IPL Auction Delhi Capitals saw them signing five players – the least number among the ten franchises. The Delhi-based franchise made an uncapped domestic player their most expensive buy and signed veteran pacer Ishant Sharma, who has yet to make an IPL appearance since the 2019 season. They filled both domestic and overseas slots for the 2023 edition.
Let’s look at the franchise’s auction buys and the 2023 players list.
IPL Auction Delhi Capitals – New Arrivals
Delhi Capitals (DC) retained 20 players from the IPL 2022 campaign, which saw them finish fifth. Shardul Thakur was traded to Kolkata Knight Riders in return for young all-rounder Aman Khan. Meanwhile, Tim Seifert, Mandeep Singh, K S Bharat, and Ashwin Hebbar didn’t feature in the retained players list.
The IPL 2020 runners-up fought hard for Nicholas Pooran’s signature, but the West Indian wicketkeeper-batter ended up at Lucknow Super Giants. However, they snapped up talented pacer Mukesh Kumar, outbidding Chennai Super Kings and Punjab Kings.
The franchise also roped in white-ball batter Phil Salt, South Africa’s Rilee Rossouw, seasoned T20 campaigner Manish Pandey, and Ishant Sharma. Rossouw plied his trade with Royal Challengers Bangalore in the 2014 and 2015 seasons, and Salt will feature in IPL for the first time.
Delhi Capitals IPL 2023 – Expensive Buys
Uncapped Mukesh Kumar was DC’s biggest purchase in IPL 2023 auction. The Rishabh Pant-led franchise shelled out Rs 5.5 crore for the 29-year-old, who impressed during India A’s trip to Bangladesh. Yet to make his IPL debut, Mukesh received a call-up to the India squad for the T20Is against Sri Lanka.
Left-handed batter Rilee Rossouw had a brilliant 2022 with the bat as he hit two T20I hundreds and a 96* against England. DC bought the player for Rs 4.6 crore – the franchise’s second-highest signing in the auction. Rossouw has played franchise cricket in England, Australia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, etc.
With Rs 2.4 crore, Manish Pandey emerged as the third-highest purchase for Ricky Ponting’s men in the 2023 season. The IPL’s first Indian centurion, who represented six franchises in the league, made just 88 runs from six innings last season.
IPL Auction DC Players
Delhi Capitals IPL 2023 – The Dangerous Englishman