Axar hopes to have du Plessis back for DC's next game

Faf du Plessis, the Delhi Capitals (DC) vice-captain, hasn't played since April 10, when he picked up an injury during the match away against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB).

Axar Patel, the DC captain, isn't totally sure where du Plessis stands with his fitness - and hasn't confirmed the nature of the injury - but is hoping he would be back for DC's next game, away against Gujarat Titans (GT) on Saturday.

"I had been told that he wouldn't be able to play three matches - that's the time he needs to recover - and two matches are done," Axar said after DC's Super Over win against Rajasthan Royals (RR). "Maybe he will play the Gujarat game. But the physio has to confirm how his rehab has been going."

There was another injury concern for DC when Kuldeep Yadav landed heavily while attempting to field a ball in the deep in the 17th over of the chase. The physio checked his bowling shoulder and he went off immediately.

"I have no update on Kuldeep yet," Axar said. "If something serious had happened, then we would have known by now."

Against RCB, it was off Axar's bowling that du Plessis put in a sprint from extra cover after an aerial hit from Rajat Patidar. He couldn't get to the ball and, after that over - the eighth - was done, he walked off. He went out to open the innings later and scored 2 off seven balls.

He missed DC's next game, against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on April 5. At the time, Axar had just said, "Faf isn't fit."

DC would want the experienced du Plessis back in their line-up at the earliest, even though they have continued to stack up the wins with or without him.

The win over RR was their fifth in six matches, and they have found a solid replacement in Abishek Porel, who is DC's second-highest run-scorer at this stage - behind KL Rahul - with 156 runs from six innings at a strike rate of 143.11.

The concern, though, is Jake Fraser-McGurk, who has played all six matches so far, but has tallied just 55 runs at a strike rate of 105.76 with a best of 38. With Tristan Stubbs going well for DC, averaging 76.00 and scoring at 163.44, du Plessis, when he's back, could well push Fraser-McGurk out of the team.