Former Australia all-rounder Shane Watson has said that opener David Warner will have a point to prove when he plays in the upcoming IPL 2023. Warner has been given the responsibility of captaining the Delhi Capitals (DC) this season as well in absence of Rishabh Pant.
Warner has captained the Delhi franchise in the past, the then Delhi Daredevils, and has had a successful run as a skipper in IPL with the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), leading them to their only title win in IPL 2016.
The highest run-getters amongst the overseas players with 5881 runs in the IPL, Warner was bought by Delhi Capitals in the IPL 2022 auction.
However, the left-hander has endured poor form with the bat in the two Tests at Nagpur and Delhi and scored 23 in the only ODI he played after his recovery from a hairline fracture to his left elbow.
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“David Warner for me is just at the top of the order. He’s going to continue to have a point to prove and everyone’s going to be like riding off the back of him. He’s always scored so many runs in the IPL. And to be an opening batter, and set the platform as he does is going to be very important,” Watson told Star Sports.
Watson also said that he expects Mitchell Marsh to continue with his devastating form with the bat in IPL as well.
“(For) Mitchell Marsh, this is going to be another really big season for him. He’s got incredible skill with the bat alone and how he’s batting and takes the game on is going to play a really big part,” Watson said.
Watson named South Africa’s Rilee Russouw as the trump card for Delhi Capitals in IPL 2023.
“Well, one, in particular, is Rilee Rossouw, he’s someone you know, I’ve played with him in the Pakistan Super League for Quetta Gladiators. And to see how he has come back into international cricket and he’s a world-class hitter of the ball. He can take down any bowler at any stage, in any conditions. So if he gets on a roll, he can just take the game away from the opposition,” he explained.
Watson, who is the assistant coach of the DC franchise, hoped the very best for his franchise in the IPL 2023 and said that DC has covered all the grounds.
“There’s a lot of very talented players. We’ve got some youngsters with the ball, fast bowlers, we’ve got (Kamlesh) Nagarkoti and Chetan Sakariya. And then we’ve got our spinners as well, like Axar (Patel) and Kuldeep Yadav. Those two guys, to be able to have world-class spinners bowling especially through the middle, to be able to try and get wickets and also keep the runs down, that’s so critically important,” he said.
Watson backed the pair of Patel and Kuldeep to take advantage of a spin-friendly pitch in their home ground, the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi.
“For sure, Delhi’s normally, conventionally a lower, turning sort of wicket and we’ve got the bowlers to exploit that with our spinners alone. With Axar and also Kuldeep Yadav, but also with the batters that we’ve got, can really make the most of those conditions. It’s a smaller ground as well,” he said.
Watson admitted the absence of Pant will be a huge miss for the side.
“The biggest challenge for Delhi is just to be able to consistently put good performances together. You know, the Delhi Capitals have got a really, really skillful squad, and we do again this year. Obviously, Rishabh Pant not being a part of, not playing this tournament is going to be a huge, huge miss,” Watson expressed.
(Star Sports inputs)
