With less than a week to go for the IPL mega auction, fans are getting restless to know how their favorite teams stack up for the tournament. The finalists of the 13th edition of IPL, Delhi Capitals, have a huge task ahead of them. DC will be entering the auction room with the minimum purse (47.5 crores) among all franchises. In November last year, DC decided to retain four of their players. Prithvi Shaw, Axar Patel, and Anrich Nortje will yet again feature for DC this year while Rishabh Pant will continue to lead the franchise. In this article, we look at the 11 players DC should target in IPL mega auction 2022.
11 players DC should target in IPL mega auction 2022
1) Devdutt Padikkal
Capitals need to find an opening partner for Prithvi Shaw. Since Shikhar Dhawan might not be bought back, Padikkal could be an ideal choice. Prithvi is an aggressive batter and Devdutt can be the right partner for him. Devdutt is someone who can hold onto one end safely and allow the other batter to play freely. Thus, we think Delhi should go after Devdutt Padikkal at the auction.
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2) Faf du Plessis
Faf du Plessis has hit a purple patch in the latter stage of his career. He was the second-highest scorer in IPL 2021, just four behind his opening partner Ruturaj Gaikwad. Faf is a sensible batsman who can easily switch between gears. Moreover, du Plessis is a great fielder who’s often seen grabbing breath-taking catches at long-on and long-off. Delhi would be keen on getting someone like Faf in their team.
3) Aiden Markram
The third-ranked T20 batsman in the world, Markram, will be on multiple teams’ radar. Markram usually bats at number 4 for South Africa and DC desperately need a sensible batsman in their middle order. The plus point with Markram is that he can bat in the top order as well. Therefore, he will be in great demand at the auction and we believe he has to be one of the 11 players that DC should target in the IPL mega auction 2022.
4) Rahul Tripathi
As mentioned above, DC have the lowest budget for the auction among the ten teams. Thus, Rahul Tripathi can be the perfect choice for the role of the second opener for them. Tripathi is a great batsman who made his IPL debut in 2017 for Rising Pune Supergiants. He was one of the best batsmen for KKR last year and, in fact, he was the one who ended DC’s campaign with a six off the last ball in Qualifier 2. He will surely be a value-for-money acquisition for DC this year if they go for him.
5) Shah Rukh Khan
There is no single franchise in this IPL auction, which wouldn’t want Shah Rukh Khan in its team. The Indian domestic circuit has a scarcity of hard-hitting lower-order batsmen, which as a result makes Khan a very rare talent. Capitals, too, would be very interested in Khan but their low budget can prove to be an obstacle.
6) Jason Holder
The former West Indian captain, Holder, is in a really good form with the ball. Often criticized for his poor economy, Jason Holder, has emerged as an improved bowler in recent years. In addition to his contributions with the ball, he is a great contributor with the bat as well. He can easily tonk the ball all around the park and thus he can be a valuable asset for DC.
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7) Washington Sundar
Washington Sundar has been really unlucky since the WTC final. He got himself injured in a warm-up game before the test series against England and was forced to miss the T20 World Cup as well. Recently, he tested positive for Covid-19 which ruled him out of India’s tour of South Africa. But he is back and ready to shine in the IPL. He was seen in top form during the Vijay Hazare Trophy and will be eager to get on the park for his new IPL franchise. DC have a left-arm finger spinner in Axar Patel and Sundar can be the perfect partner for Axar.
8) Shardul Thakur
Thakur will be in great demand in the auction room on the 12th of February. He is a proven wicket-taker who loves breaking partnerships. With the bat, too, he makes handy contributions for his team. He has been on a rise ever since India’s historic victory in Gabba last year. He’ll be a great bowler on the slow Delhi pitches.
9) Harshal Patel
The purple cap winner from 2021, Patel, will be eying a huge surge in his IPL salary this time around. If Delhi can get Harshal in the auction, he’ll work wonders for them. He was Delhi’s part in 2020 but was traded with RCB in 2021. Considering long-term strategies, he’ll be a great asset for DC on the often tired Delhi pitches.
10) Kuldeep Yadav
Kuldeep can be the perfect bowler to bowl in tandem with Axar Patel. Both Axar and Kuldeep turn the ball in different directions which is often ideal for two spinners bowling together. Since Kuldeep’s stocks have taken a beating in the recent past, he might not be an expensive acquisition at the auction. Thus, DC should be able to afford him.
Also Read: 11 Players RCB Should Target In IPL Mega Auction 2022
11) Avesh Khan
Avesh was the second-highest wicket-taker in IPL 2021 but DC weren’t able to retain him. If DC can get him back from the auction, he will make a good pair with Nortje. The only obstacle for DC could be his price at the auction as multiple teams could go after him. Capitals have groomed him since 2018 and they would surely not let him go easily. Thus we think he has to be one of the 11 players DC should target in IPL mega auction 2022.
