Former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan has shed light on Delhi Capitals’ batting woes in the ongoing IPL 2023. The Capitals could only manage 144-9 in their 20 overs against Sunrisers Hyderabad at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium, Hyderabad on Monday.
In fact, DC hasn’t been able to deliver with the bat and once again it was their bowlers who rescued them against SRH. Apart from David Warner and Axar Patel, none of the DC batters have failed to score consistently in the ongoing season.
DC backed Phil Salt to open in place of Prithvi Shaw but the move didn’t paid dividends.
Irfan Pathan said on Star Sports, “We are getting to see it repeatedly. It is not about this match only. You can understand the bowling against Phil Salt, it was the first over, there was swing, it was the new ball and Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s experience.”
Subsequently, Mitchell Marsh was plumbed in front by T Natarajan after the Australian all-rounder had got off to a quick start.
“Then good bowling from T Natarajan as he generally does not bring the ball in, he takes it away. The seam was also towards fine leg, so that was good bowling, the first two wickets.”
DC were 57-2 at one stage but lost three wickets in the eighth over of the innings, which was bowled by Washington Sundar. More than Sundar taking the wickets, it was the DC batters who gifted their wickets to the off-spinner. Pathan added it was hard to understand DC’s approach in that over.
“After that, three wickets fell in Washington Sundar’s over. First David Warner got out, then Sarfaraz Khan played a shot in the air and when the third wicket fell of Aman Hakim Khan, it was not understandable.”
“Both batters (Warner and Sarfaraz) play the sweep shots, but when one wicket has fallen, you don’t play it in the air. As an Indian batter, you play it along the ground but here there was no desire to play it along the ground.”
There is no doubt that Delhi Capitals will have to pull up their socks in the batting department. The Capitals will once again take on Sunrisers Hyderabad at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi on Saturday.
