'IPL 2023 may not be Prithvi Shaw's year' - Tom Moody suggests Mitchell Marsh as David Warner's opening partner ahead of KKR clash

Former Australian batter Tom Moody suggested the Delhi Capitals (DC) to make a hard choice by replacing opener Prithvi Shaw in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL). Moody stated that Mitchell Marsh should open with skipper David Warner rather than Shaw ahead of DC's match against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on April 20. Notably, in DC's five matches, Shaw has only scored 34 runs, including two ducks. 

Moody believes that IPL 2023 won't be Shaw's year because he is yet to make an impact. He also stated that if the franchise gives him a few more games, their chances of staying alive in the league will come to an end and DC must take steps to prevent this from happening.

"You've got to make a tough call on certain players that aren't showing any light at the end of the tunnel. And on the evidence of what we've seen so far with Prithvi Shaw, it may well be that IPL 2023 may not be his year where he has the impact that we all hoped that he was going to have," Moody told ESPNcricinfo.

"It can just be, 'oh, we'll give him a couple more games and see what happens'. Those couple of games go, your chances as a franchise have gone. That's why you've got to make that cold, hard decision at that point. This is crunch time," he added.

Marsh is naturally an enforcer, so that would complement Warner: Moody

Marsh, who has been batting at number three for Delhi Capitals, is a natural enforcer, according to Moody. He added that Marsh will be able to complement Warner at the top of the order. Moody also wants Axar Patel to bat at number five because he has the potential to create an impact in the middle order. 

"He's (Marsh) done that before recently and he's done it successfully. He's naturally an enforcer, so that would complement [David] Warner, it would help him as well. You've got a left-right combination, you've got a 6ft4in and a 5ft8in batter, which is difficult to bowl to," Moody said.