IPL 2024: Delhi Capitals' strongest predicted playing XI against Rajasthan Royals

Delhi Capitals (DC) will be up against Rajasthan Royals (RR) in their second match of the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL). In what promises to be an exciting encounter, the two will clash at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur on Thursday, March 28 at 7:30 pm. Both teams had contrasting results in the first round of the tournament and it will be the inaugural champions who enter as a more confident unit.

The Royals kicked off their campaign with an impressive 20-run win over Lucknow Super Giants (LSG). They are currently in the second spot in the points table with a Net Run Rate (NRR) of +1.000. On the other hand, the Delhi-based franchise suffered a four-wicket loss against Punjab Kings (PBKS) to sit second last in the standings with a dismal NRR of -0.455. 

Sanju Samson, who scored a blazing half-century, was the star of RR in their opening clash. Riyan Parag’s promotion to number four also worked well and Sandeep Sharma yet again impressed everyone with a composed death over bowling. While RR are likely to retain their winning combination in the upcoming match, will DC make any changes to their line-up after losing the first match?

Click Here: RR vs DC Live Score, Match 9

Here is DC's probable playing XI for the match against RR in IPL 2024:

Openers: David Warner, Mitchell Marsh

David Warner is undoubtedly an IPL legend. The three-time Orange Cap winner is likely to enjoy another fruitful season this time around. Having recently retired from Test cricket and ODIs, Warner's complete focus is on the shorter format. With the return of Rishabh Pant, it is notable that the southpaw does not have the captaincy pressure as well.

A left-right combination at the top is always a plus and the last match saw Warner's compatriot Mitchell Marsh as his opening partner. Although the duo departed after giving a flying start, the team is likely to stick with the same combo in the upcoming match. Marsh had a poor time with the ball against PBKS, but the Aussie all-rounder is known for his match-winning contributions in both departments.

Also Check: IPL 2024 Orange Cap 

Middle-Order: Shai Hope, Rishabh Pant (C & WK), Ricky Bhui, Tristan Stubbs

Shai Hope is likely to continue at number three as in the previous match. The West Indies ODI captain played a brief cameo (33 off 25 balls) in his IPL debut. Captain Rishabh Pant is back in cricket action after 14 months and is all set to play his 100th match in the cash-rich league. It would be unfair to expect him to return to his usual form within days of his long-awaited return, but the southpaw showed some good signs in the last match, hitting 18 off 13 balls.

Ricky Bhui failed to make an impact for his side in the last match but the uncapped Indian cricketer is likely to get a lifeline. Tristan Stubbs, another youngster who failed in the previous match, but a very talented one. Known for his power-hitting, the South African cricketer was with Mumbai Indians (MI) last season but did not get many opportunities to prove his mettle.

All-Rounders: Axar Patel, Sumit Kumar

Axar Patel is currently one of the finest all-rounders in Indian cricket and a key cog in the DC squad. The left-arm spinner has the ability to provide crucial breakthroughs and chip in with some crucial runs in the lower-middle order. At times he used to show his sheer batting prowess which makes everyone think that this guy is fit to bat up the order.

Sumit Kumar had a bad day at the office in his IPL debut. The Gurgaon bowling all-rounder failed to make an impact in either department. He could score just two runs in nine balls and conceded an economy of 14.20 in his 1.2 overs. However, the management is likely to trust Sumit and we will see him play in the upcoming match against RR.

Also Check: RR vs DC Dream11 Prediction,

Bowlers: Kuldeep Yadav, Ishant Sharma/Mukesh Kumar, Khaleel Ahmed

Kuldeep Yadav's emergence as one of Team India's finest spinners has been nothing short of inspiring. During his time with Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), Kuldeep struggled a lot to find his regular rhythm and was overlooked. However, things took a positive turn when he joined DC in 2022, and he has been a vital part of them ever since. The left-arm wrist-spinner took 21 wickets in 14 games in the 2022 edition and bagged 10 wickets at an economy rate of less than 7.50 last year.

Ishant Sharma or Mukesh Kumar will feature in the starting XI against RR. While Ishant led the pace attack for DC in the last match, Mukesh was picked as an Impact Player. The veteran Indian cricketer took one wicket at an economy of 8 in his two overs and is likely to play as the first-choice pace bowler against RR as well. Khaleel Ahmed has a knack for picking up wickets and his left-arm bowling is an added advantage for him to feature in the DC line-up. He grabbed two wickets in the last match, albeit at an economy rate of 10.80.

Also Check: IPL 2024 Purple Cap

Impact Player: Abishek Porel

DC’s Predicted XI vs RR:

David Warner, Mitchell Marsh, Shai Hope, Rishabh Pant (C & WK), Ricky Bhui, Tristan Stubbs, Axar Patel, Sumit Kumar, Kuldeep Yadav, Ishant Sharma/Mukesh Kumar, Khaleel Ahmed