Top 3 Players to watch out for Delhi Capitals
With a revamped look and name, Delhi Capitals will be looking to do well in this year’s competition. The franchise has been perennial under-achievers in the history of Indian Premier League and will be keen to make a serious claim at the trophy this season. Head Coach Ricky Ponting will be hoping that Delhi can start the competition on a positive note and maintain consistency with the bat and ball.
With the plenty of firepower in their squad, here are our three players, who can certainly help Delhi go the distance in this year’s Indian Premier League.
Shreyas Iyer
Captain Shreyas Iyer certainly did a commendable job leading the franchise last season after Gautam Gambhir relinquished the captaincy. Under Shreyas Iyer, Delhi managed to win four games out of eight played in the competition. Last year, he was standout players in the batting department besides Rishabh Pant. He scored 411 runs in 14 matches played for Delhi last season.
Iyer is coming into this year’s Indian Premier League on the back of splendid form shown in the first-class cricket and List A competitions. There is reason to believe that Iyer can certainly do much for the franchise in the coming season of Indian Premier League. A good showing here in the IPL would certainly help secure a place in the national side in the T20 format. Will he deliver with runs or will captaincy issues take its toll on Iyer in the coming season? Let’s hope he can do better this year.
Rishabh Pant
Pugnacious wicket-keeper batsman is certainly dubbed as next big thing in Indian cricket. He certainly has delivered scintillating performances for India in the Test arena. While he needs to work on his game in the 50-over format, there is no doubt that Pant is proven match-winner in the T20 format.
He finished as leading run-scorer for Delhi last season with 600 runs to his name. Pant will be looking to do well in this year’s competition and grab the attention of selectors, who will announce India’s squad for 2019 Cricket World Cup. Pant can certainly be selected as reserve wicket-keeper in case MS Dhoni picks an injury during the competition. Pant has been bankable performer for Delhi in the middle-order and will need to deliver runs for the side in this year’s competition.
Sandeep Lamichhane
Leg-spinner Sandeep Lamichhane certainly has gained prominence with his performances in the domestic T20 Leagues. He was instrumental with the ball and helped Melbourne Stars reach the finals of Big Bash League. Lamichhane continued his rich vein of form and claimed 11 wickets in 7 matches for Lahore Qalandars in his debut season in the Pakistan Super League.
Last season, he played only a handful games for Delhi and picked up five wickets in three matches at an economy rate of 6.83. Delhi certainly needs to utilize the spinner in a much better way as Feroz Shah Kotla will provide assistance to the spinners throughout the competition.
Delhi Capitals could certainly go in with three-spinner strategy and include Lamichhane in the playing XI besides Amit Mishra and Rahul Tewatia. On a sluggish surface in Delhi, Lamichhane could certainly prove to be a handful for the franchise in this year’s competition.
