There is only about less than 7 days left for the start of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022. But, many teams may come face-to-face to some problems in their initial matches as many key players of most of franchises are likely not gonna be available for the initial matches of IPL 2022.
Just like that, many prominent players of the Delhi Capitals, who were the finalists in IPL 2020, will not be able to play the opening match of IPL 2022. One of their main bowlers, Anrich Nortje, has been unfit for a long time, and has recently arrived in Mumbai but will have to clear fitness test before joining the Delhi based franchise, or else, the team will start the search for a replacement for the pacer.
Other than the above mentioned names, some other Delhi Capitals players who will not be available in the opening match certainly, are the Aussie duo of David Warner and Mitchell Marsh. Both of them are currently busy with their national team, playing the away series against Pakistan as part of the Australian’s ongoing Test series against Pakistan and are only expected to be available from the second or third match.
Keeping all these things in mind, former Indian cricket team’s opening batsman, cricket commentator and expert Aakash Chopra recently picked a possible Playing XI of players for the opening matches of Delhi in a video uploaded on his YouTube channel.
Akash Chopra said that he is looking forward to watching Tim Seifert open with Prithvi Shaw. As for the number three batsman, he picked Kona Srikar Bharat, India’s backup Test wicketkeeper. He also added either of Yash Dhull or Mandeep Singh can also play there. West Indies’ hard-hitting batsman Rovman Powell at number 4.
He then picked Delhi Capitals’ captain Rishabh Pant to bat at number 5 and Sarfaraz Khan at number 6 position.
He then picked the all-rounders duo of Axar Patel and Shardul Thakur, both India international cricketer, to play at number 7 and 8 position respectively. He then picked Kuldeep Yadav as the only proper spin bowler in the Playing XI, other than Axar Patel, who is a all-rounder. Lungi Ngidi and Bangladesh’s Mustafizur Rahman forms the pace bowling attack.
Aakash Chopra’s Delhi Capitals Playing XI for the IPL 2022 first match
Prithvi Shaw, Tim Seifert, S Bharat, Rovman Powell, Rishabh Pant, Sarfaraz Khan, Axar Patel, Shardul Thakur, Kuldeep Yadav, Lungi Ngidi, Mustafizur Rahman