Former Team India cricketer Aakash Chopra has picked Delhi Capitals as the only team capable of putting up a challenge against Mumbai Indians in the upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL). Incidentally, Delhi lost the pinnacle clash to Mumbai in IPL 2020 as Rohit Sharma & Co notched their fifth IPL title in the UAE.
Delhi boasts of some of the best cricketers in the game in the form of the likes of Ravichandran Ashwin, Ajinkya Rahane, Shikhar Dhawan, and Steve Smith among others but the management has shown faith in Rishabh Pant to lead the side. His recent form augurs well for the team as they head into the competition aiming to go a notch ahead after finishing as runners-up last season.
Delhi Capitals can give Mumbai Indians a run for their money – Aakash Chopra
Delhi, under the leadership of Pant, will look to go one step further and lift their maiden IPL trophy. And Aakash Chopra believes the franchise has a balanced squad and is capable of giving Mumbai Indians a run for their money.
“This team has a lot of strengths. This is one of my favourite sides, which looks strong on paper. They can give competition to the Mumbai Indians. They have all the bases covered in terms of their balance,” said Chopra on his YouTube channel.
Interestingly, Delhi Capitals had lost to Mumbai Indians in the final last year and had failed to defeat them in all four encounters in IPL 2020. Under Pant, they would be hoping to spark a turnaround against Mumbai Indians this season. Aakash Chopra said Delhi have several runaway match-winners in their squad who can all contribute consistently.
“Their biggest strength is their Indian core. They have Shikhar Dhawan, Rishabh Pant, Prithvi Shaw, Ajinkya Rahane, Ravichandran Ashwin, Axar Patel, and then Umesh Yadav and Ishant Sharma. They also have Amit Mishra. This is a fantastic Indian core and quite a few of them are runaway match-winners and consistent contributors,” Aakash Chopra added.
Speaking further, Aakash Chopra also heaped praise on Delhi’s quality bowling attack featuring the likes of Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Ashwin, Umesh Yadav, Ishant Sharma among others. While Rabada and Nortje are likely to be sure starters in the XI, Delhi Capitals have plenty of options in the Indian pace department.
“Number two their bowling. Of course, it is one of the finest in the IPL. Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje, now they have Chris Woakes also available. Along with that Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav, and Avesh Khan – so they have quite a few Indian fast bowlers,” said Chopra.
“After that, you have Ashwin, Axar, and Mishra. This is a phenomenal bowling attack. Marcus Stoinis also does a good job, he does both things. So that’s another huge strength is what I see and they are littered with match-winners. So, DC has a lot to smile about,” he added.
Delhi Capitals will begin their IPL 2021 campaign against Chennai Super Kings on April 10 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.
