OPINION
Follow UsThe Australian all-rounder Mitchell Marsh is officially ruled out of the white-ball series against Pakistan due to a hip flexor injury. The update has jeopardized his participation in the 2022 edition of IPL.
Thus, it's an unpleasant development for Delhi Capitals who bought Marsh for INR 6.5 crore. Although Delhi are yet to receive an official update about the extent of Marsh’s injury, the treatment of the hip flexor injuries can take two to six weeks. Marsh’s fitness record doesn’t instill much confidence and hence Delhi must be thinking about their options on the injury replacement list.
Moises Henriques
In Mitchell Marsh, Delhi miss a top-order batter as well as a pace-bowling option who can deliver at least two overs as a cushion for a bad bowling day for one of the lead pacers. In the roster of unsold players, Henriques is the only like-for-like replacement option: a batting all-rounder who can deliver two overs of medium-pace.
In his last T20 tournament - Big Bash League 2021/22 - Henriques averaged 36.7 at a strike-rate of 133.3. However, he bowled only three overs.
Dasun Shanaka
Sri Lanka’s white-ball skipper, Dasun Shanaka has blossomed as a batsman in T20 cricket of late. Since 2021, he averages 32.6 at a strike-rate of 134.3. This year, he has played impactful knocks in T20Is in Australia and India. However, Shanaka is more of a number five/six batter. Delhi already possess Rovman Powell, Lalit Yadav and a few others for those batting slots.
Therefore, accommodating Shanaka in the XI might disrupt Delhi’s balance. Also, Shanaka’s bowling has tapered off. Bowling in 23 innings since 2021, he averages 32.5 for his 12 wickets at an economy of 8.7.
David Wiese
South Africa’s (or Namibia’s) David Wiese comes out as another prominent replacement option for Delhi. The 36-year old has reinvigorated his career as a T20 finisher and a handy medium-pacer. But the question marks against Wiese’s suitability to the Delhi side is the same as that of Shanaka. While Shanaka can still be tried in the top-order as a bridge between Delhi’s openers and Rishabh Pant at number four, that role is a much more far-fetched prospect for Wiese.
Ben Cutting
A bowling all-rounder at the start of his career, Ben Cutting has transformed himself into a lusty hitter with the bat to become a T20 globetrotter. He has consistently maintained his strike-rate in the 140s without compromising his average (in the 20s) every year since 2018.
Cutting has been one of the most underutilized talents in the IPL circuit. The player-of-the-match in the 2016 IPL final, he’s only played 12 matches in the league since then. Delhi can use him as a floater, although his experience of batting in the top-order remains thin. The biggest catch with Cutting is his bowling which consists of grim numbers even for a sixth bowling option.
Thisara Perera
One of the most experienced all-rounders at the international level, Thisara Perera has featured in 319 T20s around the world. He is a handy lower-order batter and a bustling seamer. However, he is another one of those bowling all-rounders who might not fit into Delhi’s current team setup. But they will gain experience in abundance with Perera’s presence around them.
Or will they take a different route?
There is a chance Delhi might just opt for a proper batter and ask Rovman Powell to bowl the extra overs of pace if required. In that case, Delhi have plenty of options: Rillee Rossouw, James Vince, Dawid Malan, Colin Munro and so on. There will also lie a case for Shakib Al Hasan with an adjunct option of left-arm spin.
