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IPL 2021 is set to resume on September 19 in UAE and there is already a lot of excitement around the same. However, things just don't end here! BCCI has already laid out a probable plan of action for the next edition as well. With the Indian Premier League set to be a 10-team tournament from next year onwards, the wait has already begun for the reported mega auction where all the current franchises will have to take some big decisions.
It has been reported that all the teams will be allowed to retain a maximum of only three players, making things extremely complicated for the owners and management. Talking about Delhi Capitals, they have built a formidable unit in last couple of years. After reaching the final in 2020, they were sitting at top of the table in 2021 when the season was suspended. No matter what happens in the second half of the season, there is no doubt that DC already have a well-settled side filled with big names.
With players like Shreyas Iyer, Kagiso Rabada, Rishabh Pant, Anrich Nortje, Prithvi Shaw and Shikhar Dhawan in the mix, here are the three players which DC could end up retaining ahead of the mega auction:
1. Shreyas Iyer
Shreyas Iyer has been the key man behind the resurgence of this new-look Delhi Capitals side in recent times. The right-handed batsman took over Delhi's captaincy in IPL in 2018 and has led his troops in some style since then. Iyer is one of the youngest leaders in the tournament and has brought a new aggressive brand of cricket in the franchise, which has been applauded by everyone.
Although the 26-year-old had to miss the first half of IPL 2021 due to shoulder injury, he will return to the playing XI when the season resumes. With 2200 runs in 79 IPL appearances at an average of 31.42, Iyer's batting prowess alone is enough to assure his retention for next season. Considering all the factors, DC are surely going to retain Iyer as they look to build a new team around him once again.
2. Rishabh Pant
If there is one name across all the franchises who should be an automatic retention without any doubt, that is Rishabh Pant. The explosive DC wicket-keeper has been one of the revelations in last few years, both in franchise and international cricket. Pant's fearless and stylish brand of cricket is something that fans really enjoy and Delhi Capitals would certainly not want to give any other franchise even the slightest of the opportunities to secure his services.
The 23-year-old has also proven his worth as a captain, having stepped in the absence of Iyer. With 2292 runs in 76 matches at a phenomenal strike-rate of 149.80, the numbers prove the kind of impact Pant has had with his batting. With some glorious years of his career ahead of him, Pant is surely going to be a certain retention for DC.
3. Prithvi Shaw
While the first two choices would almost be a no-brainer for Delhi Capitals, the team management will have to put on their thinking hats for completing the list of retained players. However, considering the age-factor and recent form, there is a possibility that Prithvi Shaw might get a nod ahead of other players like Kagiso Rabada and Shikhar Dhawan.
The 21-year-old batsman has looked in great touch in his recent outings in the shortest format of the game. Shaw is a natural stroke-player and he certainly brings with himself an X-Factor making him one-of-a-kind player in India. He has already amassed 1134 runs in 46 IPL matches at an impressive strike-rate of 146.13. With the franchise looking to stick with their aggressive approach in upcoming years, Shaw is certainly going to be key for them at top of the order.