Gautam Gambhir, the former captain of the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), advises the Delhi Capitals to reintroduce Steve Smith into the starting XI. Before Delhi’s high-octane clash with the KKR in Qualifier 2 of the IPL 2021, Gambhir remarked this.
The 44-year-old believes the Nationals’ lineup lacks a batter-like Smith, who can anchor an inning on the Sharjah surface.
In Qualifier 1 of the tournament in Dubai, the Pant-led team was defeated by the Chennai Super Kings. CSK outperformed DC when they were unable to defend 172 runs. CSK triumphed thanks to Ruturaj Gaikwad and Robin Uthappa’s 110-run partnership. Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s late blitz ensured his team’s place in the IPL finals in 2021.
Delhi Capitals
Moreover, The Delhi Capitals, on the other hand, will travel from Dubai to Sharjah for a crucial Qualifier against the KKR. Throughout the competition, Sharjah’s pitch has been sluggish and lethargic. As a result, former DC captain Gautam Gambhir’s best Steve Smith can help in this situation. Therefore, He believes Smith’s knowledge and abilities will aid the team in dealing with KKR’s formidable bowling lineup.
However, When the two teams last clashed in the league phase in Sharjah, the Australian was the team’s leading run-scorer. After suffering a slight injury, Prithvi Shaw has returned to the side. In their last two encounters, Rishabh Pant used Tom Curran as an additional bowler. Gautam Gambhir
“For me, Smith’s record in the IPL doesn’t matter now. I think he has to be in especially, on a surface like this because if you look at the top order, Shikhar plays one way, Prithvi Shaw might have the best game or the worst game, Shreyas plays one way, Hetmyer plays one way, Pant plays his own way. he said
‘So Smith, probably, against a bowling lineup like this – against pace & against spin – he plays really well. So, I would definitely push him at no.3 and probably bat around him. Because you need 140-150 on this wicket.” he added
It’s unclear whether Rishabh Pant will start Steven Smith in their next crucial match against the Kolkata Knight Riders. On October 13, the IPL 2021 Qualifier 2 will be held at the Sharjah Cricket Ground.
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