"You don't have a gun finisher" - Aakash Chopra on Delhi Capitals' weaknesses heading into IPL 2024

Aakash Chopra reckons the lack of an established finisher is one of the Delhi Capitals' (DC) weaknesses heading into IPL 2024.

The Capitals had acquired Harry Brook as a potential finisher at the IPL 2024 auction. However, the England big-hitter has opted out of the upcoming edition of the prestigious league due to his grandmother's death and the Delhi-based franchise hasn't yet named a replacement for him.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra opined that the Delhi Capitals' lower-middle-order batting could prove to be their Achilles heel in IPL 2024.

"I see their lower-middle order as their biggest weakness. It has become a perennial issue. They will try to get the top order to also do the finisher's role, that their top four or five batters do the jobs of No. 6 and No. 7 as well," he elaborated (7:25).

"Lalit Yadav and Axar Patel are the names written at Nos. 6 and 7 at the moment, or else Kumar Kushagra. They are good players but you don't have a gun finisher. They had Rovman Powell and Rilee Rossouw, who could bat up the order. They are not thinking about the No. 6 and No. 7 slots at all," the former India opener added.

Chopra questioned the Capitals for not trying to acquire Shahrukh Khan at the auction. While acknowledging that they have bought Kumar Kushagra, he pointed out that it's just the first season for the Jharkhand youngster in the prestigious league.

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"Overseas becomes a bit of an issue" - Aakash Chopra on the Delhi Capitals' seam-bowling department

Anrich Nortje (left) has been bothered by injuries lately. [P/C: iplt20.com]

While observing that the Delhi Capitals have a decent Indian fast bowling unit, Aakash Chopra noted that the overseas seam department could be an issue.

"Their Indian fast bowling is decent because you see Ishant Sharma, Khaleel Ahmed and Mukesh Kumar there. They have Rasikh Salam as well. Overseas becomes a bit of an issue. They actually spent a lot of money to buy Jhye Richardson," he said (8:20).

The reputed commentator pointed out that Lungisani Ngidi's unavailability and uncertainties surrounding Anrich Nortje's fitness could be a potential concern for Delhi.

"So among the overseas, they have Jhye Richardson and Anrich Nortje, because Lungisani Ngidi has gotten injured. We are not entirely sure of Nortje's fitness. So could overseas fast bowling be an issue because you will want to play Nortje but what if he is not fully fit? So that could be a potential issue," Chopra noted.

The Delhi Capitals bought Jake Fraser-McGurk, a batter, as an injury replacement for Ngidi. They might acquire a seamer as Harry Brook's replacement to bolster their overseas fast-bowling resources.