IPL 2021: 5 Players DC can target in the auction to fill their overseas slots

Delhi Capitals (DC) released a bunch of players ahead of the IPL 2021 auction, which will be held on February 18. As soon as the news came that they have released players like Alex Carey and Jason Roy, people started speculating which players can Delhi go for at the auction. Delhi has a pretty settled unit already and a couple of extra players will help them gain a lot more stability. 

Delhi Capitals were the runners-up last season and they would be desperate to win a title this season. The Delhi franchise is one of the three from the original lot of IPL teams who have not won the IPL yet. With Shreyas Iyer leading the team for two back-to-back good seasons, their hopes would be high this year for a title win. 

As the auction is coming, we noticed that Dehli can still have four overseas players in their line-up. They have the services of Marcus Stoinis, Anrich Nortje, Kagiso Rabada, Chris Woakes, and Shimron Hetymer.

Here are some of the overseas players whom Delhi Capitals (DC) will target in IPL 2021 Auction

1. Alex Carey

Alex Carey is one of the best wicket-keepers in the world right now, at least in white-ball cricket. He is a pretty aggressive batsman who has a wide range of shots. But, it might be surprising for a few because Carey was there in the Capitals’ squad last season. They have released him ahead of the 2021 auctions. 

However, the fact that Rishabh Pant is the only keeper in the side might make the Delhi franchise want to have a back-up. Carey is someone who is a good top-order batsman, but DC would be more interested in the fact that he is someone who has the capability to bat lower down the order as well. 

If we look around world cricket, there aren’t too many good wicketkeeper-batsmen who will be available for the IPL auction this year. If DC want to have an additional option for a keeper from overseas players, then Carey has to be the best bet they can have. In addition to that, the left-handed batsman was in good form with the bat in the recent season of the Big Bash League (BBL). 

2. Mujeeb Ur Rahman

Mujeeb Ur Rahman first played in the IPL in the 2018 season. He was quite impressive with the ball during his initial matches. However, soon his tactics were deciphered by batters of the IPL teams. His team, Kings XI Punjab didn’t back him a lot for the next few seasons. He was eventually released from the Punjab side ahead of the 2021 auction. 

However, in the last few years, Mujeeb has taken giants strides as a spinner. He has played in a lot of major leagues across the world. Recently, he had a good run with the ball in the Big Bash League, where he was playing for Brisbane Heat. Considering the pitch in Delhi, Mujeeb could be a good choice for DC. 

In addition, they don’t have any overseas spinner. Just to have an option in the squad can be helpful for the team sometimes. Plus, Mujeeb is an exceptional bowler who is very effective in helpful conditions. He is also holding the second position in the ICC T20I and ODI bowlers’ rankings. 

3. Dawid Malan

Dawid Malan has re-discovered himself as a top-quality T20 batsman in the past few years. The left-handed batsman who fought hard for a place in the England Test team has now become one of the most important batters for them in the T20I format. So far, in 19 T20Is he has scored 855 runs at an average of 53.44. His strike-rate has been fantastic too, at 149. In those 19 innings, he has got ten 50+ scores including a century. 

Recently, he played in the Big Bash League and had done well for his team, Hobart Hurricanes. If he is chosen by Delhi Capitals, he can be a great addition to the already equipped batting unit which they have. There are good batters like Ajinkya Rahane, Shikhar Dhawan, and Shreyas Iyer. Malan would add variety to the side. 

In addition to this, Malan is a batsman who can bat at any place in the team. He generally likes to bat at no.3 or open the innings but can move down the order if required. Malan being added to the side will enrich their batting and make them even more formidable. Shimron Hetymer, who failed to play a huge knock in the last season, will also have his work cut-out. 

4. Tom Curran

The England all-rounder was with the Rajasthan Royals for the 2020 IPL season. He has been a great addition to many T20 sides across the globe. He made a name for himself for being a consistent bowler in the death overs while playing for Surrey in the T20 Blast. He had a good season with Sydney Sixers in the Big Bash League as well. 

Having said all of that, we have to admit that Curran is an effective all-rounder. This is exactly why the England T20I team has stuck with him even after his not-so-consistent show as a player. But, he could be invaluable for the Delhi Capitals. Curran is someone who can pair up with Kagiso Rabada to form a good fast-bowling unit. 

Apart from that, he is a pretty handy batsman coming out at no.7 or even no.8. Neither Anrich Nortje nor Kagiso Rabada is known to be much of a batsman and Curran can add that thing to his team’s performance. Plus, Curran is a like-for-like player for Chris Woakes, who has not been released by the franchise, even after he didn’t feature in the previous season. 

5. Glenn Maxwell

Glenn Maxwell and IPL have not always been a fairy tale story. Even after being on top of his game and signing up for huge contracts, the Australian player hasn’t done anything worth remembering in the IPL. But, if we consider his recent form for the Australian national team, this year could just be the year for Maxwell. 

Last year, he was bought by Kings XI Punjab for INR 10 crores but failed to make an impression. Interestingly, it was Delhi Capitals’ interest in Maxwell which had taken the bidding up to that point. He has also played for Delhi in some seasons of the IPL. With Ricky Ponting as the coach, you would think Maxwell has a real chance to be picked by Delhi. 

Also, he would be the best bet for DC. The team needs someone who is experienced in batting in the middle order and has the ability to finish the match. He bowls some handy off-spin which is ideal for anyone playing at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi. If no team is interested in his services this season, Delhi might even get him at a low price.