Build up:
With only three weeks remaining for the IPL13 to begin, Delhi Capitals have suffered a huge blow in the form of Chris Woakes. Chris Woakes has withdrawn himself from the tournament. He was bought by DC for 1.5 crores. As even Ishant and Rabada are set to miss the initial games for Delhi, they will be looking to find a strong replacement for Woakes.
The IPL, which starts on March 29, is bookended either side by Test assignments for the England squad, of which Woakes is an integral member. England is currently preparing for two Tests against Sri Lanka, and will later play six Test across three months at home against West Indies and Pakistan starting from June 4, making for a gruelling schedule. Therefore Woakes has decided to stay fresh for the series and hence has withdrawn his name from the IPL2020.
Delhi Capitals are one of the only few teams to have a solid spin department with excellent backups available. The likes of Ravi Ashwin, Axar Patel, Amit Mishra, and Sandeep Lamichhane form such a fantastic spin quartet that doesn’t matter which two or three you play, they would look threatening. Ravi Ashwin and Axar can also contribute with the bat.
But the pace department looks weak with Rabada the only fierce pacer. They will need to find a replacement who can lead the pace attack along with Rabada. If he also contributes with the bat it will be a huge relief, as Chris Woakes is an allrounder.
Even though Chris has not been a sensation in Ipl, he will be missed as he was picked in the auction with some plan in the mind of the coach and managing staff.
let’s look at three potential replacements for Woakes who Delhi Capitals can go for
1)Kyle Jamieson:
None expected a young 6″8′ bowler making his debut to pick the wicket of Indias captain, Virat Kohli in the recently concluded NZ vs IND series. He had a dream debut picking 9 wickets in 2 test matches which included a 5 wicket haul.
Kyle boasts of a staggering strike-rate of 14.1 in t20s taking 46 wickets in just 29 matches. He also has a 5wicket haul with a best performance of 6/7. that performance had the best figures ever by a New Zealand player and 3rd best overall. He was the leading wicket-taker in the 2018–19 Super Smash, with 22 dismissals in ten matches.
He along with the tall Indian pacer-Ishant can trouble the opposition’s batsmen with fierce and quick bouncers. He can also contribute with the bat, so he should be the ideal replacement for Chris woakes who was picked up for both of his bowling and batting skills. If he is picked by Delhi, it will be a dream year for Jamieson who made his debut for New Zealand also this year.
2)Jhye Richardson:
Jhye Richardson is another young quick who can swing the ball at 140Kmph. He is a very useful bowler, especially in the t20s.His bbl record is very good. In BBL2019 he picked the most wickets for his team Perth Scorchers. Him not being sold in the IPL 2020 auctions was astonishing for many. This may be a good opportunity for him to debut in the coveted league.
He has picked up 40 wickets in the 36 matches he played at a brilliant strike-rate of 19.7. The fact that he found a place in the Australian squad among the coveted 3 pacers-Starc, Cummins and Hazelwood, speaks volumes of his potential.
As Delhi capitals are more of a spin reliant bowling attack, Richardson can be a valuable leader especially if rabada is also unable to play. Woakes is known for his swing bowling upfront, in that sense, Richardson is a perfect player who can swing the ball at a good pace. Thus DC must be looking at Richardson as a potential replacement.
3)Anrich Nortje:
Anrich Nortje is a genuinely quick bowler. He is an exciting young prospect who provides raw pace. He can provide the extra pace to the Delhi lineup consisting of Mohit Sharma, Keemo paul and Ishant. He was picked up by KKR last year but had withdrawn due to a shoulder injury. He picked 6 wickets in 3 ODIs in the recent series against Australia for South Africa.
He regularly sends the speed gun over 150kph and has a scary bouncer. He was the leading wicket-taker for South Africa against England in the Test series earlier this January. If rabada also isn’t fit , he will be the perfect lead for Delhi as no other player in their squad can clock 140KMPH regularly. He has a stellar strike rate of 17.2 in T20s . He also has a couple of 4-wicket hauls with his best being 4/19. His economy of 7.5 is also decent because of the fact that he bowls the most difficult overs in a match.
The Sports Analyst 