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The Delhi Capitals (DC) come into the 13th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2020) as firm favourites, which is a position that they've very rarely found themselves in in the past.
Shreyas Iyer's side are solid in all departments and seem to have most bases covered, with a strong Indian contingent supported by some world-class overseas T20 players.
DC face off against KL Rahul's Kings XI Punjab in their first IPL 2020 game on September 20, and Iyer even recently stated that their goal for this season is to win all 14 games in the league phase.
Ahead of IPL 2020, we attempt to predict DC's ideal playing XI.
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DC's predicted playing XI for IPL 2020
Note: All players from England and Australia have been assumed to be available, with no official word yet regarding their participation in the first few games of IPL 2020.
Openers: Shikhar Dhawan, Prithvi Shaw
DC have one of the best opening combinations in IPL 2020 - Shikhar Dhawan and Prithvi Shaw. The right-left partnership might even manage to keep former Rajasthan Royals captain Ajinkya Rahane out of the side.
Also see :- IPL prediction
Dhawan is one of the greatest openers the IPL has ever seen, and seems to be in good touch in the lead-up to the tournament as well. Shaw, on the other hand, has had some disciplinary issues recently, and will be keen on letting his bat do the talking in IPL 2020.
With the left-hander often circumspect in the initial stages of innings, the onus will be on Shaw to provide the early impetus to the innings in the powerplay. Both Dhawan and Shaw will be keen on staking claims for spots in the Indian squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup.
Middle Order: Shreyas Iyer (c), Rishabh Pant (wk), Shimron Hetmyer
Captain Shreyas Iyer will come in at No. 3 for DC in IPL 2020. The 25-year-old is an excellent player of spin and leadership has elevated his game further in the short time that he has been the captain of the side. Iyer has all but sealed the No. 4 slot in the Indian ODI team, and will want to do the same in the T20I format as well.
Wicket-keeper Rishabh Pant is expected to walk in at the fall of the second wicket in IPL 2020. Although the youngster hasn't set the international stage on fire yet, he is incredibly effective in the IPL, as his numbers show. The southpaw's strokeplay and match-winning ability make him the DC player to watch out for in IPL 2020.
Shimron Hetmyer was in decent form in the recently concluded Caribbean Premier League, and the attacking batsman will be keen on justifying the big bucks that DC shelled out on him in the IPL 2020 auction. The West Indian is capable of changing the course of a match in a matter of minutes, although it remains to be seen whether he will be able to adjust to the No. 5 role.
Hetmyer played lower down the order for RCB last year, and flopped spectacularly. With Pant and Iyer ahead of him, it is unlikely that he plays any higher than No. 5, and he will have to adjust to the new role and the unfamiliar conditions in the UAE.
The inclusion of these three players means that there is no room for both Rahane and Australian wicket-keeper Alex Carey, both of whom are excellent backup options on the bench.
All-rounders: Marcus Stoinis, Axar Patel, Ravichandran Ashwin
Australian all-rounder Marcus Stoinis will be the 6th bowler and third-choice pacer for DC in IPL 2020. He was in excellent form in the Big Bash League, and will be expected to replicate the same form albeit lower down the order.
Axar Patel will come in at No. 7, and will have to contribute with the bat apart from bowling his 4 overs. The all-rounder is capable of bowling in the powerplay and restricts the flow of runs in the middle overs, making him perfect for this role.
Ravichandran Ashwin hasn't done enough with the bat in the IPL to qualify as an all-rounder, but that might change this year. The former Kings XI Punjab captain will be a valuable addition to the team owing to his experience and leadership, and the move to acquire him might turn out to be a masterstroke.
Bowlers: Ishant Sharma, Kagiso Rabada, Amit Mishra
The pace bowling slot alongside the ever-present Kagiso Rabada will be a toss-up between Ishant Sharma, Daniel Sams and Anrich Nortje.
The Indian Test spearhead is expected to pip the other two to the role given his success in IPL 2019, which means that DC's first-choice XI this year might consist of only three overseas players. Ishant and Rabada will share the new ball and bowl at the death, and the former will have to be at his best at the fag ends of innings.
Rounding off DC's IPL 2020 playing XI is veteran leggie Amit Mishra, who is expected to be preferred ahead of Nepal spinner Sandeep Lamichhane. The 37-year-old is the team's most potent wicket-taking threat, and will be ably complemented by Ashwin and Axar.
DC's Predicted Playing XI for IPL 2020:
Shikhar Dhawan, Prithvi Shaw, Shreyas Iyer (c), Rishabh Pant (wk), Shimron Hetmyer, Marcus Stoinis, Axar Patel, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ishant Sharma, Kagiso Rabada, Amit Mishra
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