarity in roles. Even if players aren't consciously overthinking, decisions like this can make them second-guess what’s going on," Watson added. Also READ: "I’ve always had a better chance...": Jaydev Unadkat explains KL Rahul dismissal DC’s top-order struggles continue as playoff hopes slip The opening debacle set the tone for DC's disastrous start. Struggling at 62/6 after 13 overs, their hopes of posting a competitive total seemed all but over. Despite a late recovery from Tristan Stubbs (41* off 36) and Ashutosh Sharma (41 off 26), DC finished with just 133 on the board. However, the match was called off due to rain and both teams ended sharing a point each. Also READ: "We want you to play that way": Kohli shares Dhoni's message during his India debut Watson also stressed the importance of staying with the same batting order throughout the season. He said that this kind of instability at the top doesn’t just impact individual performances but disrupts the team’s entire rhythm. DC, who looked down and out against SRH, was saved by the rain as the match was abandoned. With 13 points from 11 matches, DC are currently in the fifth spot.