IPL 2019: Delhi Capitals announce captain for the season

They have been one of the original teams of the Indian Premier League (IPL) but the Delhi Daredevils have remained an underachiever in the glitzy tournament, making the last four only three times in 11 years and the last being in 2012. The team has had quite a few big names in their ranks over the years but Lady Luck did not yet smile on them.

In 2019, the initials of the Delhi franchise will change from ‘DD’ to ‘DC’ as the name was changed from Delhi Daredevils to Delhi Capitals. The announcement came at an event on Tuesday where it was also revealed that Shreyas Iyer will lead the side in the 2019 edition. Iyer replaced local lad Gautam Gambhir as the captain mid-way into the tournament last week after the latter failed to deliver but yet there was no change in the final outcome as Delhi finished last in the tournament, despite some individual brilliance.

"Shreyas Iyer will lead the side this season"

– @ParthJindal11#ThisIsNewDelhi #DelhiCapitals pic.twitter.com/eMLUbRYQTc

— Delhi Capitals (@DelhiCapitals) December 4, 2018

Changing of the franchise’s name was on the cards after JSW Sports – owners of football club Bengaluru FC – bought 50 per cent stake in the franchise earlier this year and wants to overhaul things completely.

Shreyas Iyer to lead DC

Mumbai player Iyer, who is just a couple of days short of turning 24, was retained by the Delhi side for the 2018 season and in the four seasons he has played for the franchise since 2015, the batsman has scored 1,218 runs in 36 matches at an average of 30-plus and strike rate of 129.85. He has scored 10 fifties in the tournament so far with the highest score of 96 scored against the Gujarat Lions last year.

In international cricket, Iyer made his debut last year but has played only six ODIs and as many T20Is so far, scoring two fifties overall. The Delhi Capitals released Gambhir ahead of the auction later this month besides India pacer Mohammed Shami and foreign players like Glenn Maxwell, Jason Roy and Liam Plunkett.

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