Aakash Chopra highlighted that a weak Delhi Capitals batting line-up was to blame for their 50-run loss to the Lucknow Super Giants on Saturday, April 1, at the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow. The Super Giants set a 194-run target, which the Delhi batsmen fell short of achieving, scoring only 143/9. As Chopra pointed out in his YouTube video, the Delhi Capitals’ weak batting is certainly their concern.
“The batting looked weak despite David Warner scoring runs. You played four overseas batters. The day Anrich Nortje comes, you will have to make one of them sit out and get Manish Pandey in.”
The ex-Indian cricket opener believes that the batting of the Capitals is too reliant on their top three batsmen and went on to say:
“Till the time the top three score runs, you will stay in the game, but as soon as you go below that, you will find that the depth is slightly less. Let’s be honest, you can send Axar Patel to bat slightly up the order, he bats well.”
The Delhi Capitals have been affected by the absence of Rishabh Pant from IPL 2023, leaving them with a weakened batting lineup and having to rely on Sarfaraz Khan as a makeshift keeper to add some depth to their batting order.
Khaleel has actually come back from where he had left: Chopra
Observing that the Capitals were without Anrich Nortje’s services in their game against LSG, Aakash Chopra praised Khaleel Ahmed’s bowling performance, deeming it respectable and saying:
“From the bowling point of view, Anrich Nortje’s absence is definitely felt. When he plays, obviously he will be like Mark Wood. Chetan Sakariya proves slightly expensive. Khaleel Ahmed is looking good. If you leave aside the last over, Khaleel has actually come back from where he had left.”
“They will be able to manage the bowling. Kuldeep Yadav also bowls well and you have an option in the form of Axar Patel. So bowling will take care of itself, but there will be some problems in batting this time around.”
Mark Wood’s scintillating (5/14) spell on Saturday shook the Delhi Capitals. But if their stars like Prithvi Shaw, David Warner, Mitchell Marsh and Rovman Powell are in top form, they can prove to be a formidable challenge to their opponents’ bowling attack.