IPL 2022 | Will New-look Delhi scrounge art of finishing?

Same skipper but a new set of players, Delhi Capitals (DC) led by Rishabh Pant will march into the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 after spending tough hours on the auction table. The franchise kept a hold on their four key players- Rishabh Pant, Axar Patel, Prithvi Shaw and Anrich Nortje but had to let go of a solid lineup, which was built by putting in the hard yards since 2018.

After Rishabh Pant took over the captaincy of Delhi Capitals last year, it was all but clear he would remain the franchise's first pick for the skipper's role for the seasons to come. Pant will play as a middle-order batter and wicket-keeper.

The duo of Prithvi Shaw and David Warner forms an aggressive opening pair for DC. With David Warner not available till April 6, Delhi would have to take a punt on Tim Seifert and draft him in as Shaw's partner. Mitchell Marsh would make an ideal number 3 as he donned the same role for Australia. However, his availability for the initial few games is also a concern and the team needs to slot either Yash Dhull or KS Bharat in his place. While Bharat batted at the same position for RCB, Dhull is yet to feature in the IPL but has a suitable game needed for the role.

Skipper Pant, Sarfaraz Khan and Rovman Powell would likely be DC's middle-order. Although Sarfaraz has been notching up mammoth runs recently in the domestic circuit, the side may be tempted to try Mandeep Singh, who also is going through a decent phase.

Shardul Thakur and Axar Patel would fill into the team as two all-rounders. The Capitals have Lalit Yadav and Ripal Patel and U-19 star Vicky Ostwal as other options. Kuldeep Yadav will probably make the XI as the frontline spinner. He has not been in the best of form since 2020 but could give his career a new life while playing for DC.

Nortje and Chetan Sakariya would walk into the XI as two pacers. Delhi may not risk playing Nortje in the first few games as he is coming after an injury, and Mustafizur Rahman might feature in the XI.

Where did they finish last year?

Delhi Capitals entered the playoffs in IPL 2021 but ended as the second runner-up after losing to Kolkata Knight Riders in the Qualifier 2.

Strongest Playing XI

Prithvi Shaw, David Warner, Mitchell Marsh, Rishabh Pant (c/wk), Sarfaraz Khan, Rovman Powell, Shardul Thakur, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Chetan Sakariya, Anrich Nortje

Flaws

For the Capitals, the availability of their star players remains the key. While Nortje, Warner and Marsh will miss out on the first 2 to 3 games, Delhi would need a change in strategy to come out strong. 

In the absence of Marsh, Delhi would only have five bowling options and could opt for Lalit Yadav or Ripal Patel ahead of Sarfaraz Khan.

Barring Nortje, the bowling department looks timid. Their bench strength is not strong either and can cause problems if an injury hits any of their key players.

X-Factor 

Delhi’s top-order reflect signs of danger for the opposition bowlers. Shaw, Warner, Marsh and Pant may arguably form one of the best batting lineups in the tournament. But Powell, as a finisher, is also a fine addition to the squad, and his pressure-soaking ability can make a difference in crunch situations.

Analysis 

After making it to the playoffs in the previous three editions, Delhi Capitals would need to scrounge the art of finishing this time around to end their title hunt. However, they have shaped up well to form a strong playing XI and can again finish in the top four.