Delhi captain Iyer delighted with Ashwin’s presence

While Ashwin joined Delhi after a two-year stint at Kings XI Punjab (KXIP), Rahane made the move from Rajasthan Royals (RR) during the off-season. Having trained with both of them in the run-up to the 13th edition of the league, DC skipper Shreyas Iyer expressed delight at how the duo has made its presence felt in the franchise.

“Ashwin and Rahane have strengthened our squad. When you train with them, you don’t feel that they are the seniors in the team. But, at the same time, they are a part of the group and help individuals, especially the junior players,” Iyer told reporters in a virtual press conference, ahead of Delhi’s opener against Punjab in Dubai on Sunday.

“Coming in here from Kings XI, Ashwin has brought a lot of experience. He is used to bowling in all sorts of conditions. It will be the same for him this season,” added the 25-year-old. Chennai-based Ashwin, while turning out for KXIP in IPL 2019, sent the cricket world into a frenzy when he Mankaded RR wicketkeeper-batsman Jos Buttler.

And, there are still question marks on whether the slow bowler will repeat the act in the ongoing campaign. Delhi head coach Ricky Ponting, who is not a great fan of the mode of dismissal, said that Ashwin has understood how DC wants to play its brand of cricket. “Actually, I have had more than one session with Ashwin. This topic hit the news probably a month back. The night it came out, I called him up and gave my points of view. After arriving here, I did a podcast with him and talked about different scenarios,” he revealed.

During the presser, Ponting also opined that the conditions in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) could change quite a bit through the course of the competition.

“A total of 24 games will be played in Dubai, but there are only four wickets which the groundsmen can use. In the initial part of the tournament, we might see the seam bowlers have a little bit of an impact. As the event progresses, the wickets will slow down and the ball will spin a little bit more,” Ponting gave his verdict.