IPL 2023: The horrific car accident of Rishabh Pant has strained Delhi Capitals (DC) preparations for the 2023 IPL. Southpaw happens to be their skipper, and his unavailability means they’re grabbing at straws.
Former India captain Sourav Ganguly is set to return to DC as the director of cricket. The man himself recently said that Pant is not available for IPL 2023.
DC were unable to sign an Indian wicketkeeper as a replacement in a recent player’s auction. Sarfaraz Khan, who retained Mumbai’s wicket in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, is one option left for DC. They also have Phil Salt from England, but if you include him, the overseas combination will be exciting.
Needless to say, they need an Indian wicketkeeper to back them up, and from whoever didn’t sell at auction, he’ll take a look at three options to consider.
1. Luvnith Sisodia
Luvnith Sisodia was part of Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) last season but was surprisingly dropped in the IPL 2023 auction pool. When his name was brought up for tender in Kochi, he had no one.
Similar to Pants, Sisodia is a strong left-hander who holds wickets. He played 15 T20s for Karnataka, but his batting rate of 127.83 doesn’t really reflect his ability.
Read More:- SA20 League: Kyle Mayers cleans up Dewald Brevis for a golden duck through a peach yorker
The 22-year-old Dasher had a strong run in the Maharajah Trophy 2022 campaign, leading Hubli Tigers in the second half. Sisodia is certainly an investment in the future, and with DC unable to secure Pant’s backup at the IPL 2023 auction, it’s a chance to set things right.
2. Dinesh Bana
It was quite a surprise that Dinesh Bana, who won last year’s U19 World Cup for India, was not sold at the 2023 IPL auction. He was in the net for the Super Kings (CSK) last season in Chennai but without a taker.
Bana is capable of good batting while possessing the ability to easily clear the fences. Given that DC can use a hitter who can hit in the lower middle orders, he could be a good fit for their setup.
His career may be just getting started, but a deal with Bana could give the Capitals a chance to create alternatives in the long run. As far as pant replacement options go, Bana is certainly a solid choice.
3. Sheldon Jackson
Saurashtra’s Sheldon Jackson is a prolific run-getter on his home circuit. His lightning-quick reflexes in KKR last year even earned the great Sachin Tendulkar’s praise, who compared him to MS Dhoni.
However, Jackson was unable to make an impact with the bat and after being released by KKR, no one attended the IPL 2023 auction. A second call cannot be ruled out as DC has to take the place of the injured pants.
The Capitals may need to revise their batting roster so the middle order doesn’t look vulnerable in the absence of Pant. But given Jackson’s experience, he should fit into their set-up like a glove.