IPL 2022 Auction: 3 traits of the DC squad that put them ahead of the other teams

Fresh off their second straight top-two finish in the Indian Premier League (IPL), the Delhi Capitals (DC) will look to go one step further in 2022 and claim the title that has eluded them over the years.

Ahead of the IPL 2022 mega auction, DC retained four players - Rishabh Pant, Prithvi Shaw, Anrich Nortje and Axar Patel. They brought back names like Lalit Yadav and Ripal Patel while making several astute signings that bolster the roster sufficiently.

DC's squad for IPL 2022: Rishabh Pant, Prithvi Shaw, Anrich Nortje, Axar Patel, David Warner, Mitchell Marsh, Shardul Thakur, Mustafizur Rahman, Kuldeep Yadav, Ashwin Hebbar, Sarfaraz Khan, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, KS Bharat, Mandeep Singh, Khaleel Ahmed, Chetan Sakariya, Lalit Yadav, Ripal Patel, Yash Dhull, Rovman Powell, Pravin Dubey, Lungi Ngidi, Tim Seifert, Vicky Ostwal

Here are three things about DC that make them real contenders for the upcoming IPL season.

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#3 DC have an army of bowlers to choose from

Shardul Thakur in action during an India Nets Session

DC might be a touch short in the batting department, with not many specialist backups available. That's mostly because they splurged on bowlers in the IPL 2022 auction, as a result of which they have an army to choose from.

Apart from Nortje and Axar, DC signed overseas pacers Lungi Ngidi and Mustafizur Rahman. In the domestic department, they have Shardul Thakur, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Khaleel Ahmed, Chetan Sakariya, Ripal Patel, Vicky Ostwal, Pravin Dubey and Kuldeep Yadav.

Whether they need as many options is debatable, but DC have all bases covered in the bowling department. It remains to be seen if their bowlers' potential translates into performances, but the team has a plethora of options to choose form and could easily make up for a couple of players having difficult seasons.

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#2 DC's key Indian and overseas players are in terrific form

West Indies v England - T20 International Series Third T20I

Mitchell Marsh is on the back of a spectacular season in which he won the T20 World Cup with Australia and the Big Bash League for the Perth Scorchers, playing key roles in both triumphs. Rovman Powell has turned heads in the T20I format for West Indies, having played magnificent innings against quality teams like India and England.

Anrich Nortje hasn't played in a while due to injury, but the express quick is in the best bowling form of his career. David Warner was adjudged the Player of the Tournament in the T20 World Cup and clearly has a lot left in the tank. Others like Rishabh Pant, Axar Patel and Shardul Thakur have been invaluable for India across formats and are playing the best cricket of their careers.

DC's key Indian and overseas players are in terrific form and have their best years ahead of them. If they click together in IPL 2022, the other teams could be in for a rude shock.

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#1 DC have a fearsome top five

New Zealand v India - ODI: Game 3

With Shaw, Warner, Marsh, Pant and Powell, DC have a fearsome top five that is capable of countering all types of bowling. The IPL 2020 finalists had a task on their hands to replace names like Marcus Stoinis, Shikhar Dhawan and Shreyas Iyer, but they managed to put together a formidable lineup on paper.

Although DC may not have a stacked bench in the batting department, their top five can chase down any total on their day. With T20 cricket constantly evolving to be dependent on big scores, the think tank has assembled to create a batting order with immense potential and striking ability.

This might be DC's biggest asset in IPL 2022, assuming their batters keep their form going and gel well as a unit.