Delhi Capitals Face Crucial Match Against Gujarat Titans Amid Key Player Absences

Delhi Capitals' Must-Win Situation

Delhi Capitals find themselves in a critical position as they prepare to face Gujarat Titans in a must-win match. Once seen as strong contenders for the playoffs, the home team has now dropped to fifth place in the league standings. Under the leadership of Axar Patel, the team is grappling with the absence of their star bowler, Mitchell Stark, who has opted to remain in Australia to gear up for the upcoming World Test Championship final against South Africa.

Stark has been a key player for the Capitals this season, leading the team with 14 wickets at an average of 26.41. His impact was particularly notable during the death overs, and he played a pivotal role in the super over victory against Rajasthan Royals last month, conceding just 11 runs to secure a memorable win for his team.

Spinner Vipraj Nigam acknowledged the challenge of replacing Stark, stating, “It is very hard to replace someone like (Mitchell) Stark. However, we have replaced one or two guys in the team and we hope to execute those plans that were set when the season started. What I mean to say is that we have to work together as a team so that we do not miss a player with whatever players are available to us,” he shared with the media on Saturday.

Despite the setback, there is hope for Delhi Capitals as both opener Faf du Plessis and Stubbs have returned to contribute for the remainder of the season.

In stark contrast, the situation for Gujarat Titans is looking promising, with all their foreign players, including Jos Buttler, back in the squad. Pacer Kagiso Rabada has also rejoined the team after serving a one-month suspension for substance abuse. However, like other South African players, Rabada must return by May 26 to prepare for the WTC final against Australia, with the team set to gather in Arundel, South Africa. Buttler will head back to England to prepare for the West Indies series.

“Now we know that he won’t be there. Right now the important part is that he is there for the next three games. After that we will see how the team balance is coming up and what is the team combination we want to forward with. Buttler has been a great performer for us. He has kept well. He is a leader of the group,” Parthiv commented.