IPL 2021, Delhi Capitals Predicted XI vs SRH: With Shreyas Iyer fit, will captain Rishabh Pant include Steve Smith? | Cricket - Hindustan Times
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IPL 2021, Delhi Capitals Predicted XI vs SRH: With Shreyas Iyer fit, will captain Rishabh Pant include Steve Smith?

Sep 22, 2021 04:25 PM IST

IPL 2020 runners-up Delhi were at the top of the standings ahead of the start of Phase II of the current season. They are now second, behind Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on an inferior run-rate, but will have the chance to go on top once again with a win against bottom-placed SRH.

The Delhi Capitals (DC) will resume their IPL 2021 campaign against 2016 champions Sunrisers Hyderabad at the Dubai International Stadium on Wednesday. IPL 2020 runners-up Delhi were at the top of the standings ahead of the start of Phase II of the current season. They are now second, behind Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on an inferior run-rate, but will have the chance to go on top once again with a win against bottom-placed SRH. Moreover, the team will be bolstered by the return of their former captain Shreyas Iyer, who has recovered from a shoulder injury. What would this mean for the team dynamics? Will Steve Smith still find a place? Let's try and answer some of these questions in our probable XI.

Rishabh Pant at the nets.(Delhi Capitals)
Rishabh Pant at the nets.(Delhi Capitals)

Here is a look at DC's Predicted XI vs SRH:

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1) Prithvi Shaw: The Mumbai batsman was in fine form in the first half of the season, smashing 308 in 8 games, including 3 fifties, at a massive strike-rate of 166.48. He is a sure-shot starter in DC's playing XI on Wednesday.

DC vs SRH live score, IPL 2021

2) Shikhar Dhawan: IPL 14's current leading scorer, with 380 runs, would be raring to get going again. He was instrumental in some of Delhi's wins earlier this year due to his individual performances and a few strong partnerships with Shaw at the top. Delhi would bank on their opening duo, yet again, to provide them with some electric starts.

3) Shreyas Iyer: The DC management and think-tank may not have decided to hand the captaincy back to Shreyas Iyer in the middle of the season but the call doesn't take away anything from Iyer' caliber and potential as a batsman. In the previous season, in UAE, he amassed 519 in 17 games en route to guiding Delhi to a second-place finish. UAE has been a happy hunting ground for the Mumbai batsman and he would look to make merry again. His inclusion would also mean Ajinkya Rahane's exclusion, who was in poor form in the first half of the season and during the India-England Test series.

4) Shimron Hetmyer: The big-hitting West Indies southpaw could not deliver to the best of his ability in the first half of the season in India but his bombastic knock of 53 not-out, off just 25 balls, against Royal Challengers Bangalore spoke volumes of his potential. The management is likely to persist with him.

5) Marcus Stoinis: The Australian all-rounder recently quipped that he wants to become the best finisher in the world. The second phase of IPL 2021 would be a good place to start for Stoinis. Apart from hitting a few long balls into the stands, he's a handy all-rounder who can trouble the opposition batsmen with his treacherous pace and movement. With two overseas middle-order batsmen already in the side, his compatriot Steve Smith would miss out.

6) Rishabh Pant (C&WK): The swashbuckling wicketkeeper-batsman has been retained as captain of the side. He managed to take up the sudden task of captaincy very well in the first half. Apart from securing his team a playoffs berth, he would look to improve the output with his blade. He comes into the tournament on the back of lukewarm form during the India-England Test series but as they say, one can never know with Pant.

7) Ravichandran Ashwin: The senior India off-spinner is likely to make a return to the team, meaning Lalit Yadav would miss out. It's not that Lalit did a whole lot wrong in the first half but with Ashwin being named in India's squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup and the experience he holds, Pant would be inclined to play the Chennai all-rounder.

8) Axar Patel: The Gujarat spinning all-rounder picked up six wickets in phase 1 and with the UAE pitches likely to provide more assistance to the spinners, Axar would definitely be a force to be reckoned with.

9) Avesh Khan: The surprise package, not for the oppositions but also for coach Ricky Ponting and team, is most likely to start the second phase as well. Avesh took the tournament by storm when he grabbed 14 wickets in the first 8 matches. Just like phase 1, he will most probably step out ahead of Umesh Yadav.

10) Kagiso Rabada: There is no way DC would not play this fierce South African pacer for any reason other than injury. Rabada clinched 30 wickets in the UAE last season and walked home with the 'Purple Cap'. He has bagged 8 wickets so far this season but with the business end of the tournament returning to his happy place, teams can expect him to come at them with all guns blazing.

11) Anrich Nortje: Another bowler who was hugely successful in IPL 2020 was Rabada's fellow countryman. With 22 wickets, he finished fourth in the highest wicket-takers list last season. The management would want him to wreak havoc once again in tandem with Rabada.

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