‘I've played with him in PSL…’: Shane Watson names ‘trump card’ of Delhi Capitals in IPL 2023

Former Australia all-rounder Shane Watson believes DC has another left-hander in their squad who can change the game with the bat like Pant.

Rishabh Pant is a colossal miss for any team. Even more so for Delhi Capitals as he was their captain, wicketkeeper and batting mainstay. As head coach Ricky Ponting rightly said that finding another cricketer performing all three roles will be next to impossible and hence DC will have to fill Pant's void with two or maybe three cricketers. David Warner will take up the captaincy role while all-rounder Mitchell Marsh can fill Pant's void in the top four. As far as the keeper is concerned, DC will have to take a call between makeshift keeper Sarfaraz Khan or Phill Salt. But considering the tough competition slots, it might be difficult to accommodate Salt in the XI, at least in the first half of the tournament.

Shane Watson.(IPL)

Former Australia all-rounder Shane Watson believes DC has another left-hander in their squad who can change the game with the bat like Pant. Calling South Africa batter Rilee Rossouw the 'trump card' of DC, Watson said he is a 'world-class' hitter of the ball.

“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," Watson told Star Sports.

The former cricketer, who is the assistant coach of DC, spoke on what the key strengths of the Delhi Capitals squad are. “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 is going to have 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, (Kamlesh) 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.”

Speaking on the biggest challenge for the Delhi Capitals squad, Watson added “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.”

Watson further spoke on the home advantage that Delhi Capitals have this season, he said “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.”