Skipper suspended for slow over-rate; Axar to lead vs RCB
BENGALURU: Just when Delhi Capitals had given themselves a chance in the race to the playoffs, comes a body blow in the shape of a one-match ban for skipper
Rishabh Pant
.
Placed fifth on the table, the 20-run win against Rajasthan Royals on Tuesday came at a hefty price for Capitals. While the financial implication for a slow over-rate is hardly a rap on the knuckles, missing Pant in Sunday's crucial match against RCB could cause damage to the Capitals' prospects.
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"I think not having our leading run scorer is a loss, but it's also a great challenge for everybody else," said DC's head coach
Ricky Ponting
.
The wicketkeeper-batter, who is on a comeback trail following a long lay-off, is the top run-getter for his team with 413 runs. While his deputy
Axar Patel
will lead in Pant's absence,
Abishek Porel
would be the automatic choice to take over the role behind the stumps.
Capitals have had an indifferent run this season, but have been able to pick themselves up, winning three of their last four matches. Against RCB, they will have to put behind the Pant setback and that won't be an easy task, given the home team's four-match winning streak and their need to put it across Capitals to stay afloat in the competition.
A loss at home will snap the chance they have of advancing in the tournament and in the past couple of weeks, Faf du Plessis and his men have shown that they aren't going to give up without a fight.
Given the clouds hovering over the M Chinnaswamy stadium and the bowling resources on either side, the match-up should make for an interesting contest. If the RCB bowlers, who showed tremendous discipline and precision in their previous home game against Gujarat Titans, maintain their momentum, the Capitals batters, who have blown hot and cold throughout the season, can ill-afford to slip up.
Mohammed Siraj seems to have found his rhythm while left-arm spinner Swapnil Singh has been effective. Capitals too have come with proven wicket-takers with pacers Mukesh Kumar (15 wickets) and Khaleel Ahmed (14) leading the group. But the men who DC will require to deliver are spinners Kuldeep Yadav (14) and Axar (10), both of whom have bowled tight spells.
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