Delhi Capital have retained its core squad and released six players.
Delhi Capitals' assistant coaches Mohammad Kaif and Pravin Amre while referring to the players Delhi-based franchise will bid for in the IPL 2021 auction, said that Delhi Capitals will look to acquire some back-up players.
Delhi Capitals have done extremely well under the leadership of young Shreyas Iyer and head coach Ricky Ponting. Having made their maiden Indian premier league (IPL) final in the last edition in IPL 2020, which took place in UAE, Delhi Capitals has one of the best squads in the cash-rich league.
Ahead of the IPL 2021 auction Delhi Capitals retained its core squad and released six players for the upcoming season and are left with a total of eight vacancies including three overseas slots.
However, in the IPL auction 2021, which will take place today, Delhi Capitals would be looking to bolster their squad.
Reflecting the same Delhi Capitals assistant coach Mohammad Kaif said that they already have their main core unit and added that Delhi Capitals will acquire some back-up players in the auction.
"We already have our main core unit who played in the last season. We have released a few players, so we will be looking to fill those gaps. I think flexibility is the key in the auction.
“One can have all the plans for the auction, but things can change on the auction table. We have to take spontaneous decisions. Our main players have been playing continuously and there are no fitness issues as well. So, we'll be looking to acquire some back-up players in tomorrow's auction." Mohammed Kaif said.
Addressing the current squad another Delhi Capitals assistant coach Pravin Amre credited owners and head coach for retaining core players and said that if Delhi Capitals are asked to play tomorrow, they have playing XI ready and added that the way DC played last season won the hearts of not management but fans also.
IPL 2021: Delhi Capitals – List of players retained and released
“I must say the owners and the head coach have done a great job by retaining the core unit of this team who played the final in 2020. To be honest, if we are asked to play tomorrow also, we have a playing XI ready with us, so I think that's the successful planning, and that's what we learned from other teams also, who back their core for a long time.
“This team played great cricket last year, and everyone, not only management, but they won the hearts of DC fans also. I think that's the reason why they deserve to be here as a unit," Pravin Amre said.
Amre said that DC management is in a clear frame of mind for the auction.
"We are in a clear frame of mind about what we are going to do on the auction table. We are not desperate to go behind only one player, who can come and fit in the playing XI, that's not the case for us," he said.
Pravin Amre while talking about the competitiveness of the cash-rich league said that his team will target backups for the main players in the auction.
“The IPL is a tough tournament, anything can happen with key players, like injury or other reasons, so that's why we should have that back-up for each and every one. So, that's the area we are looking to target going into the auction," he concluded.
(ANI inputs)