IPL 2023: Aakash Chopra picks Delhi Capitals' probable playing XI for the tournament

IPL 2023: Former India player turned veteran commentator Aakash Chopra has picked the Delhi Capitals’ (DC) probable playing XI for the upcoming league. He feels that the franchise might not win the trophy this season as well.

However, the Capitals have never won the Indian Premier League (IPL) trophy, whereas the 2020 edition was the only time they qualified for the final as well. This time they will begin their campaign this season with an away game against the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) on Saturday, April 1 as well. In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra picked David Warner, Prithvi Shaw and Mitchell Marsh as the franchise’s likely top three players, saying:

“What could be Delhi’s XI? You can get David Warner to open alongside Prithvi Shaw. You can keep Mitchell Marsh at No. 3 because you will not send either David Warner or Prithvi Shaw at No. 3.”

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He also picked a middle order comprising two Indian players and one overseas batter as well, adding:

“Then you will have to have Manish Pandey at No. 4. Remember that there is no keeper thus far. Then Rilee Rossouw or Rovman Powell at No. 5. At No. 6, Sarfaraz Khan or any other keeper. We don’t even know who is going to keep. I am thinking Sarfaraz Khan but I don’t know.”

Aakash Chopra also shared that Rishabh Pant’s absence will be felt in the Delhi Capitals lineup which won’t be easy to fill too. He added Rilee Rossouw and Rovman Powell are both tricky choices in the middle order, stating the former’s overly aggressive batting approach in the SA20 as well. He also chose a bowling attack consisting two spinners and three pacers, saying:

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“Then Axar Patel at No. 7. After that, Kuldeep Yadav and three pacers among your four bowlers. That’s what I am thinking because Mitchell Marsh is not bowling. In the three pacers, you can have Anrich Nortje, Chetan Sakariya, and either Mukesh Kumar or Ishant Sharma.”

However, Aakash Chopra doesn’t see Delhi Capitals winning the trophy in IPL 2023. He concluded by picking Warner ahead of Marsh as the team’s likely highest run-scorer.

“Only three teams (from the original franchises) have not lifted the trophy so far – Punjab, Delhi and RCB. Delhi have also come close, all teams come close sometime or the other, but I don’t think they will come close this time,” he concluded.