Ayush Badoni keen to put a price on his wicket as Delhi captain

Ayush Badoni, 26, has been named captain of Delhi's senior Ranji Trophy team ahead of the new domestic season. Yash Dhull will serve as deputy captain. Delhi's campaign begins against Bengal on October 11 at Kalyani. The appointment comes as Delhi seeks to return to the knockout stages after missing out since the 2017-18 season.

Badoni brings a strong first-class record to the role. The batter has accumulated runs at an average of 54 across 38 innings, with four hundreds and 10 half-centuries to his name. His approach to the game emphasises discipline and converting starts into substantial scores, qualities he now aims to instil in the team. Badoni has spoken openly about his captaincy philosophy and the challenges ahead for Delhi's bowling attack.

"I like to take challenges. As a batter, I like it when there is pressure. As a captain too, there is pressure. I will try to keep things simple and rely on my instincts to do what is best in that given moment," Badoni said as quoted by The Hindu.

Badoni takes charge with focus on batting discipline

Badoni's focus as captain centres on converting his personal batting discipline into a team-wide approach. The 26-year-old has identified the need to avoid throwing away wickets through reckless shot selection, a lesson he has learned from his own career. He is determined to set an example through his own batting performances.

"I want to put a price on my wicket. There have been instances when I have played some flamboyant shots to give away my wicket. I want to make the bowlers earn my wicket. If I make a half-century, I don’t want to get carried away. I want to get as many big scores as possible," Badoni said.

Bowling depth and experience a key concern

Delhi's bowling attack has been hampered by injuries to key personnel, forcing the team to rely on a mix of experience and emerging talent. Navdeep Saini leads the pace attack, with Simarjeet Singh, Money Grewal and Divij Mehra providing additional options. Badoni acknowledged the challenge of building consistency without full squad availability.

“Injuries have been common. We have not always had our main bowlers available. Apart from Saini, there isn’t much experience. It does take some time. But the hope is that the bowlers have evolved and will take a lot of wickets this season,” said Badoni.

Delhi has won 7 Ranji Trophy titles in its history. The team's absence from the knockout stages since 2017-18 represents a significant gap in the domestic competition. Badoni's captaincy will be tested immediately as Delhi faces Bengal in its opening fixture.