IPL 2023: Delhi Capitals have lost their IPL mojo again after a brief run to the playoffs. The Capitals, who reached the finals in 2020, have yet to win any of their five games in IPL 2023. Stand-in captain David Warner has failed to rally the troops in Rishabh Pant’s absence, and despite some shining moments, the Capitals have been unable to gel as a team and are now mired in a losing run.
After suffering defeat at the hands of the Lucknow Super Giants, Gujarat Titans, Rajasthan Royals, Mumbai Indians, and Royal Challengers Bangalore, the Capitals are winless and sitting dead last in the standings.
None of DC’s matches have been even somewhat competitive. They suffered a devastating defeat, bringing their NRR down to an abysmal -1.4. DC’s hopes of making the playoffs are not yet dead, but they will need to improve dramatically and quickly if they are to succeed.
Ex-Indian opener Virender Sehwag singled out DC’s season and criticised coach Ricky Ponting for the team’s disastrous showing. Although the squad lost against RCB by 23 runs, Ponting, a three-time World Cup champion, sought to have a good attitude.
IPL 2023: What did Ricky Ponting say to Kuldeep Yadav?
“Good, really good bowling performance. They challenged us early; they got off to a flier. Our attitude and commitment came back, we dragged it back. Kuldeep, where are you mate? Disappointed last game, weren’t you? You actually said sorry to me at the end of the game. So mate, don’t you ever say sorry to me or anyone for what happens on the cricket field. What I want you to do is bounce back strong and today with 2/23 off four, it was an outstanding spell of bowling. Well done,” Ponting said with DC’s Director of Cricket Sourav Ganguly in attendance.
So far this season, Kuldeep has taken four wickets in five games. He gave up 23 runs in two overs at an average of 11.5 against the Mumbai Indians at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. Kuldeep scooped up the wickets of the dangerous Glenn Maxwell for 24 and Dinesh Karthik for a first-ball duck against RCB, despite going for 23 runs himself. Ponting commended the efforts of Lalit Yadav, who bowled tightly and ended with 1/29 and singled out all-rounders Axar Patel and Mitchell Marsh for special acclaim.
In other news “Their best bowler, some say the best T20 spinner in the world, was completely caught off-guard”, Kumar Sangakkara comes up with special words of praise for Sanju Samson after the innings against Gujarat Titans in IPL 2023
