David Warner to lead Delhi Capitals in IPL 2023, Axar Patel appointed as vice-captain

Dynamic opening batter David Warner will lead the Delhi Capitals (DC) in the absence of Rishabh Pant in IPL 2023. Left-arm spinner Axar Patel, whose batting stocks have risen exponentially over the last few months, will serve as Warner's deputy for the edition.

Pant, who suffered a car crash in late December, will miss the entire season as he continues to recover from his severe injuries.

The keeper-batter looks uncertain about returning to competitive cricket anytime soon and is likely to miss the World Test Championship (WTC) final and the 2023 ODI World Cup in India as well.

Meanwhile, Warner was the obvious choice to lead the Capitals, having led SunRisers Hyderabad to the IPL title in 2016.

As captain, the left-handed batter has tasted 35 wins in 69 matches in the IPL. On the batting front, he has struck 5881 runs in 162 fixtures at an average of 42.01, while maintaining a strike rate of 140.69. He has also won the Orange Cap three times during his tenure with the SunRisers.

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David Warner to mark his return from injuries in the ODI series against India

David Warner and Travis Head. (Credits: Getty)

Meanwhile, the New South Wales batter has recovered from the injuries that ruled him out of the Test series against India.

During the first innings of the second Test in Delhi, the southpaw suffered an elbow injury and concussion and did not bat in the second. He returned home after that game, prompting Travis Had to open the innings alongside Usman Khawaja.

However, he will return to the Aussie side for the three-match ODI series against India, starting in Mumbai on Friday, March 17.

Despite his Test spot under widespread scrutiny, head coach Andrew McDonald has declared that he remains in their plans for the World Test Championship (WTC) plans. He was quoted as saying by The Age:

"I think you work through that conversation, and how each player finishes is always different. Some want to go out in a certain way, and others are OK with potentially being dropped out of sides.

"But at the moment Dave’s fully in our plans for the World Test Championship, he’s coming back for the one-day series, he’s recovered from his injury there, so we’ll see Dave back in Australian colours on the 17th and we’ll go from there."

Australia's ODI squad to face India: Steve Smith (c), Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, David Warner, Adam Zampa.