The Delhi Capitals (DC) finally tested Auqib Nabi, their most expensive buy at the auction, against the Chennai Super Kings (CSK). The right-arm fast bowler from Jammu and Kashmir bowled just two overs in the match, both in the powerplay, and wasn’t handed the ball again. The question now is whether Delhi will persist with Nabi, considering he has been viewed as just a new-ball bowler.
Why Auqib Nabi could be a handful vs RCB
Given that Delhi faces the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium next, there’s a great chance Nabi will retain his place. The venue was batting-friendly in the first two matches, with the lowest score being 201 across four innings, but the last game saw a shift. Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) struggled as Josh Hazlewood, Rasikh Salam Dar, and Bhuvneshwar Kumar made the ball talk, especially in the powerplay.
This means Nabi, who’s a new-ball bowler, could be the right man to play. He can be a handful on helpful surfaces. Axar Patel can hand him the ball to deliver 3 overs upfront, granted he’s doing well and has enough assistance. Others like T Natarajan, Lungi Ngidi, and Mukesh Kumar can sacrifice an over or two in the powerplay and bowl elsewhere. Now, that’s one argument. We know why he can be backed.
Decision dependent on pitch
But the truth is, it’ll all be surface-dependent. You see, the DC vs RCB match will be the first afternoon match in Bengaluru. No one really knows what’ll happen. Unlike what happened against LSG, the surface might remain the same since dew won’t be a factor. Dry conditions also mean that spin can play a role. This also means that Vipraj Nigam, who was rested for Nabi against CSK, could be a viable option again.
Considering Sameer Rizvi has been promoted into the main XI at number three, and Ashutosh Sharma has been added to elongate the batting and ensure they have one proper finisher who can go hard from ball one, it will come down to either Vipraj or Auqib. It’s a tough call for Axar and Delhi. And all will depend on the surface and whether they are batting first or second.
Predicted Delhi Capitals Playing XI vs RCB
| S. No. | Player | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | KL Rahul (wk) | Wicketkeeper opener |
| 2 | Pathum Nissanka✈️ | Opener |
| 3 | Sameer Rizvi | Top-order batter |
| 4 | Tristan Stubbs✈️ | Middle-order batter |
| 5 | David Miller✈️ | Middle-order batter |
| 6 | Axar Patel (c) | All-rounder |
| 7 | Ashutosh Sharma | Finisher |
| 8 | Kuldeep Yadav | Left-arm wrist spinner |
| 9 | Mukesh Kumar | Right-arm fast bowler |
| 10 | Lungi Ngidi✈️ | Right-arm fast bowler |
| 11 | T Natarajan | Left-arm fast bowler |
| Impact Player | Vipraj Nigam/ Auqib Nabi |
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