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Indian middle-order batsman Shreyas Iyer is all set to be ruled out for an extended period of time due to a shoulder injury he suffered during the first ODI against and England in Pune.
Iyer subluxated his left shoulder while attempting to save a boundary during the eighth over of England’s run-chase and while his absence from the rest of the ODI series might not jeopardize India’s chances due to enough replacements at their disposal, it is the Delhi Capitals who will feel the pinch as according to a report in ESPNCricinfo, the middle-order batsman could miss the first half of the 14th season of the Indian Premier League.
Shreyas Iyer is not only one of the Delhi Capitals premier batsmen but he is also the leader of the pack, having led the franchise to the playoffs in consecutive seasons, including a final berth last year where they eventually lost to the Mumbai Indians.
Iyer had a prolific 2020 season where he racked up 519 runs in 17 matches at an average of 34.60 and a strike-rate of 123.27. He was the fourth-highest run-scorer of the season and the 2nd highest for Delhi.
Who will lead the Delhi Capitals in Shreyas Iyer’s absence?
In the absence of Shreyas Iyer, Delhi Capitals have quite a few options to choose from as far as leadership duties are concerned. In R Ashwin, Ajinkya Rahane, Shikhar Dhawan, and Steven Smith, DC have four former IPL skippers in their set-up but if reports are to be believed, swashbuckling wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant is likely to make his captaincy debut in the upcoming season.
Pant has been one of the bedrock of the Delhi Capitals unit ever since his debut in 2016. In 68 IPL matches, the southpaw has 2079 runs against his name at an average of 35.24 and a strike-rate of 151.97.
Pant had a middling campaign last year but given his resurgence in international cricket in the last 6 months, it will be interesting to see how the southpaw fares this year considering that he’ll have an additional responsibility this time around.
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