DC head coach Ricky Ponting believes Rahanes inclusion will add more depth to the team, but the India Test vice-captain faces a lot of competition for a slot in the middle order.
Ajinkya Rahane
Ajinkya Rahane is unlikely to be a part of Delhi Capitals' playing XI for their IPL opening contest against Kings XI Punjab in Dubai today.
DC head coach Ricky Ponting believes Rahane's inclusion will add more depth to the team, but the India Test vice-captain faces a lot of competition for a slot in the middle order. Delhi have a hard-hitting opening pair of Shikhar Dhawan and Prithvi Shaw followed by skipper Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant, West Indian Shimron Hetmyer and Australian Alex Carey in the middle.
"We have a balanced squad. There is a lot of competition for middle-order slots. Having someone like Rahane in the team gives us more depth to our batting," Ponting said during a virtual press conference on Saturday. Rahane, who moved from Rajasthan Royals to DC this IPL, is the 11th highest run-scorer in IPL with 3,820 runs in 140 games that include two centuries.
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Skipper Shreyas Iyer, 25, admitted DC's new additions R Ashwin and Rahane will add a lot of value to the team, which ended up third in the last IPL. "They [Ashwin and Rahane] give that extra sense of confidence. You don't feel that they are seniors and they are willing to help every individual," said Iyer.
Ponting felt Delhi have their bases covered. "Shikhar had as good a last season as anybody. Prithvi has been training very well. Shreyas has had his best 12 months for the Indian team.
"We have Pant, Hetmyer and Carey [both left-handers], which gives us a good mix of left-right combinations. We have our bases covered," Ponting explained.
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