Chennai: Match 13 of the IPL 2021 will see a new venue for Delhi Capitals (DC) when they battle Mumbai Indians (MI) in Chennai. Both clubs are full of power-packed players with great batting depth. They are also well-matched in their bowling attack, possessing world-class pacers. While both teams have lost one match each out of the three they have played, MI have managed to hang on despite their spirited power-packed middle order not doing well.
Talking about Delhi Capitals, the biggest sigh of relief has been the form of Shikhar Dhawan, who is the leading scorer so far in the tournament with 186 runs.
Dhawan and his opening partner Prithvi Shaw form a great opening combination but Shaw now needs to convert his starts into big scores. Delhi opted for Australian Steve Smith on Sunday but, as they are next playing on the slow Chepauk track, they might ask Ajinkya Rahane to pad, who is looking better suited for such tracks. Captian Rishabh Pant has a skill to take any attack to the cleaners. The DC would be hoping that the top-order fires in accord against the defending champions, to whom they had lost in the final last year in UAE.
DC also possess quality all-rounders such as Marcus Stoinis and Lalit Yadav, who would be keen to impress as well. Their pace attack is led by South African Kagiso Rabada and England’s Chris Woakes and the two have been impressive so far. They have an additional option in Anrich Notrje, who has also joined the Delhi side.
Coming to the Rohit Sharma-side, after starting their season with a defeat, the comeback Paltans have made in the IPL 2021 completely justifies why they are the most successful team in this tournament. They overpowered both Kolkata Knight Riders and SunRisers Hyderabad from scenes where a defeat looked imminent.
Mumbai captain Rohit Sharma has got starts and he would be keen to convert it into a big total and so would be Quinton de Kock. Their middle-orders has names such as Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan, Kieron Pollard, Hardik Pandya and his brother Krunal, who can beat any attack into submission on their day but they are yet to fire on all cylinders.
Their frontline bowlers Jasprit Bumrah and New Zealander pacer Trent Boult (6 wickets) have been exceptional so far. Leg-spinner Rahul Chahar, whom bowling coach Shane Bond described as a "wicket-taking bowler", has scalped seven wickets in last two games.
The two finalists of IPL 2020 are looking pretty well in this season as well, which sets up for an exciting contest.
PROBABLE XI
Delhi Capitals: Shikhar Dhawan, Prithvi Shaw, Steve Smith, Rishabh Pant (C and WK), Marcus Stoinis, Lalit Yadav, Chris Woakes, Ravichandran Ashwin, Lukman Meriwala, Kagiso Rabada, Avesh Khan
Mumbai Indians: Rohit Sharma (C), Quinton de Kock, Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya, Krunal Pandya, Kieron Pollard, Adam Milne, Rahul Chahar, Jasprit Bumrah, Trent Boult.
