3 DC players who are on overpriced contracts for IPL 2023
The Delhi Capitals (DC) had as much as ₹19.45 crore ahead of the 2023 Indian Premier League (IPL) auction, with only five roster spots to fill.
This was largely due to their smart purchases at the IPL 2022 mega-auction, where they snapped up fringe players who became massive stars over the course of the next year. The Capitals continue to have several cricketers on their books for meager amounts.
Other names on the roster, however, have commanded price tags that they arguably don't merit, two of whom haven't even played for the franchise yet. Here are three DC players who are on overpriced contracts for IPL 2023.
#3 Chetan Sakariya
Lmao DC! Khaleel + Sakariya for 9.45 crores.
Barring the first game against Assam, Chetan Sakariya has had a rather underwhelming Ranji Trophy campaign for Saurashtra so far. He turned in better performances in the white-ball leg of the season, but he has a long way to go before he can be labeled a reliable limited-overs bowler.
Sakariya's biggest issue in the shortest format is his lack of pace. The left-armer can swing the new ball and has a gamut of slower-ball variations, but his medium pace means that he will find it tough to become a reliable all-phase bowler.
Sakariya was signed for ₹4.2 crore at the IPL 2022 mega-auction. He played just three games for DC last year, returning three wickets. A player signed for such an amount should ideally either have a huge ceiling or be a proven performer, two boxes the youngster doesn't tick.
#2 Rilee Rossouw
DC had several holes in their roster ahead of the IPL 2023 auction, but they bizarrely opted to shell out ₹4.6 crore for Rilee Rossouw. At his best, the left-hander is a destructive T20 batter, but he was never going to solve the Capitals' issues.
Rossouw has endured a tough campaign for the Pretoria Capitals in the ongoing SA20 league. He starred in the first semi-final against the Paarl Royals but made barely any contributions prior to the game, playing a series of reckless shots to get out at key junctures.
Rossouw is unlikely to be a starter for DC in IPL 2023 despite their requirement for a left-hander. He can't keep wickets, making Phil Salt the frontrunner should the Capitals decide to play an overseas batter.
#1 Mukesh Kumar
DC dishing out 5.5 crores for Mukesh Kumar, even after having Khaleel and Sakariya who can both do similar role and have added advantage of being left handers.
Another vibes pick from Ponting's team,quite expected from them by now.
#IPL2023Auction
The uncapped Mukesh Kumar was DC's most expensive buy at the IPL 2023 auction. It was a strange purchase from the Delhi franchise, with them already having a few new-ball bowlers and the Bengal-born pacer being completely untested at the IPL level.
Mukesh is at his best in the powerplay and hasn't proven himself in other phases of the innings so far. He isn't an all-rounder either, with only four runs in his T20 career. Moreover, he will turn 30 later this year.
DC clearly see something in Mukesh, but there isn't much evidence to suggest that he'll manage to justify his ₹5.5 crore price tag. It remains to be seen if he becomes a regular member of the playing XI in IPL 2023.