A TEST FOR INDIA'S GEN-NEXT

Focus On Youngsters As Delhi Capitals Take On Kolkata Knight Riders In Qualifier 2

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Over the last couple of years, as Delhi Capitals (DC) have grown as a powerful franchise, coach Ricky Ponting’s high-octane post-match speeches in the dressing room have become a rage of sorts. After Capitals suffered a heart-breaking loss against Chennai Super Kings in Qualifier 1, he insisted: “You guys are the best group of players and if you stick together, you’ll get the result on Wednesday.”

Till the last edition of the IPL, Capitals were a more of a nothing-to-lose team with the core built around Indian cricket’s next generation. By finishing runners-up, they have a reputation to protect and an ego to satisfy.

In essence, Wednesday’s second qualifier between DC and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) will be a test of nerves for the players who are primed to carry Indian cricket forward.

KKR find themselves in the spot where DC were last year. Eoin Morgan’s team’s revival in the second leg of this year’s IPL in UAE has revolved largely around the younger generation of Indian cricketers. Varun Chakravarthy, Venkatesh Iyer, Shubman Gill, Rahul Tripathi and Shivam Mavi have stepped up in crunch situations, just as Avesh Khan, Prithvi Shaw, Axar Patel and Shreyas Iyer have done for DC in the past two seasons.