"There is no place for Jake Fraser-McGurk alongside him" - Aakash Chopra suggests changes in DC XI for IPL 2025 clash vs RR

Former India player Aakash Chopra has opined that the Delhi Capitals (DC) should drop Jake Fraser-McGurk from their playing combination for their IPL 2025 clash against the Rajasthan Royals (RR) if Faf du Plessis is fit and available. He noted that Karun Nair can open the batting with the DC vice-captain in such a scenario.

DC will host RR in Match 32 of IPL 2025 in Delhi on Wednesday, April 16. With eight points from five games, Axar Patel and company are placed second on the points table, and a win against Sanju Samson's side will help them climb to the top spot.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra', the former India opener urged the Delhi Capitals to leave out Fraser-McGurk and open with Nair and Du Plessis if the latter is available for their IPL 2025 clash against the Rajasthan Royals.

"My biggest story for Delhi is that they should play Karun Nair in the XI. If Faf is fit, drop Jake Fraser-McGurk. Why am I saying that? It's been slightly unfortunate that Faf got injured, and then he played a game and got injured again. It's a problem for sure. As soon as he gets fit, you would want to play him," Chopra said (9:10).

"However, when you want to play him now, there is no place for Jake Fraser-McGurk alongside him. Play Karun Nair alongside him. Make him open. He almost opened in the last match. He came after the first ball off the first over. He is playing very well. So utilize that form and give him more opportunities. He is a proper batter who scores runs on the off-side and with timing," he added.

Jake Fraser-McGurk has aggregated 46 runs at a paltry average of 9.20 in five innings in IPL 2025. Karun Nair smashed a 40-ball 89 in DC's 12-run loss against the Mumbai Indians (MI) in their previous game at the same venue on April 13.

---

"It unlocks a formula" - Aakash Chopra on the additional advantage for DC in dropping Jake Fraser-McGurk for IPL 2025 clash vs RR

Dushmantha Chameera is one of the overseas seamers in DC's IPL 2025 squad. [P/C: Getty]

In the same video, Aakash Chopra pointed out that the Delhi Capitals can include Dushmantha Chameera in their playing XI for their IPL 2025 clash against the Rajasthan Royals if they drop Jake Fraser-McGurk.

"It unlocks a formula where you can play Dushmantha Chameera in the XI. You heard that right. No one knows what's the scene of T Natarajan's availability. I feel between Mukesh Kumar and Mohit Sharma in fast bowling, it's an okay bowling attack. It is not a great bowling attack," he said (10:00).

The cricketer-turned-commentator added that the Sri Lankan seamer's inclusion could address the potential shortcoming in the DC bowling attack.

"Mitchell Starc is the leader, and he manages. Two spinners are good, and they do well, but there is a potential problem. So to prevent that potential problem, if T Natarajan isn't there, if you play Karun Nair with Faf at the top and leave Jake Fraser-McGurk out, you can play two overseas fast bowlers. This seems like a better option to me," Chopra elaborated.

Dushmantha Chameera hasn't yet played a game for the Delhi Capitals in IPL 2025. Mukesh Kumar and Mohit Sharma have together picked up six wickets in five games and have both conceded an average of more than nine runs per over.