3 players from Pretoria Capitals who DC could target at IPL 2023 auction

Delhi Capitals have been one of the most consistent sides in the recent Indian Premier League editions. They reached the playoffs in three consecutive seasons from 2019, but 2022 was the first occasion when they failed to make it to the playoffs. The maiden IPL title remains elusive for the Jindal-owned franchise.

The franchise now has a team in the SA20 league, named Pretoria Capitals which is scheduled to begin on January 10th, 2023. Some of the best T20 players across the globe will be competing in the lucrative T20 event.

Let's take a look at the 3 players the Delhi franchise can target from their South African counterparts in the IPL auction.

---

#1 Phil Salt

England wicket-keeper batsman Phil Salt was purchased by Pretoria for R2,000,000 in the SA20 auction this season. He has an impressive T20 career record - 3817 runs in 161 innings at a strike rate of 150.39. He has also represented his country in 13 T20 internationals.

Salt was in sublime form in domestic cricket earlier this year. He slammed 390 runs in 14 innings of the T20 Blast for Sussex. Then, the top-order batter hit 353 runs for Manchester Originals and emerged as the second-highest run-scorer in the Hundred.

Salt could prove to be an upgrade over Tim Seifert, who was also a wicketkeeper. His preferred position is also in the top order and he has the right intent against both spin and pace in this format.

---

#2 Josh Little

Irish left-arm pacer Joshua Brian Little was signed for R1,500,000 at the auction. The 23-year-old made his international debut in 2019 when he bounced England's then-skipper Eoin Morgan. He has the ability to swing the ball in the air early in the innings and extract movement off the seam - making him a very potent new ball bowler in the format.

Little had a great T20 World Cup this time around. He took 11 wickets in seven matches at an average of 17 and an economy rate of just 7 runs per over. His best performances came against the top teams - England, Australia and New Zealand. His spell of 2/16 vs England (where he dismissed Hales and Buttler) meant that Ireland was able to pull off an upset against the eventual title winners.

It would be an interesting move if Delhi tried to sign Little at the IPL auction. He could just be the perfect understudy for the likes of Mustafizur Rahman and Khaleel Ahmed. If given the opportunity, he could learn how to ply his trade on the big stage from an experienced campaigner like the Bangladeshi left-arm quick.

---

#3 Rilee Rossouw

Rilee Rossouw has made a belligerent comeback after being out of contention for South Africa in T20Is for 6 years. He was signed for a massive amount of R6,900,000 by the Jindal-owned franchise. He has played five games in the IPL way back in 2014-15 for the Royal Challengers Bangalore, where he failed to make a significant impact.

However, Rossouw has found his mojo back at this point in his career. He could slot in as the fourth overseas player in the Delhi Capitals playing XI in the upcoming edition of the IPL - along with David Warner, Mustafizur Rahman and Anrich Nortje.

Rossouw made it to the national squad after an excellent T20 Blast 2022, wherein he slammed 623 runs in 16 innings for Somerset. In 10 T20I innings for Proteas this year, the 33-year-old has garnered 372 runs, with two centuries.