The Delhi Capitals (DC) followed up a ground-breaking 2019 Indian Premier League (IPL) season with an even better exhibition in the most recent 2020 edition. Led by Shreyas Iyer, the team managed to book its first final appearance in 13 seasons. They finished runners-up, but it was inspiring to see the young team churn out some sensational performances all through the tourney.

With IPL 13 now done and dusted, the focus now shifts on to the next season, which is just a few months away. DC would be looking forward to going one step better next season and finally acquire the coveted IPL silverware that has always eluded them. And for that, they’ll have to ensure to assemble their best set of squad-members for next year.

Presently, it’s unclear if the 2021 season will be preceded by a mega auction or not. Thankfully, what works for DC is that they’ve already come together as a well-oiled unit, so a complete overhaul won’t be necessary for them. Having said that, they will be eager to fine-tune the trivial aspects where they were found lacking this season.

Keeping that in mind, here&#8217;s a list of players whom DC might be eager on acquiring for the next IPL edition:

1. Dhruv Shorey

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-339411" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Dhruv-Shorey.jpg" alt="Dhruv Shorey" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-339411" class="wp-caption-text">Dhruv Shorey. (Photo Source: Twitter)</figcaption>

For as good as DC’s 2020 IPL campaign was, the team did fumble on a few key aspects of their game. One of those aspects was the performance of their top-order batters.

The likes of Prithvi Shaw, Rishabh Pant and Ajinkya Rahane didn’t quite live up to their reputation and ended the season with a string of underwhelming scores. But the bigger issue for Delhi was that the team didn’t have any reliable local options to fall back on. So the management had no choice but to persist and hope for their underperforming players to come good.

It wouldn’t be ideal for the Capitals to have such a situation repeat itself the next year. Hence, they might consider investing in some of the available Indian batting options.

They have a readymade candidate available in the form of Dhruv Shorey, the captain of their namesake team in the Ranji Trophy. Over the past few years, Shorey has been a top-performer for the state team in T20s, averaging a respectable 27.85 in the shortest format of the game.

Additionally, should next year’s IPL be moved back to India, his familiarity with the conditions of the Arun Jaitley Stadium makes him a valuable asset to the DC dressing room, even in a non-playing capacity. The Capitals are clearly lacking a genuine Indian top-order batsman, and from all the options available, Shorey looks the most worthwhile investment for them.

2. Colin de Grandhomme

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-355101" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/CT_352207.jpg" alt width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-355101" class="wp-caption-text">Chennai: Royal Challengers Bangalore&#8217;s Colin de Grandhomme. (Photo: IANS)</figcaption>

Marcus Stoinis was a breakthrough purchase for the Capitals this season. Every time the team found itself in a crunch situation, the mercurial Aussie all-rounder rose up to the challenge and delivered some crucial, match-defining performances, both with the bat and the ball.

Given how big an asset Stoinis has been for the Capitals this season, it’s not too far-fetched to think that he can establish himself as one of their core players for the upcoming auction cycles. In such a scenario, DC will want to ensure that they have their back-up bases covered in case there’s any injury to their MVP.

That’s where Colin de Grandhomme perfectly welds himself into Delhi’s scheme of things. In recent years, the Zimbabwe-born New Zealand player has been one of the finest all-rounders in limited-overs cricket.

Colin’s ability to tonk the ball hard (T20 strike rate of 161.23) and provide key bowling breakthroughs make him a like-for-like back-up option for Stoinis, one that Delhi would be eager to acquire for the next season.

3. Sam Billings

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-238927" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Sam-Billings-CSK.jpg" alt="Sam Billings and Eoin Morgan" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-238927" class="wp-caption-text">Sam Billings celebrates his fifty. (Photo Source: Twitter)</figcaption>

Despite a runner-up finish, Delhi, on several occasions, struggled to discover the right balance of players in their team this season. This was a problem that got particularly aggravated towards the mid-phase of their campaign when Rishabh Pant injured himself and had to sit out for a few games.

The Capitals replaced Pant with Alex Carey, but the latter wasn’t able to portray the finisher’s role in the death-overs. His inclusion as the gloveman also meant that Shimron Hetmyer, the team’s designated pinch-hitter, had to be relegated to the bench.

So it would serve Delhi well if they can acquire a quick-scoring, overseas wicket-keeper in their middle order. And for the next edition, they could be targeting their former player, Sam Billings, to fill up that spot.

Billings arrives with the reputation of a hard-hitting finisher as evidenced from his T20 strike-rate of 130.13. He can also provide a handy wicket-keeping option as and when required. The stylish England batsman has recently been in a good vein of international form, which might prompt the DC management to reinstate him back into the team.

4. Glenn Phillips

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-360885" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Glenn-Phillips.jpg" alt="Glenn Phillips" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-360885" class="wp-caption-text">Glenn Phillips. (Photo by Ashley Allen &#8211; CPL T20/Getty Images)</figcaption>

DC’s star-studded batting lineup lost momentum towards the backend of their 2020 campaign. Barring Shikhar Dhawan and Shreyas Iyer, no other batsman looked in good touch to score runs on a consistent basis. Prithvi Shaw, in particular, looked woefully out of form, and the Capitals’ think-tank was ultimately forced to drop him for the playoffs.

As much as Delhi will want to empower their batch of youngsters, they would also be mindful to address the areas where they are lacking. So it makes sense for them to invest in some exciting top-order batting prospects who can slot in as convenient injury replacements.

New Zealand’s Glenn Phillips looks like a hot pick who can make his way into this young and dynamic Delhi team. The 23-year-old Blackcap has been an underrated yet valuable run-scorer across the different T20 franchises he has represented.

His most recent appearance in the shortest format came earlier in the Caribbean Premier League this year, where he finished as the second on the run-getters list, with 316 runs @ 35.11 to his name.

What makes Phillips a better pick as compared to some of his other more flamboyant counterparts is the fact that he can bat at any given position. Not to mention, he can also provide a wicket-keeping option which, as previously mentioned, is a skillset the Capitals would be eager to have.

5. Lukman Meriwala

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-377559" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Yusuf-Pathan-and-Lukman-Meriwala.jpg" alt="Yusuf Pathan and Lukman Meriwala" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-377559" class="wp-caption-text">Yusuf Pathan and Lukman Meriwala. (Photo Source: Twitter)</figcaption>

DC’s top-notch express-pace lineup, featuring Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje in lead roles, was a major highlight from the 2020 season. The South African fast-bowling duo was extremely clinical with their incisive bowling spells and had a major role in the Capitals’ silver-medal finish.

But unfortunately, they lacked the support of a strong domestic pacer. The likes of Harshal Patel, Mohit Sharma, and Tushar Deshpande were all given long runs after Ishant Sharma got ruled out of the tourney. None of them could make a strong impression, though, which has, consequently, left an open spot for another Indian quick.

28-year-old Baroda pacer Lukman Meriwala presents himself as an exciting candidate to occupy that spot. The skilled left-arm quick was the fourth-highest wicket-taker in last year’s Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. In the longer scheme of things, Lukman is a veteran of 36 T20 games, where he has scalped 57 wickets at a respectable average of 14.87.

Although not as established as some of his fellow, local fast-bowlers, the uniqueness, the southpaw Lukman provides could well be the USP that helps him feature in the DC lineup next year.

~Written by Soham Bhowal

The Delhi Capitals (DC) followed up a ground-breaking 2019 Indian Premier League (IPL) season with an even better exhibition in the most recent 2020 edition. Led by Shreyas Iyer, the team managed to book its first final appearance in 13 seasons. They finished runners-up, but it was inspiring to see the young team churn out some sensational performances all through the tourney.
With IPL 13 now done and dusted, the focus now shifts on to the next season, which is just a few months away. DC would be looking forward to going one step better next season and finally acquire the coveted IPL silverware that has always eluded them. And for that, they’ll have to ensure to assemble their best set of squad-members for next year.
Presently, it’s unclear if the 2021 season will be preceded by a mega auction or not. Thankfully, what works for DC is that they’ve already come together as a well-oiled unit, so a complete overhaul won’t be necessary for them. Having said that, they will be eager to fine-tune the trivial aspects where they were found lacking this season. 
<h3 class="western">Keeping that in mind, here’s a list of players whom DC might be eager on acquiring for the next IPL edition:&nbsp;</h3>
<h3>1. Dhruv Shorey</h3>
<figure id="attachment_339411" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-339411" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-339411" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Dhruv-Shorey.jpg" alt="Dhruv Shorey" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img><figcaption id="caption-attachment-339411" class="wp-caption-text">Dhruv Shorey. (Photo Source: Twitter)</figcaption></figure>
For as good as DC’s 2020 IPL campaign was, the team did fumble on a few key aspects of their game. One of those aspects was the performance of their top-order batters. 
The likes of Prithvi Shaw, Rishabh Pant and Ajinkya Rahane didn’t quite live up to their reputation and ended the season with a string of underwhelming scores. But the bigger issue for Delhi was that the team didn’t have any reliable local options to fall back on. So the management had no choice but to persist and hope for their underperforming players to come good. 
It wouldn’t be ideal for the Capitals to have such a situation repeat itself the next year. Hence, they might consider investing in some of the available Indian batting options. 
They have a readymade candidate available in the form of Dhruv Shorey, the captain of their namesake team in the Ranji Trophy. Over the past few years, Shorey has been a top-performer for the state team in T20s, averaging a respectable 27.85 in the shortest format of the game. 
Additionally, should next year’s IPL be moved back to India, his familiarity with the conditions of the Arun Jaitley Stadium makes him a valuable asset to the DC dressing room, even in a non-playing capacity. The Capitals are clearly lacking a genuine Indian top-order batsman, and from all the options available, Shorey looks the most worthwhile investment for them.

<h3>2. Colin de Grandhomme</h3>
<figure id="attachment_355101" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-355101" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-355101" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/CT_352207.jpg" alt width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img><figcaption id="caption-attachment-355101" class="wp-caption-text">Chennai: Royal Challengers Bangalore’s Colin de Grandhomme. (Photo: IANS)</figcaption></figure>
Marcus Stoinis was a breakthrough purchase for the Capitals this season. Every time the team found itself in a crunch situation, the mercurial Aussie all-rounder rose up to the challenge and delivered some crucial, match-defining performances, both with the bat and the ball.
Given how big an asset Stoinis has been for the Capitals this season, it’s not too far-fetched to think that he can establish himself as one of their core players for the upcoming auction cycles. In such a scenario, DC will want to ensure that they have their back-up bases covered in case there’s any injury to their MVP. 
That’s where Colin de Grandhomme perfectly welds himself into Delhi’s scheme of things. In recent years, the Zimbabwe-born New Zealand player has been one of the finest all-rounders in limited-overs cricket. 
Colin’s ability to tonk the ball hard (T20 strike rate of 161.23) and provide key bowling breakthroughs make him a like-for-like back-up option for Stoinis, one that Delhi would be eager to acquire for the next season.

<h3>3. Sam Billings</h3>
<figure id="attachment_238927" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-238927" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-238927" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Sam-Billings-CSK.jpg" alt="Sam Billings and Eoin Morgan" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img><figcaption id="caption-attachment-238927" class="wp-caption-text">Sam Billings celebrates his fifty. (Photo Source: Twitter)</figcaption></figure>
Despite a runner-up finish, Delhi, on several occasions, struggled to discover the right balance of players in their team this season. This was a problem that got particularly aggravated towards the mid-phase of their campaign when Rishabh Pant injured himself and had to sit out for a few games. 
The Capitals replaced Pant with Alex Carey, but the latter wasn’t able to portray the finisher’s role in the death-overs. His inclusion as the gloveman also meant that Shimron Hetmyer, the team’s designated pinch-hitter, had to be relegated to the bench. 
So it would serve Delhi well if they can acquire a quick-scoring, overseas wicket-keeper in their middle order. And for the next edition, they could be targeting their former player, Sam Billings, to fill up that spot. 
Billings arrives with the reputation of a hard-hitting finisher as evidenced from his T20 strike-rate of 130.13. He can also provide a handy wicket-keeping option as and when required. The stylish England batsman has recently been in a good vein of international form, which might prompt the DC management to reinstate him back into the team.

<h3>4. Glenn Phillips</h3>
<figure id="attachment_360885" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-360885" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-360885" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Glenn-Phillips.jpg" alt="Glenn Phillips" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img><figcaption id="caption-attachment-360885" class="wp-caption-text">Glenn Phillips. (Photo by Ashley Allen – CPL T20/Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>
DC’s star-studded batting lineup lost momentum towards the backend of their 2020 campaign. Barring Shikhar Dhawan and Shreyas Iyer, no other batsman looked in good touch to score runs on a consistent basis. Prithvi Shaw, in particular, looked woefully out of form, and the Capitals’ think-tank was ultimately forced to drop him for the playoffs. 
As much as Delhi will want to empower their batch of youngsters, they would also be mindful to address the areas where they are lacking. So it makes sense for them to invest in some exciting top-order batting prospects who can slot in as convenient injury replacements. 
New Zealand’s Glenn Phillips looks like a hot pick who can make his way into this young and dynamic Delhi team. The 23-year-old Blackcap has been an underrated yet valuable run-scorer across the different T20 franchises he has represented. 
His most recent appearance in the shortest format came earlier in the Caribbean Premier League this year, where he finished as the second on the run-getters list, with 316 runs @ 35.11 to his name. 
What makes Phillips a better pick as compared to some of his other more flamboyant counterparts is the fact that he can bat at any given position. Not to mention, he can also provide a wicket-keeping option which, as previously mentioned, is a skillset the Capitals would be eager to have.

<h3>5. Lukman Meriwala</h3>
<figure id="attachment_377559" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-377559" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-377559" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Yusuf-Pathan-and-Lukman-Meriwala.jpg" alt="Yusuf Pathan and Lukman Meriwala" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img><figcaption id="caption-attachment-377559" class="wp-caption-text">Yusuf Pathan and Lukman Meriwala. (Photo Source: Twitter)</figcaption></figure>
DC’s top-notch express-pace lineup, featuring Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje in lead roles, was a major highlight from the 2020 season. The South African fast-bowling duo was extremely clinical with their incisive bowling spells and had a major role in the Capitals’ silver-medal finish. 
But unfortunately, they lacked the support of a strong domestic pacer. The likes of Harshal Patel, Mohit Sharma, and Tushar Deshpande were all given long runs after Ishant Sharma got ruled out of the tourney. None of them could make a strong impression, though, which has, consequently, left an open spot for another Indian quick. 
28-year-old Baroda pacer Lukman Meriwala presents himself as an exciting candidate to occupy that spot. The skilled left-arm quick was the fourth-highest wicket-taker in last year’s Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. In the longer scheme of things, Lukman is a veteran of 36 T20 games, where he has scalped 57 wickets at a respectable average of 14.87.
Although not as established as some of his fellow, local fast-bowlers, the uniqueness, the southpaw Lukman provides could well be the USP that helps him feature in the DC lineup next year. 
~Written by Soham Bhowal

The Delhi Capitals (DC) followed up a ground-breaking 2019 Indian Premier League (IPL) season with an even better exhibition in the most recent 2020 edition. Led by Shreyas Iyer, the team managed to book its first final appearance in 13 seasons. They finished runners-up, but it was inspiring to see the young team churn out some sensational performances all through the tourney.
With IPL 13 now done and dusted, the focus now shifts on to the next season, which is just a few months away. DC would be looking forward to going one step better next season and finally acquire the coveted IPL silverware that has always eluded them. And for that, they’ll have to ensure to assemble their best set of squad-members for next year.
Presently, it’s unclear if the 2021 season will be preceded by a mega auction or not. Thankfully, what works for DC is that they’ve already come together as a well-oiled unit, so a complete overhaul won’t be necessary for them. Having said that, they will be eager to fine-tune the trivial aspects where they were found lacking this season. 
<h3 class="western">Keeping that in mind, here&#8217;s a list of players whom DC might be eager on acquiring for the next IPL edition: </h3>
<h3>1. Dhruv Shorey</h3>
<figure id="attachment_339411" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-339411" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-339411" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Dhruv-Shorey.jpg" alt="Dhruv Shorey" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-339411" class="wp-caption-text">Dhruv Shorey. (Photo Source: Twitter)</figcaption></figure>
For as good as DC’s 2020 IPL campaign was, the team did fumble on a few key aspects of their game. One of those aspects was the performance of their top-order batters. 
The likes of Prithvi Shaw, Rishabh Pant and Ajinkya Rahane didn’t quite live up to their reputation and ended the season with a string of underwhelming scores. But the bigger issue for Delhi was that the team didn’t have any reliable local options to fall back on. So the management had no choice but to persist and hope for their underperforming players to come good. 
It wouldn’t be ideal for the Capitals to have such a situation repeat itself the next year. Hence, they might consider investing in some of the available Indian batting options. 
They have a readymade candidate available in the form of Dhruv Shorey, the captain of their namesake team in the Ranji Trophy. Over the past few years, Shorey has been a top-performer for the state team in T20s, averaging a respectable 27.85 in the shortest format of the game. 
Additionally, should next year’s IPL be moved back to India, his familiarity with the conditions of the Arun Jaitley Stadium makes him a valuable asset to the DC dressing room, even in a non-playing capacity. The Capitals are clearly lacking a genuine Indian top-order batsman, and from all the options available, Shorey looks the most worthwhile investment for them.

<h3>2. Colin de Grandhomme</h3>
<figure id="attachment_355101" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-355101" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-355101" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/CT_352207.jpg" alt width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-355101" class="wp-caption-text">Chennai: Royal Challengers Bangalore&#8217;s Colin de Grandhomme. (Photo: IANS)</figcaption></figure>
Marcus Stoinis was a breakthrough purchase for the Capitals this season. Every time the team found itself in a crunch situation, the mercurial Aussie all-rounder rose up to the challenge and delivered some crucial, match-defining performances, both with the bat and the ball.
Given how big an asset Stoinis has been for the Capitals this season, it’s not too far-fetched to think that he can establish himself as one of their core players for the upcoming auction cycles. In such a scenario, DC will want to ensure that they have their back-up bases covered in case there’s any injury to their MVP. 
That’s where Colin de Grandhomme perfectly welds himself into Delhi’s scheme of things. In recent years, the Zimbabwe-born New Zealand player has been one of the finest all-rounders in limited-overs cricket. 
Colin’s ability to tonk the ball hard (T20 strike rate of 161.23) and provide key bowling breakthroughs make him a like-for-like back-up option for Stoinis, one that Delhi would be eager to acquire for the next season.

<h3>3. Sam Billings</h3>
<figure id="attachment_238927" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-238927" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-238927" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Sam-Billings-CSK.jpg" alt="Sam Billings and Eoin Morgan" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-238927" class="wp-caption-text">Sam Billings celebrates his fifty. (Photo Source: Twitter)</figcaption></figure>
Despite a runner-up finish, Delhi, on several occasions, struggled to discover the right balance of players in their team this season. This was a problem that got particularly aggravated towards the mid-phase of their campaign when Rishabh Pant injured himself and had to sit out for a few games. 
The Capitals replaced Pant with Alex Carey, but the latter wasn’t able to portray the finisher’s role in the death-overs. His inclusion as the gloveman also meant that Shimron Hetmyer, the team’s designated pinch-hitter, had to be relegated to the bench. 
So it would serve Delhi well if they can acquire a quick-scoring, overseas wicket-keeper in their middle order. And for the next edition, they could be targeting their former player, Sam Billings, to fill up that spot. 
Billings arrives with the reputation of a hard-hitting finisher as evidenced from his T20 strike-rate of 130.13. He can also provide a handy wicket-keeping option as and when required. The stylish England batsman has recently been in a good vein of international form, which might prompt the DC management to reinstate him back into the team.

<h3>4. Glenn Phillips</h3>
<figure id="attachment_360885" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-360885" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-360885" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Glenn-Phillips.jpg" alt="Glenn Phillips" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-360885" class="wp-caption-text">Glenn Phillips. (Photo by Ashley Allen &#8211; CPL T20/Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>
DC’s star-studded batting lineup lost momentum towards the backend of their 2020 campaign. Barring Shikhar Dhawan and Shreyas Iyer, no other batsman looked in good touch to score runs on a consistent basis. Prithvi Shaw, in particular, looked woefully out of form, and the Capitals’ think-tank was ultimately forced to drop him for the playoffs. 
As much as Delhi will want to empower their batch of youngsters, they would also be mindful to address the areas where they are lacking. So it makes sense for them to invest in some exciting top-order batting prospects who can slot in as convenient injury replacements. 
New Zealand’s Glenn Phillips looks like a hot pick who can make his way into this young and dynamic Delhi team. The 23-year-old Blackcap has been an underrated yet valuable run-scorer across the different T20 franchises he has represented. 
His most recent appearance in the shortest format came earlier in the Caribbean Premier League this year, where he finished as the second on the run-getters list, with 316 runs @ 35.11 to his name. 
What makes Phillips a better pick as compared to some of his other more flamboyant counterparts is the fact that he can bat at any given position. Not to mention, he can also provide a wicket-keeping option which, as previously mentioned, is a skillset the Capitals would be eager to have.

<h3>5. Lukman Meriwala</h3>
<figure id="attachment_377559" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-377559" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-377559" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Yusuf-Pathan-and-Lukman-Meriwala.jpg" alt="Yusuf Pathan and Lukman Meriwala" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-377559" class="wp-caption-text">Yusuf Pathan and Lukman Meriwala. (Photo Source: Twitter)</figcaption></figure>
DC’s top-notch express-pace lineup, featuring Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje in lead roles, was a major highlight from the 2020 season. The South African fast-bowling duo was extremely clinical with their incisive bowling spells and had a major role in the Capitals’ silver-medal finish. 
But unfortunately, they lacked the support of a strong domestic pacer. The likes of Harshal Patel, Mohit Sharma, and Tushar Deshpande were all given long runs after Ishant Sharma got ruled out of the tourney. None of them could make a strong impression, though, which has, consequently, left an open spot for another Indian quick. 
28-year-old Baroda pacer Lukman Meriwala presents himself as an exciting candidate to occupy that spot. The skilled left-arm quick was the fourth-highest wicket-taker in last year’s Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. In the longer scheme of things, Lukman is a veteran of 36 T20 games, where he has scalped 57 wickets at a respectable average of 14.87.
Although not as established as some of his fellow, local fast-bowlers, the uniqueness, the southpaw Lukman provides could well be the USP that helps him feature in the DC lineup next year. 
~Written by Soham Bhowal

The Capitals finished as the runners-up in IPL 2020, losing to the Mumbai Indians in the final.

5 Players DC might look for in IPL 2021

The Delhi Capitals (DC) followed up a ground-breaking 2019 Indian Premier League (IPL) season with an even better exhibition in the