IPL 2021: From Rishabh Pant To Steven Smith, Five DC Players To Watch Out For

Delhi Capitals has one of the strongest and most balanced batting and bowling units in IPL 2021 and will be hoping for their first title this season. The team has a number of superstars who are capable of single-handedly winning a match on their day. The Capitals had a great run in the previous edition in the UAE – their best in the history of the tournament – and made it to the final of the coveted league. They would be hoping to go a step further this year. We look at 5 players who can potentially make the difference for the team in the tournament.

IPL 2021: Delhi Capitals Preview – With Pant At Helm, Capitals Search For Elusive Title

1. Shikhar Dhawan

Shikhar Dhawan’s remarkable transformation from anchor to accumulator was one of the biggest stories, in both, IPL 2019 and 2020. After an indifferent and cautious start in 2019 and 2020, Dhawan suddenly changed gears mid-way and unleashed his attacking game – annihilating the opposition attack. He turned from accumulator to aggressor and scored big runs consistently at a very high strike rate playing match-winning knocks for the Capitals. From a mere 132 runs at a rate of 122.22 in the first six matches, Dhawan hammered 486 runs in his last 11 matches last season at a strike rate of 152.35 in IPL 2020. He scored at a rate of 151.01 in the latter half of the tournament in 2019 after crawling at 116.03 in the first six matches of the season.

2. Rishabh Pant

Rishabh Pant was not at his destructive best in IPL 2020 and scored at a rate of barely 114. But the left-hander has been in devastating form across formats during the last four months and is expected to unleash his A-game in IPL 2021. The added responsibility of leading the franchise may inspire him even more and bring out the best in Pant. He scored at a strike rate of 163 in 2019, 174 in 2018 and 166 in 2017. Overall, Pant has an aggregate of 2079 in 68 IPL matches at a strike rate of 152 with one hundred and 12 fifties.

3. Steve Smith

The Australian great was released by the Royals and would want to make a statement with the bat for his new franchise in IPL 2021. Smith started the tournament with two fine knocks but his form tapered thereafter in 2020. However the batting genius gave a prowess of his white-ball capabilities by smashing two successive 62-ball hundreds in the ODI series against India in Sydney. Smith is an innovative batsman in T20 cricket with the ability to play unorthodox but very effective shots in the format. He can manufacture shots and is impossible to stop once he gets his eye in. He will play the role of the playmaker for the Capitals at number 3.

IPL 2021: From Virat Kohli to Kyle Jamieson, Five RCB Players to Watch Out For

4. Kagiso Rabada

Kagiso Rabada has been the leading wicket-taker amongst pacers individually and collectively in the last two editions of the IPL. He was the second-highest wicket-taker in IPL 2019 with 25 wickets in 12 matches at a strike rate of 11.2 and economy rate of 7.82. He was at the top of the charts in 2020 with 30 wickets in 17 matches at a strike rate of 13.1. Rabada’s greatest strength is his phenomenal wicket-taking ability. He has the best bowling average and strike rate in IPL history! He has bagged 61 wickets in 35 matches at an average of 18.09 and strike rate of 13.1 with four 4-wicket hauls in an innings.

5. Axar Patel

Axar Patel’s control and accuracy in the middle overs was one of the main reasons for the Capital’s success in IPL 2019 and 2020. Axar maintained a tight line and length and seldom bowled a bad delivery constantly maintaining relentless pressure on the opposition batsmen. The left-arm orthodox bowler was very restrictive with an economy rate of just 7.13 in 2019 and 6.41 in 2020. He also bagged 19 wickets across the two seasons. He has a variety of deliveries up his sleeve including a slower one and the arm ball. Axar also chipped in with useful contributions with the bat for the Capitals.

• axar patel
• DC
• Delhi Capitals
• ipl
• IPL 2021
• kagiso rabada
• Rishabh Pant
• shikhar dhawan
• steve smith