Delhi Capitals co-owner Parth Jindal has publicly questioned the absence of wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant and spinner Ravichandran Ashwin from India's XIs for the recent T20I and ODI series against New Zealand.
Pant was in the squads, but play any of the five T20Is or three T20Is. Ashwin was not in the squad and, despite being a relatively permanent fixture in the Test XI, has not played limted-overs cricket for India since 2017. Both will represent the Capitals in the Indian Premier League later this year.
“Don't know why @ashwinravi99 is not in this team! There seems to be an aversion to wicket takers! After white washing the kiwis in T20's the Kiwis showing India that the semi final victory in the World Cup was no fluke. India needs wicket takers and players with X factor,” Jindal wrote on Twitter.
“And why carry @RishabhPant17 only for him to warm the bench?,” Surely he would have benefited from paying against New Zealand A or domestic cricket? To see a player as talented as him not play the 5th T20 and now the 3rd ODI makes no sense #Xfactor.”
Delhi Capitals personnel
The Capitals will be captained by batsman Shreyas Iyer at the 2020 IPL. They have have recruited Australian batsman Marcus Stoinis and retained South African fast bowler Kagiso Rabada, among others.
Stoinis was named Player of the Tournament after the recent Big Bash League in Australia. He struck the 2019-20 BBL's most runs, which were not enough to afford the Melbourne Stars a maiden title. They lost the rain-affected final to the Sydney Sixers.
Nepal leg-spinner Sandeep Lamichhane will also play for the Capitals. He recently welcomed ODI career-best figures of six for 16 in Nepal's victory over the United States of America in Kirtipur.
“It's a fantastic feeling to be on that list of best figures in ODI cricket. But if you talk about six for 16, it's for the team and the team is important for us. Two wins out of four matches, still 32 games to go in the World Cup League 2 and beating the top team in the league so far, I think it's a positive sign for us,” said Lamichhane.
