Five wicket-keepers who could replace Rishabh Pant at Delhi Capitals
Rishabh Pant's absence will be a major blow for Delhi Capitals in the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) season. Apart from his captaincy, the quality wicket-keeping skills will be missed by the Capitals. Although they have England's Phil Salt as an option, the franchise could look for an Indian wicket-keeper to add more balance to their line-up. Here are the options.
Bengal's explosive gloveman, Abhishek Porel
One of the names that has been strongly linked with DC is Bengal's Abhishek Porel. The 20-year-old swashbuckling wicket-keeper is still unproven in limited-overs cricket at the domestic level. But DC's director Sourav Ganguly believes in his potential and that can play a role in his selection. As per Sportskeeda, he has been called for a second round of trials by DC.
Saurashtra's veteran wicket-keeper can also be an option
Sheldon Jackson is one of the sought-after names in the domestic circuit. He will bring experience to the DC setup but hasn't exploded in the IPL till now. Jackson has played nine IPL matches and has scored 61 runs at a paltry 10.17. However, he has hammered 1,690 runs in 77 T20s at 27.25. The 36-year-old has smashed 11 fifties and a solitary ton.
Maiden IPL campaign for Sisodia?
Luvnit Sisodia was unfortunate to miss out last season when he was picked by Royal Challengers Bangalore. However, DC can fulfill his dream of plying his trade in the IPL. The Karnataka glove-man has featured in 15 T20s and scored 124 runs, striking at 127.83. The 23-year-old southpaw plays an aggressive brand of cricket and is also a fairly decent wicket-keeper.
Kerala's Azharuddeen may have an outside chance
Kerala's top order dasher Mohammed Azharuddeen has done pretty well in domestic T20s. However, he still awaits his maiden IPL assignment. In 39 T20 innings, he has smashed 741 runs at a strike rate of 134.23. Azharuddeen has blown hot and cold in recent times for Kerala, but he surely has the talent to succeed at this level.
India's U-19 hero Dinesh Bana
Dinesh Bana made headlines when he struck the winning runs in the 2022 Under-19 World Cup final. The 18-year-old featured in his maiden Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy this season. In eight matches for Haryana, Bana scored 114 runs. He played a fluent 43-run knock against Jammu & Kashmir. A potent wicket-keeper and a decent lower-order batter, Bana can be useful for DC.
What is the author's verdict?
DC's best bet in terms of wicket-keeping is Salt. However, he will eat up an extra foreigner slot, disrupting the team's balance. Sarfaraz Khan can keep, but he is a backup at best. Hence, Porel or Sisodia will be the best picks, given they are young and DC can invest in them for the future. However, Jackson brings experience that the other two lack.
