Has Avesh Khan sidelined Ishant Sharma in DC playing XI? Head Coach Ricky Ponting answers

Despite the absence of the lethal Proteas pace duo of Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje from the Delhi Capitals' squad in the first two games, veteran Indian speedster Ishant Sharma has been unable to find a spot in the playing XI. The veteran pacer, who was a mainstay in Shreyas Iyer's squad last year, has found it difficult to retain his place under now captain Rishabh Pant. While Sharma had to sit out for the first two games against Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals due to injury, it is likely that he will continue to warm the bench even after attaining full fitness. 

Addressing the press conference after the match against Rajasthan, Head Coach Ricky Ponting revealed that in absence of Ishant Sharma, young gun Avesh Khan has 'grabbed the opportunity' and has also been Delhi's finds this year. Pertinently, Avesh Khan was a part of the DC squad last year as well but had to be benched as Nortje, Rabada and Ishant Sharma stacked up the pace attack. Heaping praise on Avesh Khan's performance in the first two games, Ponting said that his lines and lengths and the slower ball execution has been excellent so far. 

“He has been ultra-impressive, pretty much from the first day we arrived here for the training camp. Physically he looks a little bit better, he lost a little bit of weight from last season. He is definitely fitter and bowling faster. He is able to maintain his action better. His lines and lengths and slower ball execution is excellent so far,” said Ponting during the post-match press conference.

“Coming into the first game, Ishant Sharma had a heel niggle that we have been trying to work through but Avesh grabbed his opportunity with both hands. He has been around with this franchise for a few years now and has not got the opportunity that he has been craving. Look so far, he has been one of our real finds and if you got an Indian fast bowler like him and the likes of Woakes, Rabada, Nortje and T Curran around we end up with a really strong fast bowling brigade,” concluded Ponting.

In the two games that Avesh Khan has played so far, the 24-year-old pacer has scalped 5 wickets including the prized wicket of CSK skipper MS Dhoni for a duck. In the match against Rajasthan, he picked 3 wickets and is already amongst the top wicket-takers in the IPl 2021. 

DC face defeat against RR

A disciplined effort with the ball from Rajasthan restricted the Delhi Capitals to a below-par 147/8 from their 20 overs with skipper Rishabh Pant being the only half-centurion for his side (51 off 32).  In reply, the inaugural edition's champions were reduced to 42/5 and that is when middle-order batsman David Miller ignited their hopes as he went on to score a 43-ball 62 at a strike rate of 144.19. His counter-attacking knock included seven boundaries and a couple of maximums. In the end, Morris added finishing touches with an unbeaten 18-ball 36 at a strike rate of 200 as RR got past the finish line in the final over with two balls to spare, and by the virtue of this win, the Sanju Samson-led side registered their first win if IPL 2021.