IPL Auction: Squad Analysis of Delhi Capitals After the 2023 Mini-Auction 

IPL Auction: The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 mini-auction is signed and sealed and a total of 80 players from 12 nations have secured a contract in the lucrative league. While many franchises regulated the auction paddle frantically, others were judicious with their ploys. The 2020 IPL runners-up Delhi Capitals certainly had a stodgy auction this time around, however, that maybe is the exact outcome they were casting for. 

After releasing a total of 6 players with an available purse of 19.25 Crores ahead of the auction, Delhi Capitals were only prescribed to replenish certain voids that cropped up the previous year. Regardless of a buoyant start in IPL 2022, Delhi Capitals angled off and winded up their season at the 5th position, with 7 defeats and as many victories. 

While other franchises were completely bushed after the signings of Ben Stokes and Sam Curran, the Delhi-based franchise bide its time for candidates they truly desired. Mentioned below is the list of players purchased by Delhi Capitals at the IPL Auction 2023. 

IPL Auction: Complete List of Players Purchased By Delhi Capitals 

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The Delhi Capitals, arguably the most dynamic franchises in the league after a revamping, bolstered their lineup in the IPL 2023 auction by acquiring some prudent purchases. During the auction, the Rishabh Pant-led team bid for uncapped Indian bowler Mukesh Kumar, Phil Salt, Manish Pandey, Rilee Rossouw, and veteran bowler Ishant Sharma. 

Player	Nation	Price
Rilee Rossouw	South Africa	4.6 Crores
Phil Salt	England	2 Crores
Manish Pandey	India	2.4 Crores
Ishant Sharma	India	50 Lakhs
Mukesh Kumar	India	5.5 Crores

The first overseas signing for Delhi Capitals in the auction was English wicket-keeper batter Phil Salt, followed by South African middle-order batter Rilee Rossouw in the acceleration round. Inconsistency in the middle order was a stumbling block for Delhi’s previous stint as Mitchell Marsh and David Warner were either injured or unavailable and Tim Seifert had a substandard season with the bat. 

The Kiwi batter Seifert only managed to chalk up 24 runs in 2 innings in IPL 2022 and Marsh only stitched 251 runs in 8 innings at a moderate strike rate of 132.8. As luck would have it, both Rossouw and Salt are going through a purple patch in their respective careers at the moment.

The T20 World Cup-winner Salt has orchestrated 808 T20 runs in 2022 and at a strike rate of 146.4 with 4 half-centuries to his credit. Rilee, similarly, has also aggregated two centuries in the shortest format this year alongside accumulating 372 international runs in 10 innings at a strike rate of 176.3. 

Strengthening the middle order

Furthermore, Delhi Capitals also had a paucity of reliable Indian middle-order batters with the exception of Rishabh Pant. The right-handed Mandeep Singh, who was released by Capitals ahead of the auction, was the only notable Indian batter down the order and he only managed to bag 18 runs in 3 appearances with an average of 6 in IPL 2022.  

To furnish a sense of resurgence in the middle order, Delhi has roped in experienced Manish Pandey. The right-handed Manish Pandey has recorded over 3,500 runs in IPL in 148 matches, including 21 half-centuries and 1 century. The 33-year-old batter could deftly be fused into the vacant number 4 position. 

Another predicament for Capitals last year was the lack of a long-serving Indian pacer, and to settle that, the Ricky Pointing-mentored side has recruited Ishant Sharma. The likes of Chetan Sakariya, Khaleel Ahmed, and Kamlesh Nagarkoti struggled last season with steadiness in the death overs. 

In the overs between 16-20, also regarded as death overs, Khaleel only aggregated 6 wickets in a total of 12 overs at an economy of 10.36, conceding 13 fours and 7 maximums. Similarly, left-armer Sakariya also scalped 1 breakthrough last season at an economy of 8,67. The right-arm-pacer Ishant Sharma could maneuver a nascent pace attack of Delhi off and on the 90-yards. 

Perhaps the most thought-provoking pick from Delhi Capitals is the acquisition of a 29-year-old pacer Mukesh Kumar. The Gopalganj-born Mukesh is renowned for his maiden first-class season in the 2015–16 Ranji Trophy, where he forged 20 scalps in 5 matches for Bengal. 

The most-expensive buy of Delhi Capitals Mukesh Kumar also received his ODI call-up earlier this year against South Africa in a three-match series. From an overall perspective, the right-arm-medium pacer Mukesh Kumar has claimed 123 first-class wickets in 33 matches, including 6 four-wicket hauls and 6 five-wicket hauls. Lastly, the Bengal bowler has cushioned an additional domestic pace bowling alternative for Delhi. 

Complete Delhi Capitals Squad:

Rishabh Pant (WK & C), David Warner, Prithvi Shaw, Ripal Patel, Rovman Powell, Sarfaraz Khan, Yash Dhull, Mitchell Marsh, Lalit Yadav, Axar Patel, Anrich Nortje, Chetan Sakariya, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Khaleel Ahmed, Lungi Ngidi, Mustafizur Rahman, Aman Khan, Kuldeep Yadav, Praveen Dubey, Vicky Ostwal, Rilee Rossouw, Manish Pandey, Mukesh Kumar, Ishant Sharma, Phil Salt. 

Predicted Delhi Capitals Line-Up: Prithvi Shaw, David Warner (Australia), Mitchell Marsh (Australia), Manish Pandey, Rishabh Pant (WK & C), Rovman Powell (Windies), Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Anrich Nortje, Chetan Sakariya, Mustafizur Rahman.