Former Australian spinner and commentator Brad Hogg, on Thursday (September 16), picked Delhi Capitals (DC) as the team to beat in the second leg of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2021), which is set to resume in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from Sunday, September 19.
He further said that the Delhi Capitals (DC) is now even stronger with the return of Shreyas Iyer and R Ashwin for the remainder of the IPL 2021 in the UAE.
Iyer missed the first half of the IPL 14 due to a shoulder injury, while the veteran off-spinner pulled out after playing 5 matches following several members of his family testing COVID positive in April.
DC is currently leading the IPL 13 points table with six wins from eight games after Rishabh Pant took over as captain before the tournament was postponed due to the Coronavirus outbreak inside the bio-bubble.
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Hogg said on his YouTube channel, “DC for me is the team to beat. Having this break, they have got Shreyas Iyer coming back into the line-up, which allows them to have a little bit of a variety with their overseas players. They don't have to rely on Steve Smith now. It will give them a better balance. They have got R Ashwin coming back as well. They are stronger with both Iyer and Ashwin back.”
He also believes that DC is the only team that can challenge the five-time winners Mumbai Indians (MI) and stop the defending champions from winning the 6th IPL trophy. He continued, “DC is only team that can knock MI off and stop them from winning a sixth IPL title. DC is the best team that I have seen on paper. With their balance, they can take on the might of MI and CSK.”
The Aussie also hailed “sensational” Avesh Khan, who claimed 14 wickets in 8 matches in India, saying the pacer is a big positive for DC from the first half of IPL 2021.
He further said, “In the bowling, Avesh Khan in the first phase was sensational. DC does not have enough depth among Indian quicks but Avesh lifted them in the first half. So Ricky Ponting (coach) will be a little comfortable with him in the line-up knowing that he is a little big more confident now.”
Meanwhile, the 50-year-old also feels the Punjab Kings (PBKS) benefited from the COVID-19-enforced break in IPL 2021, as the break offered them the opportunity to modify their squad.
Hogg said, “Break in IPL 2021 has livened up Punjab Kings. They have been able to change the balance of their team. They got rid of Australian quicks Riley Meredith and Jhye Richardson and have managed to get Nathan Ellis in. He is not a big name but he has got good variety and, in the UAE, he could be a change that PBKS need in the line-up to add bowling depth.”
The former spinner also lauded PBKS’ signing of England spinner Adil Rashid for the second half of IPL 2021. He signed off by saying, “Adil Rashid from England is a quality leg-spinner. At the latter stages, when it turns a bit more, he will be good. You’ve also got (Aiden) Markram coming in for (Dawid) Malan. So PBKS have got good depth there.”
Noteworthy, the sixth-ranked PBKS will resume their IPL 14 campaign against Rajasthan Royals (RR) on September 21 in Dubai, while DC will take on Sunrisers Hyderabad on September 22 in Dubai.
