IPL 2023, DC vs GT: Capitals wary of lack of quality in Indian pace attack, poor bench strength against Titans

IPL 2023: Match 6 of the event happens between Delhi Capitals and Gujarat Titans in Delhi on Tuesday. With Dc off to a losing start to the season, it would be wary of its lack of quality Indian pace against and poor bench strength.

Delhi Capitals' (DC's) Indian pace unit will have to punch above its weight against a formidable Gujarat Titans (GT) unit, which will start as overwhelming favourites in its first away match of the season at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi on Tuesday. The defending champion has all its bases covered despite Kane Williamson being ruled out of the tournament after a severe knee injury.

On the other hand, the hosts look like an outfit bereft of a Plan B, as it became apparent in their 50-run thrashing at the hands of Lucknow Super Giants (LSG). The primary worry is the composition of the Indian pace attack, which, mildly put, is below par when Anrich Nortje isn't there to spearhead the attack.

Chetan Sakariya and Mukesh Kumar are sincere cricketers, but both need more pace and variation to trouble international quality batters consistently. They could well be lambs for slaughter against a Shubman Gill, who is in rampaging form or skipper Hardik Pandya, who would feast on warm medium pacers day in and day out.

Khaleel Ahmed had a decent first game, but his fielding has been an issue for years, and those who have seen him at fielding sessions now know that he drops more aerial catches than he takes. The drop of Kyle Mayers had the most damaging effect in the opening game for Delhi.

The only other notable pacer in the ranks is Ishant Sharma, and even DC management knows well that picking him at his base price was more of showing respect to a 100-Test veteran rather than thinking of him as an asset. Sharma can only be used as an 'impact player', but those who have watched DC training this season would vouch that he has lost pace, and the skiddy effect is no longer there.

However, the good news is that Nortje and his South African compatriot Lungi Ngidi have arrived and are available for selection on Tuesday. DC head coach Ricky Ponting will have to rejig the combination a bit. Drop Sakariya and get Mustafizur Rahaman, an experienced international campaigner, in the bowling unit. In that case, Rilee Rossouw will have to sit out.

In the batting department, skipper David Warner would like to see Indian youngsters like Prithvi Shaw and Sarfaraz Khan handle raw pace better than they did while encountering Mark Wood. Both looked uncomfortable and short of ideas as one didn't have his bat come down in time while the other managed to avoid a head injury while getting into a tangle, playing the ramp shot.

Sarfaraz not being picked for the Test squad has been questioned by many. Still, even at the top level in the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), it is widely believed that the Mumbaikar has severe technical issues against short-pitched deliveries above 138 to 140 clicks. The duo must do much better if DC wants to maintain early momentum.

Against DC, Mohammed Shami and Pandya will pose a different challenge. With Alzarri Joseph, Yash Dayal, and ever-consistent Rashid Khan for the company, it will be a challenge for DC batters. DC's main problem is Indian bench strength and perhaps not having good enough ones to be substituted as 'impact players'. Ripal Patel, Lalit Yadav and Aman Hakim Khan are decent domestic players without the X factor. It depends on how well the foreign recruits shape up for the Capitals.

Squads:
GT: Hardik Pandya (c), Shubman Gill, Kona Bharat (wk), Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Rahul Tewatia, Abhinav Manohar, Mohammed Shami, Pradeep Sangwan, R Sai Kishore, Vijay Shankar, Sai Sudharshan, Rashid Khan, Shivam Mavi, Mathew Wade, Odean Smith, Urvil Patel, Darshan Nalkande, David Miller (not available in first two games), Josh Little (first match not available), Yash Dayal, Jayant Yadav, Odean Smith, Noor Ahmed and Alzarri Joseph.
DC: David Warner (c), Prithvi Shaw, Mitchell Marsh, Manish Pandey, Rovman Powell, Rilee Rossouw, Sarfaraz Khan (wk), Phil Salt (wk), Abhishek Porel (wk), Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Lalit Yadav, Ripal Patel, Ishant Sharma, Chetan Sakariya, Khaleel Ahmed, Aman Hakim Khan, Praveen Dubey, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Yash Dhull, Mukesh Kumar and Vicky Ostwal.

Match details
Date and day: April 4, 2023 (Tuesday)
Venue: Arun Jaitley Stadium, New Delhi
Time: 7.30 PM (IST)
Where to watch (TV): Star Sports 1 and other Star Sports regional language channels - Also available in HD
Where to watch (Online): JioCinema

(With inputs from PTI)