The players’ auction for the fourteenth season of the Indian Premier League will take place on 18 February. The teams’ owners have started to prepare for the upcoming season. All the eight teams will be looking to bring in the required players to strengthen their squad.
The last season’s runners-up, Delhi Capitals, will also be looking to add a few players in the auction. They have released as many as eight players, including the Daniel Sams and Harshal Patel trade with Royal Challengers Bangalore. So, the addition of a few players as a backup will help the Capitals.
In this article, we look at the four players that DC might target in the upcoming auction:
1. Shivam Dube
The first player that Delhi Capitals might go after is the all-rounder, Shivam Dube. Delhi Capitals have traded the bowling all-rounder Harshal Patel and Daniel Sams in the trade window. Hence, they will be in the desperate need of a player who can hit the big shots and can bowl a few overs too.
Shivam Dube can be an excellent option for the Capitals, regarding that area. The 27-years old is the highest run-scorer for Mumbai, scoring 161 runs at a sensational batting average of 40.25 and a strike rate of 138.79 with the willow. Shivam Dube can be an excellent pick for the Delhi Capitals, given his all-round abilities.
2. Prince Balwant Rai
The second player that Delhi Capitals can target is the leg-spinner, Prince Balwant Rai. The 21-years old was released by the Mumbai Indians earlier this month and will be the part of the auction this season. His inclusion to the MI’s squad was based on his talent at a small age.
Delhi Capitals have released the Nepal leg-spinner Sandeep Lamichhane ahead of the IPL auction, 2021. Hence, they will be in search of a leg-spinner who can fill that void and as a backup in their squad. Balwant Rai, the leg-spinner from Punjab, can be an option for Delhi Capitals in the auction.
3. Mohammed Azharuddeen
Mohammed Azharuddin came in the limelight after his majestic knock in the ongoing Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy against Mumbai. The right-handed batsman amassed 137 runs off just 54 balls, including nine fours and 11 long sixes. He completed his ton in just 37 balls in this game.
Delhi Capitals are in quest of an attacking backup Indian opener for Prithvi Shaw. Hence, Mohammed Azharuddeen can be a decent pick for that role in the Capitals line up. The 26-years old, Mohammed Azharuddeen, can hit the ball hard – something the DC owners are looking for.
4. Vishnu Vinod
Vishnu Vinod, the wicket-keeper batsman, is the fourth player Delhi Capitals would have put an eye on. The Shreyas Iyer-led side are looking for a backup wicket-keeper for Rishabh Pant and Vishnu Vinod can be a good option for that role. The 27-years old is an experienced campaigner, who has played enough number of matches for Kerala.
In this Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, Vinod has a decent strike rate of 129.72 for Kerala. He played a match-winning knock of 71* off just 38 balls, helping his side chase down a huge target of 213 easily. Vishnu Vinod has been part of the Royal Challengers Bangalore earlier, and he can be a quality addition to the Capitals squad if picked.
