According to the cricket pundits, Delhi Capitals (DC) have picked a fairly balanced side for the 2021 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL).
Having entered the IPL 2021 auction with the available purse of INR 12.80 Crore, DC bought 8 players including the likes of Steve Smith, Umesh Yadav, Sam Billings and Tom Curran.
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Among the promising domestic cricketers, Delhi also roped in Manimaran Siddharth and Ripal Patel at the auction last month.
Siddharth, who is a slow left-arm orthodox bowler, recently played a key role in Tamil Nadu’s Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2021 triumph. In the final, he returned with figures of 4/20 against Baroda to script his team’s seven-wicket victory.
On the other hand, Ripal Patel, who plied his trade for Gujarat in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2021, scored 145 runs in the T20 competition from games.
Both the youngsters are now looking to make a mark in the 14th season of IPL, slated to start on April 9.
Siddharth is keen to play under captain Shreyas Iyer and coach Ricky Ponting.
"The Delhi Capitals has been a really good team. DC were the runners-up last season. Most of the players in the squad play for their respective international teams. I think it'll be a very good opportunity for me to learn from great players and I am really eager to play under Shreyas Iyer and coach Ricky Ponting," he said in an official release of the franchise.
When asked about how he got to know that he was fetched by DC at the auction, Siddharth said, "I was expecting to be picked in the IPL Auction, but I was really nervous, so I didn't watch it. A couple of players told me after my Vijay Hazare match that DC had picked me, and I was elated."
Seeing his father Manimaran playing the game in Indonesia, Siddharth developed an interest in cricket
"A month after being born in Chennai, I moved to Indonesia because my father was working there. I was in Indonesia for the first nine years of my life. My father used to play for the Indonesian team and played in the Hong Kong Super Sixes. That's how I developed an interest in cricket. When I started playing, I couldn't bowl properly because I couldn't bowl with a straight arm. Then my brother Bharat helped me to bowl with a straight arm. So, I am thankful to my family for all their support," said the 22-year-old.
Meanwhile, Ripal is looking forward to the net sessions once the Delhi Capitals squad assembles.
"There will be so much to learn. I really want to learn from Shikhar Dhawan how he manages to keep a smile on his face no matter how tough the situation is. However much he may have scored, he seems to be at ease and not put pressure on himself. That's something I want to learn," he said.
Ripal also spoke about India all-rounder Akshar Patel’s role in his cricketing journey so far.
"I didn't do very well in the 2019 Vijay Hazare Trophy, and was disappointed. I spent the next year working hard on my game, and Akshar bhai was always around to encourage me, helping me with my game and workouts. It helped me gain confidence, and form just in time for the 2021 domestic season. I am grateful to Akshar bhai for his unending support, he was delighted to know that DC had picked me up," he added.
(With ANI inputs)
