IPL Auction 2023 Review: Delhi Capitals
The Delhi Capitals made some smart and important buys at the recently-concluded IPL 2023 mini-auction. In the 2023 edition, star wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant will once again be at the helm of affairs as captain.
The franchise has backed Pant despite getting severe criticisms for his decisions at the business end of the IPL 2022. Eventually, cost DC a playoff spot as they finished fifth. Heading into this year’s auction, Delhi had a purse of INR 19.45 crore with five slots still to be filled.
In the months leading up to the mini-auction, Delhi Capitals had traded bowling all-rounder Shardul Thakur to the Kolkata Knight Riders for pacer Aman Khan. Meanwhile, DC were in a dire need of an all-rounder after Australian star Mitchell Marsh was ruled out of the ongoing BBL. Due to an ankle injury, his IPL 2023 participation seems to be in a jeopardy.
At the auction table, DC succeeded in managing a steal buy in the form of English power-hitter Phil Salt at his base price of INR 2 crore. They then roped in pacer Mukesh Kumar by offering him a whopping INR 5.5 crore.
The Delhi-based franchise was then involved in an aggressive bidding war with the Royal Challengers Bangalore to buy Manish Pandey. In the end DC went on to checkmate RCB to acquire the services of the Pandey for INR 2.4 crore.
DC bolstered their middle-order with the addition of the seasoned South African power-hitter Rilee Rossouw for INR 4.6 crore. They then bought veteran India Test pacer Ishant Sharma for INR 50 lakh.
Ishant had found no takers at the last year’s IPL 2022 mega-auction. However, DC ensured that their one of their former warhorses did not go unsold on this occasion. DC offered him a new contract for the upcoming season.
With the Delhi Capitals rebuilding their squad by making some key additions for the 16th edition of the cash-rich tournament, it now remains to be seen whether they would succeed in going all the way this time around.
DC had made the playoffs in 2019 and 2021. The closest they had got to the IPL trophy was in the 2020 edition, where they made the finals. But they were beaten by Mumbai Indians in a one-sided contest.
