IPL 2020: Match 34, DC vs CSK- DC Predicted Playing XI

Delhi Capitals (DC) have turned out to be unstoppable in the 2020 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL). Though they have lost two games, no team have been able to dominate or thump them. The Shreyas Iyer-led unit, in their previous match, defeated the Rajasthan Royals (RR) by 13 runs.

They also managed to topple Mumbai Indians (MI) to the top of the points table in the T20 league. In their upcoming game, the Capitals would be locking horns with the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on Saturday, October 17 at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium.

In their previous meeting, DC got past the Yellow Army in Dubai and will want to replicate something similar even next time around. For the time being, it remains to be seen whether or not the Capitals resort to some changes in their winning combo.

Here is the Predicted Playing XI for the Delhi Capitals for DC vs CSK game: 

Openers (Prithvi Shaw, Shikhar Dhawan)

Prithvi Shaw and Shikhar Dhawan should be persisted with as the openers in all probability. Shaw has played at a strike-rate of almost 150, but he needs to get the average of 25.25 up.

Most importantly, he would want to erase the memories of the last game where he got a golden duck. Dhawan, on the other hand, would be brimming with confidence after his after 33-ball 57.

Prior to the last game, his strike-rate was a bit of an issue, but last time, he came out firing on all cylinders. Both Shaw and Dhawan have two half-centuries under their belt and they would want to carry on with their form.

Middle-order (Ajinkya Rahane, Shreyas Iyer (C), Alex Carey (wk)

In the middle-order, Rishabh Pant’s injury has prompted the Capitals’ management to rope in Ajinkya Rahane and Alex Carey. Even as Carey has played a couple of decent cameos, Rahane is yet to find his feet.

Rahane, being an experienced campaigner, needs to find his feet at the earliest. Shreyas Iyer, DC’s skipper, has continued to impress one and all. Iyer has been the most prolific run-scorer for the Capitals in the tournament.

In eight matches, he has 298 runs at an average and strike-rate of 42.57 and 135.45 respectively. The right-hander would go into the next game on the back of a fifty.

All-rounders (Marcus Stoinis, Axar Patel)

Marcus Stoinis has been on top of his game with both bat and ball. The southpaw has 193 runs at a strike-rate of 162.18, though he managed just short of a run-a-ball in the previous encounter.

With the ball, he has six wickets to show for his efforts and he has also bowled in the death overs. Axar Patel has been one of the under-rated performers for DC in the T20 extravaganza.

He has an economy rate of a mere 5.56 and also has seven wickets. The left-arm spinner has been entrusted to bowl, both in the powerplay and the middle overs and he hasn’t disappointed by any means.

Bowlers (Ravi Ashwin, Tushar Deshpande, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje)

Kagiso Rabada has been DC’s standout performer with as many as 18 wickets. His South African bowling partner Anrich Nortje has 10 wickets to his name, and he has bowled at speeds above 150 kph on a consistent basis.

Both Rabada and Nortje have ruffled some feathers with their pace. Ravi Ashwin has been outstanding, to say the least. The off-spinner has seven wickets at an economy of 6.73.

Tushar Deshpande made his debut in the previous game and he was hard to pounce on. The pacer got rid of Ben Stokes and also bowled brilliantly in the 20th over of the Royals’ run-chase.