IPL 2021: 5 Best Possible Captaincy Options For Delhi Capitals In Shreyas Iyer's Absence

Shreyas Iyer’s injury has ruled out of the IPL 2021 and Delhi Capitals will have a tough choice to make with the number of captaincy options they have in the squad. Shreyas Iyer had suffered a subluxation of his left shoulder while fielding in the first ODI between India and England and he is set to miss the remainder of the ODI series as well as the entire IPL 2021.

This will mean that Delhi Capitals will have to change the skipper for the 2021 season and fortunately, they have a lot of options in the bank. This will also be a big blow to the batting lineup of Delhi which has had a lot of contributions from Iyer during their successful campaigns. Here are five possible captaincy options for Delhi Capitals in Shreyas Iyer’s absence from the IPL 2021.

5 Best Possible Captaincy Options For Delhi Capitals In Shreyas Iyer’s Absence:

Ravichandran Ashwin:

Ravichandran Ashwin has captained the Kings XI Punjab in the IPL 2018 and IPL 2019 and he has the experience of leading an IPL team. His captaincy stint started really well but faded away as the games progressed and he had to be traded to the Delhi Capitals for the IPL 2020. Ashwin is a good reader of the game and he is suited to captaincy roles.

Ashwin’s recent test form was at its peak and he picked as many as 32 wickets in the four tests against England. His improved batting makes him a certainty in the playing XI and hence, he could be one of the captaincy options for the Delhi Capitals in Iyer’s absence. Ashwin picked up 13 wickets last season at an economy of 7.66 and bowled brilliantly at times. He could be a great option for DC in Shreyas Iyer’s absence

Ajinkya Rahane:

Ajinkya Rahane was traded from the Rajasthan Royals to the Delhi Capitals lineup in the last season and he was in and out of the side due to the packed Indian batting lineup. However, he played nine matches and scored 113 runs with one half-century which took the side home in a crucial game against Sunriser Hyderabad.

Rahane has captained India in the Test series against Australia and inspired the young team to win the series 2-1 after losing the first test. He has a good record in tests but his captaincy stint for the Rajasthan Royals wasn’t that good as he has won just 9 games out of 25 matches he captained. But, given the experience he has and his impressive test captaincy, he will surely be a contender to captain the side.

Steve Smith:

Probably, the best of the lot if the captaincy alone is to be considered will be Steve Smith, and he has been the best overseas captain so far in the IPL history with a winning percentage of 59.52. However, under his captaincy, the Rajasthan Royals finished at the bottom of the table in IPL 2020, and subsequently, he was released before the auction.

Delhi Capitals picked him for just 2.2 crores and have opened up a great opportunity to let him lead the side throughout the IPL 2021. He will under head coach Ricky Ponting which is the right place for him, but being an overseas captain of the side will have always an effect on the team balance. He might not play all the games but he will be a great captain with these tactics. He could be a great option for DC in Shreyas Iyer’s absence

Marcus Stoinis:

Marcus Stoinis has been part of the IPL from the 2015 edition where he played for the Delhi franchise. He then played for the Kings XI Punjab for three years and then was picked up by the RCB team in the 2019 season. He was picked up by Delhi Capitals again in the 2020 season where he served as one of the best all-rounders in the tournament.

He bowled the tough overs and chipped in with important wickets at the right times. He was phenomenal with the bat and played some blinder of an innings at times in the last season. He has taken over the captaincy stint in Big Bash League previously and he is expected to play all the games for Delhi Capitals this year, which will make him a choice for the captaincy this year.

Rishabh Pant:

Rishabh Pant looks like the next captain of Delhi Capitals in the absence of Shreyas Iyer this year as he has done wonders for the team over the years. The left-hander has been in tremendous form in the last few matches for India in all formats and has improved his wicket skills vastly. He has been very consistent for the Delhi franchise.

Despite his poor outings in the last season, he averages nearly 35 in his IPL career with a devastating strike rate of 152 overall. He has captained the Delhi stateside in domestic tournaments and has done well in the past. He could be handed over the captaincy as he is relatively young and the next big thing in Indian cricket. He could be a great option for DC in Shreyas Iyer’s absence.