DC aim to bounce back against RR

NEW DELHI: After two indifferent seasons, Delhi Capitals have been a force to reckon with in IPL-2025, showcasing a blend of youthful exuberance and seasoned expertise. Under the astute captaincy of Axar Patel , DC have won four of their first five matches.

The recent 12-run defeat against Mumbai Indians, however, exposed some of DC’s vulnerabilities, particularly their batting depth. Despite Karun Nair ’s valiant 89, the loss highlighted the need for better game management. DC will be eager to bounce back on home turf, where they have a strong record, having won four out of five last year.

There are fewer causes for concern for DC this season, but opener Jake Fraser McGurk ’s form is one of them. In five matches, he has managed only 46 runs at 9.2 (SR 100), a significant drop from the explosive season he enjoyed last year. Despite the management’s continued faith in the young opener, his time may be running out. Fraser-McGurk’s opening partner Faf du Plessis is likely still recovering from an unspecified injury, so DC may stick with the same playing XI they fielded against Mumbai Indians, with Mukesh Kumar coming in as ‘Impact Player’.

Rajasthan Royals , on the other hand, have had a mixed campaign. After a sluggish start, RR showed signs of recovery but then lost two games on the trot. With two wins from the six games they’ve played, the Royals are desperate to find consistency. Their batting has relied heavily on Yashasvi Jaiswal and Riyan Parag, while their bowling has been spearheaded by Jofra Archer and Wanindu Hasaranga, both of whom have blown hot and cold.


Use of saliva and second ball rule has helped: Mohit DC pacer Mohit Sharma believes allowing the use of saliva to shine the ball and the newly introduced “second ball rule” have provided bowlers with much-needed relief. “Saliva has made a big difference. In about 70% matches, the ball is tailing in, and that’s only because saliva adds more weight to the ball,” he said, adding: “The second ball rule is 100% helpful. We saw the impact in the last game.”

Likely XIIs: DC: Jake FraserMcGurk, Abishek Porel, Karun Nair, KL Rahul (wk), Axar Patel (C), Tristan Stubbs, Ashutosh Sharma, Vipraj Nigam, Mitchell Starc, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohit Sharma, Mukesh Kumar/Faf du Plessis.
RR: Sanju Samson (C, wk), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Nitish Rana, Riyan Parag, Dhruv Jurel, Shimron Hetmyer, Wanindu Hasaranga, Jofra Archer, Maheesh Theekshana, Tushar Deshpande, Sandeep Sharma, Kumar Kartikeya/Shubham Dubey.