3 Delhi Capitals youngsters who'd become superstars at The Hundred ft. Prithvi Shaw
As the discussions on the IPL 2025 auction rules and regulations continue to dominate the headlines for Indian audiences, the news connecting the Delhi Capitals with English County stole the limelight on August 1. The latest reports from the Daily Telegraph are that the Delhi Capitals (DC) will take complete ownership of the English county, Hampshire, for a whooping £120 million.
The GMR Group, one of the owners of DC, will take full ownership of Hampshire and 51 percent of the Hundred franchise, Southern Brave. There is also the possibility of a 100 percent takeover of the Southern Brave in the upcoming days.
Upon formal confirmation from the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), Hampshire will become the first county owned by an overseas franchise. Now how does this connect with the IPL?
Should the deal be completed and the takeover happen, Hampshire could have access to DC players and sign them for their County seasons. Yet, with the Hundred ongoing in full throttle, the more interesting bit for IPL fans is the possibility of DC youngsters playing in the league should the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) change its prohibition stance.
Should such a scenario occur, which three DC youngsters (aged 25 or below) could best fit with the thrills and spills of the Hundred? Let us find out.
#1 Prithvi Shaw
![Prithvi Shaw is no stranger to English County cricket. [Credit: Getty]](https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2024/08/7fbbc-17225853186204-1920.jpg?w=500)
The faster the game, the lesser the time and the more the preference for strike rate over consistency, dial Prithvi Shaw. The 24-year-old has extensive experience of English County cricket and the pitches in England, having played the white-ball matches over the past couple of seasons.
Shaw was in incredible form during the 2023 One Day Cup for Northamptonshire, scoring 429 runs at an average of 143 and a strike rate of 152.66 in four outings. He has continued from where he left off last year in the ongoing One Day Cup, averaging over 41 at a strike rate of 123.76 in three games.
Considering these incredible strike rates in the 50-over format, imagine what Shaw's exploits at the top of the order could be in a 100-ball game.
While consistency and bigger scores have evaded him all too often in T20s, his strike rate of 151.20 over 108 T20 games is nothing short of sensational. With the Hundred providing greater license to bat in natural instinctive style, Shaw could be the ultimate treat to watch for the English crowd.
#2 Abishek Porel
![Abishek Porel displayed tremendous versatility during the IPL 2024 season. [Credit: Getty]](https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2024/08/d2c86-17225865100240-1920.jpg)
At just 21, wicketkeeper-batter Abhishek Porel displayed versatility during IPL 2024 that very few have over the years.
Picture this - Porel batted at No.9 in DC's tournament opener as an Impact Sub and scored a breathtaking 10-ball 32. After another two games lower down the order, the southpaw batted at No.4 before moving to the top order.
In his first encounter at No.3, Porel smashed 41 off 31 deliveries and his season took off from that point. He scored another impressive 22-ball 42 at No.4 before opening and scoring half-centuries twice at the position.
Porel finished his IPL 2024 campaign with 327 runs at an average of 32.70 and a strike rate of almost 160 in 14 outings. Yet, the numbers fail to convey the constant changing of positions he was subjected to and how he still came out with flying colors in each role.
The Hundred is one such competition that demands extreme versatility and adaptability, making Porel the ideal option with the bonus of him also being a wicketkeeper.
#3 Rasikh Salam
![[Credit: rasikhsalam04 Instagram handle]](https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2024/08/0d091-17225875387172-1920.jpg)
Bowling all-rounder Rasikh Salam impressed in the second half of the IPL 2024 season with his death bowling ability.
Despite being only 24 with limited IPL experience, Salam became skipper Rishabh Pant's go-to bowler at crucial stages. The youngster finished with nine wickets in eight outings at an average of under 30.
While his economy of over 10 looks high, one must remember Salam almost exclusively bowled at the death in most matches. His standout performance came against five-time champions Mumbai Indians (MI), picking up figures of 3/24 to help DC pull off a 10-run win in a high-scoring contest.
Apart from death bowling, Salam has some batting capability, highlighted by a first-class average of over 22 in two games.
With end overs bowling being paramount for success in the fast-paced 100-ball Hundred, Salam's yorkers and IPL experience at that stage could be invaluable.