IPL Team Delhi Capitals

One of the eight teams featured in the inaugural edition of the Indian Premier League (“IPL”), the Delhi Capitals has had relatively little success. Going beyond the league stage was unchartered territory until 2019. Representing Delhi in the IPL, the franchise recorded their first IPL finals appearance in 2020 under the captaincy of Shreyas Iyer but failed to go to the promised land and ended up being runners-up. However, these moves did pay dividends. After having a taste of what it feels like to be so close to the silverware, the Delhi Capitals Squad had retained 18 players who were a part of the team’s finals run.

The marquee addition of Steve Smith brought fresh energy and a well-rounded professional to the squad, coached by Ricky Ponting. The IPL Delhi Captain and India’s dynamic hitter, Rishabh Pant, led the squad to the odds of a 75% win. Unfortunately, the season was suspended, there were no more Delhi IPL matches for fans and lovers of the gentlemen’s game due to health concerns in the biosecure bubble. The team finished at the top of the table in terms of points in the 2021 season and was considered one of the favourites to bring the cup home.

GMR Sports Pvt. Ltd. & JSW Sports Pvt. Ltd. are joint owners of the franchise.

Let’s have a look at the squad of the 2021 IPL season-

2022 Season: Time for Capitals to finally bring the trophy to the capital?

A lot was expected of the Delhi Capitals after back-to-back dominant performances in the past two IPL seasons. Each franchise could retain a maximum of 4 players and a salary cap of INR 90 crore was allocated.

Let’s look at the players retained for the 2022 IPL season by the Delhi Capitals.

he amount left with DC for fresh signings is the lowest out of the eight competing teams. However, team chemistry and bonding play a massive role in any team sport. The fact that each of the retained four players was a part of the previous dominant run must have played a part while taking the decision. They know what it feels like to put a string of solid performances together and are well aware of their role in the team. A balance in style is evident in these four players. With Prithvi Shaw blossoming under Ricky Ponting and taking charge of opening the innings, the team watched Rishabh Pant steadily filling the shoes of the talismanic MS Dhoni to be India’s next special closer. At the other end, a spin specialist and a wicket-taking pacer in Axar Patel and Anrich Nortje have been retained, respectively.

Now that we know that DC has spent heavy bucks hoping to replicate and continue their dominant run in the IPL, let us now look at the common deciding parameter behind bringing these players back and what each of these core 4 brings to the table.

Captain of the World-Cup winning Indian under-19 contingent, Prithvi has known what it takes to win it all, since before he even entered his 20s. The franchise rewarded the youngster’s confidence and prowess, retaining him for the 2020 and 2021 seasons. It is safe to say the decision was not that bad. After all, the team made their first appearance in the finals ever. Later, DC was at the top of the points table in the next season. With Prithvi opening the innings, he averaged 31.93 runs per game while striking the ball at a clip of 159.13 in the 2021 season. The Delhi Capitals can hope to mirror their recent performances if he could put up the same numbers or even anything near that.

Pant, The power-hitter with the squad in the 2020 and 2021 seasons, captain in the 2021 IPL, led them to a league-best point tally. For his entire IPL career, Rishabh Pant boasts a batting average of 147.46. In the two most successful seasons of the franchise, Pant contributed significantly with an average of 34.91 and 35.18 in the past two seasons, respectively. It is no surprise that a player who comes in the middle order leads the team to the top position and constantly improves every time he laces his spikes, has been retained. Pant’s primary task is to get the coveted IPL trophy which has eluded the Delhi Capitals ever since the inception of the IPL.

Nortje, who was with the team throughout its golden period from the 2020 and 2021 seasons, has bagged a total of 34 wickets in the 24 matches he has played. This means at least one wicket is guaranteed to be struck by the South African speedster every time he steps on the pitch. In the 2021 season, he bowled with an economy rate of 6.16, coupled with his wicket-taking prowess.

Following the retaining pattern, Axar Patel has been a part of the team since 2020 and knows how to get to the coveted IPL final. In the 2021 season, Patel bagged 15 wickets in his 12 outings and was efficient in doing so, bowling with an economy rate of just 6.65. What makes Patel all the more valuable is the ability to contribute with the bat. In the 2020 season, the road to the final was partly paved by Patel through his batting, in which he struck the ball at a rate of 137.64

The teams’ home ground is the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi.

The franchise has had a rich history of coaches and captains. In the 2009 season, feisty Indian opener Gautam Gambhir was given charge of the team. In 2012, the prolific Virender Sehwag led the team and was replaced by none other than the spectacular Sri-Lankan, Mahela Jayawardene. The 2016 season saw Indian pacer Zahir Khan as the player in command. After a franchise-best finals’ appearance in the 2020 season, the team was dealt a blow, injuring the captain, Shreyas Iyer. The dynamic Rishabh Pant stepped up and did a great job. Pant led the team to the best points tally in the IPL.

DC has not been complacent when it comes to coaches, with former and world-cup winning head coach Gary Kirsten being in-charge of the team. Rahul Dravid, the Wall, was also at the helm in the franchise but had to step down as he prioritised coaching the Indian national team. The world-dominating, former Aussie Skipper, Ricky Ponting filled his shoes instead. Ricky built the new DC squad and was a part of the team in their prime 2020 and 2021 IPL seasons.

Top Fantasy Players (As per IPL Fantasy League) for DC:

• Shikhar Dhawan
• Avesh Khan
• Rishabh Pant
• Prithvi Shaw
• Kasigo Rabada

While this may not be the most accurate description of the current DC squad, it is imperative to glance at the teams’ history. Let’s see what DC’s track record in the IPL has been.

With the core four back in the house, with a finals’ appearance in the 2020 season and a league-best standing in the subsequent 2021 season, it would be an understatement to say that banking on the Delhi Capitals to go to the promised land to win the IPL is a safe and sound bet.