Ranking Delhi Capitals' 5 greatest batters of all time
After being one of the underperformers of the tournament for a long time, the Delhi Capitals finally started showing some signs of consistency from 2019 onwards, under the leadership of Shreyas Iyer.
However, in 2022, they were a little off as they ended up fifth on the points table. The management will surely be hoping for a better performance from the team, which will be led by Australian southpaw David Warner.
Even though they don't have a trophy to show for it, the franchise has boasted of having some of the best batters in the world.
Here, we rank the five greatest batters to have represented Delhi Capitals or the erstwhile Delhi Daredevils.
#5 Shikhar Dhawan
In the inaugural season of the Indian Premier League, Shikhar Dhawan was a part of the Delhi Daredevils and scored 340 runs in the 14 games that he played. Dhawan then moved to Mumbai Indians and then to Sunrisers Hyderabad, enjoying a great deal of success with the latter.
However, in 2019, he returned to his first team and was again prolific, amassing 521 runs in the season. The following year, he scored 618 runs, including two centuries, at a strike rate of more than 140.
He had a sensational season in 2021 as well, scoring 587 runs at an average of almost 40. Overall, the southpaw has scored 2,066 runs for the Delhi franchise.
#4 David Warner
David Warner, one of the most explosive and consistent batters in the history of the Indian Premier League, represented the Delhi franchise from 2009 to 2013 before moving to Sunrisers Hyderabad.
He did a remarkable job for the erstwhile Delhi Daredevils and was a crucial member of the side. He scored 1435 runs across five seasons, including two centuries.
Warner returned to where it all started in 2022, and after a slow start to the season, he went on to compile 432 runs in 12 games at a strike rate of more than 150. He will be leading the Delhi Capitals in the upcoming IPL season and fans of the franchise will be hoping for more runs from the southpaw's bat.
#3 Virender Sehwag
Former India opener Virender Sehwag represented Delhi Daredevils for 6 seasons from 2008 to 2013, scoring 2174 runs in the process. Sehwag was a vital cog in the team's batting line-up for six long years before he shifted base to Kings XI Punjab.
Viru, as he was fondly named during his playing days, also scored a century for the Daredevils in 2011 against the Deccan Chargers. Sehwag also led the franchise for a substantial period and is one of the best batters to have played for the side.
#2 Rishabh Pant
Rishabh Pant has played 98 games in the cash-rich Indian Premier League, all for the Delhi-based franchise. Pant has scored 2838 runs for the franchise at a destructive strike rate of close to 150. His best run came in the 2018 season, during which he compiled 684 runs, including a fantastic century against Sunrisers Hyderabad.
Pant has simply been phenomenal with the bat, and his pyrotechnics have made him one of the most feared batters in the league. He has been a gem for the franchise, but will unfortunately not be taking part this year due to injuries that he sustained in a car accident.
#1 Shreyas Iyer
Shreyas Iyer, the former captain of the Delhi franchise, was signed by the team in 2015. His raw talent was there for everyone to see, but with time, he developed into a reliable batter whom the franchise trusted to the core.
In the seven seasons in which he was a part of the franchise, he played 87 games, scoring 2375 runs in the process. Iyer was made the captain of the franchise midway through the 2018 season and led the team charismatically.
He left the franchise in 2022, moving to Kolkata Knight Riders, but not before ensuring that his former team was in a better position.