IPL 2023 is set to start in about a week with defending champions Gujarat Titans set to face Chennai Super Kings in the season opener. The match will be played at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Since IPL is almost three, teams have started preparing themselves to roar in the cash-rich league.
Former CSK player Shane Watson talked about Delhi Capitals. “Well, one in particular is Rilee Rossouw, he’s someone you know, I’ve played with him in the Pakistan Super League for Quetta Gladiators. And to see how he has come back into international cricket and he’s a world-class hitter of the ball. He can take down any bowler at any stage, in any conditions. So if he gets on a roll, he can just take the game away from the opposition”, he said while talking to Star Sports.
“Well, there’s a lot of very talented players, I think, yeah, David Warner for me is just at the top of the order. He’s going to continue to have a point to prove and everyone’s going to be like riding off the back of him. He’s always scored so many runs in the IPL. And to be an opening batter, and set the platform like he does is going to be very important. I think Mitchell Marsh, this is going to be another really big season for him. He’s got incredible skill with the bat alone and how he’s batting and takes the game on is going to play a really big part. And then we’ve got some youngsters with the ball, fast bowlers, we’ve got Nagarkoti and Chetan Sakariya. And then we’ve got our spinners as well, like Axar and Kuldeep Yadav. Those two guys, to be able to have world class spinners bowling especially through the middle, to be able to try and get wickets and also keep the runs down, that’s so critically important”, he added.
Since Rishabh Pant is injured after meeting a horrific car crash, IPL franchise Delhi Capitals named David Warner as the skipper ahead of the IPL 2023. India’s terrific all-rounder Axar Patel has been appointed as the vice-captain.
Australia’s explosive batter Warner was the highest run maker for the Capitals in the last season of IPL as he amassed 432 runs at an average of 48 with the help of five half-centuries. Warner joined hands with the Delhi Capitals squad in the 2022 mega auction after he was released by the Sunrisers. Capitals paid him a whopping amount of Rs 6.25 crore.
“The biggest challenge for Delhi is just to be able to consistently put good performances together. You know, the Delhi Capitals have got a really, really skilful squad, and we do again this year. Obviously Rishabh Pant not being a part of, not playing this tournament is going to be a huge, huge miss”, former Australia allrounder stated.
“For sure, Delhi’s normally, conventionally a lower, turning sort of wicket and we’ve got the bowlers to exploit that with our spinners alone. With Axar and also Kuldeep Yadav, but also with the batters that we’ve got, can really make the most of those conditions. It’s a smaller ground as well. So, but in any IPL, you do have to make your home ground a fortress”, he signed off.