If there is one team that has always promised so much on paper and got off to good start playing aggressive cricket only to lose out of steam later on it is The Delhi team. Now in season 12 of the IPL they are desperate to reverse their losing streak and have changed their named from Delhi Daredevils to Delhi Capitals.
Will the name change their fortunes? remains to be seen. They have Aussie legend and two time World Cup winning skipper Ricky Ponting as Head coach and have also roped in former India skipper Sourav Ganguly as advisor to guide the team this year. So there is wealth of experience in the support staff
Delhi Capitals Team 2019 : Kagiso Rabada, Chris Morris, Bandaru Ayyappa, Sandeep Lamichhane, Colin Munro, Ishant Sharma, Colin Ingram, Trent Boult, Shikhar Dhawan, Manjot Kalra, Nathu Singh, Sherfane Rutherford, Prithvi Shaw, Rahul Tewatia, Ankush Bains, Avesh Khan, Axar Patel, Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), Harshal Patel, Keemo Paul, Hanuma Vihari, Amit Mishra, Jalaj Saxena
Young skipper Shreyas Iyer captained the the team last year after regular skipper Gautam Gamnbhir dropped himself after his poor form. Iyer could not do much as by the time he took over the tournament was mid- way . This time he has full tournament to make an impact.
But the real focus in the Delhi campaign will be on flamboyant wicket- keeper batsman Rishabh Pant. It will watched closely by selectors make no mistake about it. If he has fabulous IPL like he had last year then he will be surely be the back- up to MSD. Otherwise Dinesh Karthik could be on the plane to London. So for Pant this IPL is huge . Both as batsman and wicket- keeper.
And yes eyeing fourth seamer slot in the World Cup is India most experience Test bowler and the skipper of the pace attack Ishant Sharma. In English conditions Sharma could be handy. A strong IPL showing will boost his case surely.
There is no short of talent and experience in the side with Shreyas Iyer, Prithvi Shaw, Colin Munro, Ishant Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Axar patel Hanuma Vihari, Kagiso Rabada , Chris Morris . If they click as a unjkt they can cause an upset or two and can be dangerous side . The onus is on them to live up to the billing.
