Former Australia spinner Brad Hogg has said that tackling talented batter Prithvi Shaw’s lack of runs for the Delhi Capitals (DC) will be high on the priority list of head coach Ricky Ponting before the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL). However, he had a poor 2023 campaign for the franchise, scoring only 106 runs in eight matches at a strike rate of 124.71 as well.
While Shaw found some success through a short county stint with Northamptonshire, his purple patch was cut short after he sustained a major knee injury. He recently returned to action, representing Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy, where he struck a hundred and a fifty in the domestic side’s winning campaign as well.
“Ponting will firstly address Prithvi Shaw’s form. He is not living up to his expectations at the moment. He has got to change the way he goes about his business, he has got to gain confidence and Ponting will be really working on that with his strategy for the first six overs. If he can turn things around and compliment Warner, then the middle order can come into play,” Brad Hogg said on his YouTube channel.
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Meanwhile, DC will be more focused on their lower-middle order. While they have Axar Patel, they need more players as finishers, especially with Rovman Powell moving to the Rajasthan Royals (RR) during the IPL 2024 mini-auction as well. They had initially planned on Harry Brook playing the finisher’s role, coming in at No. 6. However, he has withdrawn from the upcoming season due to personal reasons, forcing DC to change their plans.
“DC’s potent force in the final four overs is going to be Kumar Kushagra and Jake Fraser-McGurk. Whatever you are going to dish up against these youngsters in the final phase of an innings, these two are going to deliver. Two youngsters that have got nothing to lose are going to make the difference of this DC side,” Hogg said. “DC will finish in the top four and I will not be surprised if they win IPL 2024.”
Meanwhile, Brad Hogg applauded DC’s Axar Patel and Mitchell Marsh and he hoped the duo would do well for IPL 2024.
“DC have got Axar Patel and Mitchell Marsh, two fine all-rounders. Not too many teams this IPL have two big all-rounders like this,” Brad Hogg on his YouTube channel.Axar Patel brings in variety with his left arm off spin, but also can be utilized with his left-hand batting in any scenario, which Ricky Ponting and the Delhi Capitals would like,” he continued.
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“Mitchell Marsh has been powering away over the last year, dominating on the international stage, he’ll be raring to go this IPL. He can also bowl a couple of overs here and there, just to allow the captain to have more variety and flexibility to be able to use his main fast bowlers in the death overs,” Brad Hogg added.
“When we look at DC’s strength, it is their bowling. Kuldeep Yadav will be used in the middle overs, where he will pick some crucial wickets, and then you have Axar Patel, he is the type of spinner that you can use in the powerplay, the middle overs, and the back end of the innings. They also spin the ball the opposite way, and they complement each other well,” Brad Hogg concluded.
