Amit Mishra believes Shikhar Dhawan joining the team is very crucial for Delhi Capitals (DC) for the new IPL season. The leg-spinner hopes the Indian left-handed opening batsman maintains his familiar form in the upcoming season.
After spending six successful seasons in Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), Shikhar Dhawan returns to the Delhi franchise for IPL 2019. Earlier, in the inaugural IPL season (2008), Shikhar Dhawan played for the Delhi franchise. Then, he played for Mumbai Indians in 2009 and 2010. In 2011, Deccan Chargers bought him and later he continued for the new Hyderabad franchise.
In the 2019 IPL Auction, Delhi Capitals bought him for INR 5.2 crore. Shikhar Dhawan is one of the renown opening batsmen in IPL history. He is the sixth highest run-scorer in IPL history as he has scored 4,058 runs in his IPL career.
When SRH won the IPL 2016, Shikhar Dhawan was the fifth highest run-scorer in the tournament with 501 runs in 17 innings with an average of 38.53.
Currently, Shikhar Dhawan is playing an essential role in the national team. The 36-year-old leg-spinner Amit Mishra is hopeful on his return to the Delhi franchise.
Amit Mishra told Hindustan Times, “Looking forward for him (Dhawan) joining the team. He is a local lad and has been doing really well for Team India. I hope he brings similar sort of performances for DC and wins games for us this season. We are getting a good opener in him and a right hand-left hand combination at the top will surely help in balancing the side.”
We are very excited for the new season
The Delhi franchise side is ready to begin the IPL 2019 with a new shape. After playing as Delhi Daredevils in all the previous 11 seasons, they will now play the IPL tournament as Delhi Capitals due to an ownership reason.
The Delhi franchise has never reached the IPL final. In most of the IPL seasons, the Delhi franchise had very mediocre performances. Even sometimes they had below the average performances in an entire IPL season.
However, Amit Mishra believes that they can change their fate in the upcoming season. He claimed that the players are very excited about the new season.
He said, “We are very excited for the new season. The team is new, the name is new and there is a lot of positive vibe around. There are a lot of new faces and the team is looking very balanced. Everybody is very excited to do well this season.”
Talking about their ability to win the IPL trophy in the upcoming season, he said, “I think our team looks really balanced and everyone is eager to do better this term. But I don’t want us to get ahead of ourselves and we must take one match at a time.”
I am very confident and in a positive frame of mind – Amit Mishra
Amit Mishra is the leading wicket-taker for the Delhi franchise. Playing 81 IPL matches for the Delhi franchise, Amit Mishra has bagged 86 wickets. He has played for the side for a long time.
Confident Amit Mishra is ready to play as per the team’s requirement. The leg-spinner claimed that he would be happy with any role for the side.
Amit Mishra said, “I will try to play as per the team’s requirement. If they (coach and team management) have made a team with all of us, they must have thought something and then gone ahead with it. I am very confident and in a positive frame of mind. Whenever I will get the opportunity to perform, I will try to give my best.
“Whatever role I get, I will be happy to do it. I have been playing for this team for 3-4 years now and essentially my job is that of a wicket-taker. If I am included in the line-up my job will be to provide breakthroughs and help my team win the match.”
Shreyas Iyer is a very positive captain
In the middle of the last IPL season, Shreyas Iyer took the captaincy charge for the Delhi side after Gautam Gambhir stepped down from that role. Amit Mishra praised the new captain.
The senior cricketer said, “He is a very positive captain and listens to what others have to say and doesn’t force members of the squad to blindly follow his thinking. In my opinion, that is one of the most striking aspect of being a captain. He speaks to the senior players before taking any decision and that bodes well for the team.”
IPL 2019 will begin on 23rd March. Delhi Capitals will begin their IPL journey on 24th March when they will meet Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium (Mumbai).