Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Delhi Capitals (DC) has on Monday (August 30) started their pre-season camp under assistant coaches Pravin Amre and Ajay Ratra at the ICC Academy in Dubai ahead of the resumption of the IPL 2021 on September 19.
After Delhi Capitals’ (DC) first training session on Monday, Amre said the table-toppers DC is looking at the second half of the IPL 2021 as a fresh tournament in different conditions in the UAE.
Notably, the DC is currently at the top of the IPL 14 points table with 12 points from eight matches and they have now started preparations to get used to the conditions and the wickets in the UAE to start from scratch in the second half of the tournament.
Amre said in a media release: “We have to look at the remainder of the season as a fresh one. There has been a long break after the first half and we will be playing in different conditions and wickets.
We are looking to start from scratch and not show any complacency after a brilliant performance in the first half of the tournament. We will look to play with the same intensity that we showed in our first match of the IPL 2021.”
On preparations ahead of the resumption of the IPL 14, Amre said: “It's going to be humid when the season resumes and it is important for the players to get used to the wickets and conditions here in the UAE. Credit to the DC management for sending us here early, so that we have enough time to prepare well with the conditions on offer.”
Meanwhile, former DC skipper Shreyas Iyer, who missed out on the first half of the season due to a shoulder injury, also started his training with the franchise and Amre said the star batsman has regained full fitness and is hitting the ball very well in the nets.
He said, “It's always hard for any cricketer to come back after an injury. Our entire team, especially Delhi Capitals' strength, and conditioning Coach Rajinikanth Sivagnanam, Assistant Physio Dhananjay Kaushik, and Physio Patrick Farhart worked hard when Shreyas was undergoing rehabilitation.”
The coach signed off by saying, “Even the National Cricket Academy played an important role during Shreyas' recovery period. Getting his shoulder strength back was important for him and he has been hitting the ball as long as anybody in the nets.”
Noteworthy, DC will resume its IPL 2021 campaign against the Sunrisers Hyderabad on 22 September in Dubai.
(With PTI/IANS Inputs)
