Pant's return is huge, but so are Capitals' concerns in the pace department

Ninth on the ten-team points table. Delhi Capitals lost their first five games of IPL 2023 and could never recover. They only won five out of their 14 matches.

Rishabh Pant (capt & wk), Prithvi Shaw, David Warner*, Mitchell Marsh*, Ricky Bhui, Swastik Chikara, Abishek Porel (wk), Yash Dhull, Jake Fraser-McGurk*, Shai Hope*, Kumar Kushagra (wk), Tristan Stubbs*, Lalit Yadav, Axar Patel, Sumit Kumar, Khaleel Ahmed, Praveen Dubey, Kuldeep Yadav, Mukesh Kumar, Anrich Nortje*, Vicky Ostwal, Rasikh Salam, Jhye Richardson*, Ishant Sharma

*Overseas players

The biggest name in terms of player availability not just for Capitals but for Indian cricket is Rishabh Pant. The wicketkeeper-batter will be returning to competitive action for the first time since suffering a horrific accident in December 2022 and will lead the side.

But Capitals have other injury concerns. They head into IPL 2024 without the services of Lungi Ngidi who is still recovering from a lower-back injury he suffered during the SA20 earlier in the year. They have signed 21-year-old Australian Jake Fraser-McGurk as his replacement.

Capitals had earlier lost Harry Brook, who pulled out of the IPL for personal reasons. They are yet to name a replacement for the Englishman.

In an interview with ESPNcricinfo last month, Capitals co-owner Parth Jindal had also said that the Australia fast bowler Jhye Richardson is unlikely to be available for at least the initial part of the tournament. Richardson had suffered a left side strain at the BBL in early January and has since been on the sidelines.

Capitals will also be sweating on the match fitness of South Africa fast bowler Anrich Nortje, who is coming off a long injury layoff. He has been out of action since September 2023 after suffering from a stress fracture of the back. Nortje only recently returned to competitive cricket in the opening game of CSA's T20 domestic tournament, turning out for Warriors against Kwa-Zulu Inland, and will be under the watchful eye of South Africa white-ball coach Rob Walter through the IPL.

Lisa Sthalekar reckons Pant could get a bigger welcome-back roar than even MS Dhoni or Virat Kohli, but how the wicketkeeper-batter goes on the field after a 14-month layoff remains to be seen. Pant has been cleared to keep wicket by the BCCI's fitness and medical teams, and he will also be captaining the Capitals franchise taking over from David Warner who led the team last season.

At the auction in December 2023, Capitals splurged on Jharkhand wicketkeeper-batter Kumar Kushagra, getting him for INR 7.2 crore. Apart from being a hard-hitting batter, Kushagra could slot in as a back-up keeper for Pant. Capitals also went big for Richardson (INR 4 crore) and Haryana fast bowler allrounder Sumit Kumar (INR 1 crore), who has had a good few months in domestic cricket. Capitals could also look to unleash Fraser-McGurk who has made heads turn in the Australian domestic scene.

Capitals have a power-packed batting unit with David Warner, Prithvi Shaw, Mitchell Marsh and Pant slotted at the top of the order. They will also be keen on cashing in on Ricky Bhui and Tristan Stubbs' form.

Bhui recently finished as the highest run-getter in the 2023-24 Ranji Trophy and had a fruitful Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2023 as well, where he scored at 184.25.

Stubbs is coming into the IPL on the back of a triple-century, against KwaZulu-Natal Inland in CSA's division one tournament. Before that, he finished the SA20 2024 as Sunrisers Eastern Cape's highest run-getter in the SA20, helping them secure a second straight title.

Kushagra and Sumit can also give the ball a fair whack.

Ngidi has been ruled out of the tournament. Richardson is a doubtful starter. Nortje is coming in after a long injury layoff. Ishant Sharma has been short of match practice.

Capitals' fast bowling-roster seems to be thinning by the minute, which is why it was surprising that they brought in a batter in Fraser-McGurk to replace Ngidi. They could still bring a seamer in Brook's place, but even so they are thin in the department. A lot of the fast-bowling load could fall on the shoulders of Khaleel Ahmed and Mukesh Kumar, who haven't always excelled in the T20 circuit. Capitals will desperately hope for Nortje to hit his straps from the get-go.

With the Arun Jaitley Stadium hosting 11 WPL games right ahead of the IPL, Capitals have chosen Visakhapatnam as the venue for their first two home games, to give the pitches and ground in Delhi time to recover, according to Jindal.

Capitals open their campaign in an afternoon game against Punjab Kings on March 23 in Mullanpur, Kings' new home base which is making its IPL debut. They will then travel to Jaipur to face Rajasthan Royals on March 28 before hosting Chennai Super Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders on March 31 and April 3 in Visakhapatnam. Capitals face Mumbai Indians at Wankhede Stadium on April 7. The schedule for the rest of IPL 2024 will be released once the schedule for the national elections is revealed.