NEW DELHI: For most part of Monday evening at the Ferozeshah Kotla, there was Gujarat Titans captain Hardik Pandya sharpening his power-hitting in the nets, with Delhi Capitals vice-captain Axar Patel doing the same in the nets three pitches to his right at the centre square.
The BCCI’s latest central contracts are a testimony to Axar’s evolution as a batter, which has propelled him right next to Hardik as one of India’s top all-rounders. It’s been only a game into the season but it seems like forever for Capitals to find a solid replacement for Rishabh Pant in the middle order.
So, it’s only logical that the Capitals have turned to Axar to step up and take on the might of the defending champions Titans on Tuesday evening.
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Capitals like to call the Kotla their fortress. Much has changed since they last played at their home ground in 2019. The pitch, for starters, as David Warner had said on Saturday night, is a departure from the historically low and slow surfaces here.
That should ideally bode well for their batters but the capitulation against Mark Wood’s searing pace in their last game against Lucknow Super Giants indicates their fragile middle order will have much to do against the defending champions Gujarat Titans on Tuesday night.
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