IPL 2024: Will Rishabh Pant Play For Delhi Capitals In The Tournament? Aakash Chopra Reveals Scintillating Insight
Former India opener Aakash Chopra feels that Rishabh Pant’s availability in the upcoming IPL season will increase Delhi Capitals’ (DC) hope for a turnaround in their fortunes. Rishabh Pant is still not fully recovered and is unlikely to lead the franchise in the IPL 2024 season but he will be playing as a batter if he is fit ahead of the start of the season.
The Delhi-based franchise was led by David Warner in the absence of their skipper, Rishabh Pant. Delhi Capitals finished ninth on the points table in the 2023 edition winning just five games out of 14. This season with Pant potentially back in action, the Capitals are hoping for a good season and they will be looking to qualify for the playoffs.
Aakash Chopra noted that the Delhi Capitals will be hoping that Pant’s potential presence will end their struggle from last season. In a video shared on his YouTube channel, He said, “Last year, the Capitals had taken an oath that they would stay close to the bottom of the table. The chances of Rishabh Pant’s availability are bright this year. It seems like spring will suddenly come once Rishabh Pant comes in.”
The reputed commentator reckons Tristan Stubbs is a good acquisition for Delhi Capitals. However, he was slightly surprised that the Delhi-based franchise didn’t bid for Shahrukh Khan, elaborating, “They have taken Tristan Stubbs, who I feel is a good option, a wicketkeeper-batter who can bat down the order. They now have Ricky Bhui and Kumar Kushagra. They had saved a lot of money for Kumar Kushagra, and they needed him for sure. I felt they would break the bank for Shahrukh.”
Aakash Chopra Feels Delhi Capitals Have Again Failed To Strengthen Their Lower-Middle Order
Aakash Chopra feels that the Delhi Capitals have again failed to resolve their lower-middle order concern. He elaborated, “You had to strengthen your middle order and lower-middle order because that is where the problem lay. You have David Warner, Mitchell Marsh, Prithvi Shaw and Rishabh Pant, if he is there, at the top, but who at Nos. 5, 6 and 7? Their last year’s problem will remain almost similar this year as well.”
Aakash Chopra acknowledged that Rishabh Pant’s availability will resolve some issues for the Delhi-based franchise. He is still sceptical about the lower-middle order of the team as he doubts Harry Brook’s ability to deliver for the Capitals in the lower-middle order. Harry Brook had a forgettable campaign last season with the Sunrisers Hyderabad where he scored just 190 runs in 11 innings at an average of 21.11.
The Delhi Capitals have a decent squad and they will be hoping for a playoff spot in the upcoming season of the IPL. They last qualified for the playoffs in the year 2021 where they were beaten by KKR in the Second Qualifier. The Delhi Capitals reached the finals of the IPL in 2020 where they were beaten by Mumbai Indians. The Delhi-based franchise has been around in the league since the start of the IPL but they haven’t been able to win the league.
