Delhi is one of the 3 unlucky franchises that have not been able to win an IPL tournament despite playing all 15 seasons. They came quite close to their first trophy in the year 2020. After dominating the league stage, they got to the final of the tournament. But a defeat against the Mumbai Indians tarnished their dreams. They will try to cross the finishing line this time and end their 15-year-long drought.
How likely is it to happen for them? Keep reading to find it out.
DC Squad 2023
Here’s the full squad of Delhi Capitals for the IPL 2023:
David Warner, Prithvi Shaw, Yash Dhull, Phil Salt, Sarfaraz Khan, Manish Pandey, Rilee Rossouw, Rovman Powell, Mitchell Marsh, Lalit Yadav, Axar Patel, Ripal Patel, Aman Khan, Vicky Ostwal, Anrich Nortje, Chetan Sakariya, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Khaleel Ahmed, Lungi Ngidi, Mustafizur Rahman, Ishant Sharma, Mukesh Kumar, Kuldeep Yadav, Praveen Dubey
Delhi Capitals Likely Starting XI
DC can start the next IPL with the following playing XI:
1. David Warner (c)
2. Prithvi Shaw
3. Rilee Rossouw
4. Sarfaraz Khan
5. Rovman Powell
6. Sheldon Jackson
7. Axar Patel
8. Kuldeep Yadav
9. Anrich Nortje
10. Chetan Sakariya
11. Khaleel Ahmed
Note that Sheldon Jackson hasn’t been included in the squad till now. He is just the likeliest option to replace Rishabh Pant.
DC Squad Strengths
Here’s why the Capitals can believe that IPL 2023 will bring them their first title:
Consistent Opening Pair
David Warner and Prithvi Shaw will open the batting for Delhi Capitals in IPL 2023. The former is the leading run scorer in the IPL among the overseas cricketers. He has scored 5881 runs in league with the help of 55 half-centuries and 4 hundreds. His average of 42.01 and a strike rate of 140.69 show both his consistency and firepower.
The left-hander started his career with the Delhi franchise in 2009 and stayed with them till 2013. Then, he went to the Sunrisers Hyderabad and led them to an IPL title in 2016. They also played in the IPL 2018 final under his leadership. Warner will lead the Delhi Capitals side this season. He returned to his old franchise in the 2022 mega auction. He celebrated his return by smashing 432 runs in the season at an average of 48. He scored 5 fifties in 12 matches, and his strike rate was 150.52.
David Warner’s opening partner Prithvi Shaw is one of the most exciting white ball talents in the country. He was signed by the Delhi Capitals in 2018, and he has been with them ever since. His 5 IPL seasons have produced 1588 runs at a brilliant strike rate of 147.45. The opener was in prime touch in IPL 2021 as he scored 479 runs at an SR of 159.14. Due to some injury issues, he played only 10 matches in the previous IPL edition. He scored just 283 runs but was striking at 152.97.
Warner and Shaw complimented each other very well as an opening pair. The right-hander goes hard at the top while the left-hander slowly gains momentum. They have had several big partnerships together, and DC will expect the same this year.
Plenty of Power Hitters
Rilee Rossouw and Rovman Powell will be the two main batters in the Capitals’ middle order. Rossouw has been in the form of his life for the last couple of years. He has been the most destructive batsman in the ongoing PSL edition. After returning to South Africa’s T20 team, he has scored 372 runs at a strike rate of 176.3. He averages 46.5 in these 10 innings and has got 2 hundreds and a fifty.
Rovman Powell has done wonders in franchise cricket in the past few months. He was the 6th-highest run-getter in the inaugural edition of the ILT20 League. He scored 350 runs in the tournament at an average of 43.75 and a strike rate of 160.55. He is also in fine touch in the Pakistan Super League and has scored 189 runs at a strike rate of 167.26. He joined the franchise in 2022 and was a key figure in their middle order. He scored 250 runs at an SR of 149.7 in his debut season.
Apart from these two, Axar Patel is another destructive power hitter in this batting lineup. He will be the finisher for Delhi Capitals. The left-hander is enjoying a purple patch in his batting career. His strike rate in T20 Internationals is 152.38. In the previous IPL, he got 182 runs at an average of 45.5 and a strike rate of 151.67. With these 3 power hitters in the middle order, DC have a batting lineup whom they can rely upon.
Fine Spin Attack
Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav are the two spinners in DC’s likely XI. These two have 162 IPL wickets between them. Axar usually has the role to keep the batters quiet, while Kuldeep is a genuine wicket-taker. So, these two will help Delhi seize control in the middle overs.
DC Squad Weaknesses
Let’s see a couple of flaws in the Delhi squad:
Ordinary Local Pacers
Anrich Nortje will lead Delhi’s pace attack, with Chetan Sakariya and Khaleel Ahmed being the other two probable fast bowlers. Both the left-arm pacers have only 51 IPL matches between them. Sakariya has taken 17 wickets in as many outings while going at 8.1 runs per over. On the other hand, Khaleel has 48 wickets in 34 matches, but he has given 8.49 runs per over. That’s why it seems like these two bowlers might struggle in this bowling lineup.
The Pant Void
Delhi Capitals’ regular captain Rishabh Pant suffered an unfortunate car accident. While he is making his recovery, it’s certain that he will not be in action for more than a year. David Warner will lead the team in his absence, but Pant will be dearly missed in DC’s middle order. Now, the Capitals need to find a wicketkeeper who can bat well in the middle order. It will be next to impossible to find someone as effective with the bat as Pant.
Players To Watch Out
Let’s see who will be the key players for Delhi Capitals in IPL 2023:
1. Prithvi Shaw
The flamboyant opener has scored tons of runs for his team at a blazing strike rate. His style of batting can make his stocks go north by a long way. The current price of his stocks is ₹155.
2. Kuldeep Yadav
The wrist-spinner’s wicket-taking ability can pay dividends for his side. His current PC price is ₹130.
3. Axar Patel
The all-rounders have always got a better chance of getting big gains in fantasy cricket. Axar’s all-round ability makes him a hot choice in this regard, and his current stock price is ₹140.
4. David Warner
The Delhi Capitals’ skipper will be a key figure in their batting order. His ₹170 base price is the highest among the DC players.
5. Mustafizur Rahman
The left-arm quick’s PCs are worth ₹90 at the moment. His ability to swing the ball and vary his pace cleverly makes him a great option in fantasy cricket.
Delhi Capitals IPL 2023 Prediction
DC have a solid batting lineup, but their bowling looks quite vulnerable. Also, the absence of Rishabh Pant will disturb their team’s balance. So, the Capitals will likely not qualify for the playoffs this year. They should finish the league phase in the 6th position.
Final Prediction: League stage elimination.
