Aakash Chopra has always been a very reliant and noteworthy commentator and cricket pundit. After retiring from all forms of cricket in 2015, the opening batter resorted to commentary and his YouTube channel and has been quite vocal about cricket matters.
With the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 slated to kick-start in 3 days, Aakash Chopra has now given a bold prediction about a team and has stated that the team “won’t qualify for playoffs”.
Speaking about Delhi Capitals, Aakash Chopra struggled to pick the playing XI. Delhi were marred with a humongous jolt as their regular skipper Rishabh Pant was ruled out of IPL 2023 after a car crash in 2022. They have named Australian legend David Warner as the skipper for this season.
“What could be Delhi’s XI? You can get David Warner to open alongside Prithvi Shaw. You can keep Mitchell Marsh at No. 3 because you will not send either David Warner or Prithvi Shaw at No. 3,” said Aakash Chopra on his YouTube channel.
Delhi Capitals’ team management picked up some solid players in the IPL 2023 mini auctions and added the likes of Mukesh Kumar, Phil Salt and Manish Pandey.
All these players have the expertise and firepower to leave a mark in the IPL and they will be hoping to have a goof IPL 2023 season.
Aakash Chopra while dissecting Delhi’s playing XI also spoke about the wicket-keeper conundrum. With Rishabh Pant injured, DC have a big void in the keeper’s position.
“Then you will have to have Manish Pandey at No. 4. Remember that there is no keeper thus far. Then Rilee Rossouw or Rovman Powell at No. 5. At No. 6, Sarfaraz Khan or any other keeper.
We don’t even know who is going to keep. I am thinking Sarfaraz Khan but I don’t know”, said Aakash Chopra who has played 10 Test matches for India.
“Then Axar Patel at No. 7. After that, Kuldeep Yadav and three pacers among your four bowlers. That’s what I am thinking because Mitchell Marsh is not bowling. In the three pacers, you can have Anrich Nortje, Chetan Sakariya, and either Mukesh Kumar or Ishant Sharma,” added Chopra.
This is when Aakash Chopra made the bold claim of Delhi Capitals not being a contender for the IPL.
“Only three teams (from the original franchises) have not lifted the trophy so far – Punjab, Delhi and RCB. Delhi have also come close, all teams come close sometime or the other, but I don’t think they will come close this time”, he also said.
Notably, Delhi Capitals finished as the runners up in IPL 2020 after going down against Mumbai Indians in the finals. The Shreyas Iyer led franchise in that season looked really solid but failed to get their bearings right.
They finished in the 5th position in IPL 2022 after registering 7 wins in 14 games. Rishabh Pant was the skipper in IPL 2022 for the franchise.
Delhi Capitals (DC) squad in IPL 2023
David Warner (c), Prithvi Shaw, Ripal Patel, Rovman Powell, Phil Salt, Mukesh Kumar, Sarfaraz Khan, Yash Dhull, Mitchell Marsh, Lalit Yadav, Axar Patel, Ishant Sharma, Anrich Nortje, Manish Pandey, Rilee Rossouw, Chetan Sakariya, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Khaleel Ahmed, Lungi Ngidi, Mustafizur Rahman, Aman Khan, Kuldeep Yadav, Praveen Dubey, Vicky Ostwal.
Also read: IPL 2023: 3 Reasons Why Sarfaraz Khan Can Have A Good IPL Season
