Concerns for Delhi Capitals (DC) ahead of IPL 2022: Aakash Chopra

Delhi Capitals (DC) will keep its close watch on the elusive silver trophy as they gear up to challenge Mumbai Indians (MI) in the second match of the season on March 27th at the Brabourne Stadium. Interestingly, Delhi has never won an IPL title. In fact, their best season came in 2020 when they reached the final of the tournament, but eventually lost to Mumbai Indians.

The franchise performed decently during the two-day mega auction event, held last month, but still, they have got their own shares of the problem to deal with. The franchise is in trouble even before the start of the cash-rich league.

Notably, across the world, as many as three ICC bilateral series is currently underway. Australia is taking on Pakistan, Bangladesh is on the tour of South Africa and England is visiting West Indies.

Delhi Capitals (DC) have found its players engaged in those aforementioned bilateral series, which will affect their performance in the first few matches.?

Aussie all-rounder Mitchell Marsh is currently involved with his team against Pakistan, so he won?t be available until April 5. David Warner, who was sold to Delhi at a bargain price during the auction, is also not available at least for the first three matches as he will be attending the funeral of legendary spinner Shane Warne.

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Aakash Chopra reckons that Delhi will be concerned about their overseas players for the first few matches.

?Mitchell Marsh is not available, so you are now looking at Yash Dhull, Kona Bharat, Mandeep Singh maybe. These are not really the like-for-like replacements,? Chopra remarked in Star Sports? show ?Game Plan?.

?You don?t have Shikhar (Dhawan), you don?t have Shreyas Iyer either. So, when you look at the batting order and the availability of the overseas players, I think Delhi is in trouble. When they start, they?re not starting strongly,? Aakash further added.

Notably, South African pacer Anrich Nortje is highly unlikely to begin from the game one itself in the IPL. The pacer is still in his recovery period following a hip injury that he sustained during the ICC T20 World Cup 2021.

To extend the list of unavailable players, South African speedster Lungi Ngidi and Bangladeshi pacer Mustafizur Rahman are likely to be unavailable for the opening match against Mumbai Indians on March 27th.

Unavailable Players - Mitchell Marsh, David Warner, Anrich Nortje, Lungi Ngidi and Mustafizur Rahman.

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