As the 2021 edition of Indian Premier League (IPL) draws closer, cricket fans and experts are busy picking their best possible combination for each of the eight franchises.
On Tuesday (April 6), former India cricketer-turned-commentator Aakash Chopra named his ideal playing XI for the Delhi Capitals (DC).
See Also: Aakash Chopra reveals his KKR XI for IPL 14; no place for Harbhajan Singh
Chopra opted to go with the duo of Prithvi Shaw and Shikhar Dhawan at the top of the order, while he slotted Ajinkya Rahane at No. 3 position in the absence of regular skipper Shreyas Iyer, who has been ruled out of the tournament due to shoulder injury.
According to Chopra, playing Rahane at No. 3 will allow DC to field both Shimron Hetmyer and Marcus Stoinis in the playing XI as the other two overseas slots are likely to be occupied by Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje.
He picked newly-appointed captain Rishabh Pant to bat at No.4 followed by Hetmyer and Stoinis.
“Shikhar Dhawan and Prithvi Shaw to open. At three, I want to play Ajinkya Rahane because if Rahane is at three then you can play both Shimron Hetmyer and Marcus Stoinis. So Rahane at three, Pant at four, and Hetmyer and Stoinis at No.5 and No.6. This looks like a very decent top-six to me,” Chopra said in a video uploaded on his YouTube channel.
Aakash Chopra feels Delhi might struggle to find the right balance in the first few games. He suggested DC to rotate Akshar Patel and Amit Mishra depending on the situation and play one out of Umesh Yadav and Ishant Sharma.
“There could be a few problems in the initial matches because you would have wanted Akshar at No.7. If you put Ashwin at No.7, you will feel the batting is a little short. So, in the first couple of games, they might be struggling to find the right balance. But after that you play Ashwin and Akhar, you can play Mishra also along with Ashwin. Then you have got Anrich Nortje, Kagiso Rabada, and play one out of Ishant and Umesh and your team is complete,” Chopra concluded.
Aakash Chopra's ideal Delhi Capitals playing XI for IPL 2021:
Shikhar Dhawan, Prithvi Shaw, Ajinkya Rahane, Rishabh Pant, Shimron Hetmyer, Marcus Stoinis, Akshar Patel/Amit Mishra, Ravichandran Ashwin, Anrich Nortje, Kagiso Rabada, Ishant Sharma/Umesh Yadav.
