IPL 2023: DC needs to do this to get back on track, according to Tom Moody

Moody suggests its time DC benched Prithvi Shaw and promoted Mitch Marsh to open the batting

Delhi Capitals is at the bottom of the IPL 2023 standings with five consecutive losses and may soon be the first team eliminated from the playoff race.

In an extended episode of ESPNcricinfo’s T20 Time:Out, former Australian batter Tom Moody, who has over a decade of experience, examined the Capitals’ troubles and proposed a possible fix, which has prevented them from surpassing 175 runs so far this season.

Moody commented on their batting and the inconsistency that they've shown in that five-game period. “Everything is being compounded at the beginning; they're not crossing the first hurdle,” he said. This is corroborated by the recent 32 for 4 in the powerplay during their defeat to Royal Challengers Bangalore last Saturday.

He further discussed how David Warner has been leading the team as an opening batter and team captain, thus reflecting Prithvi Shaw’s struggle, who has managed to score only 34 runs overall. Along with him, U-19 World Cup-winning skipper, Yash Dhull has scored 3 runs in two matches thus far.

For better performance, Moody suggested promoting former Australian U-19 World Cup-winning skipper Mitchell Marsh to open the innings with Warner and drop Shaw.

Despite scoring only 4 runs in three matches coming at No.3, Moody believes that Marsh should open as “He’s done that (opening) before recently, and he’s done it successfully.” He further exclaimed that “You’ve got a left-right combination, which is difficult to bowl to.”

Furthermore, examined the overseas combination whilst explaining his desirous combination of keeping a left-right combination in the top four, with Rilee Rossouw, Manish Pandey and Axar Patel at No. 3, 4, and 5 respectively.

Under the expert leadership of Director Sourav Ganguly and Head Coach Ricky Ponting, Delhi Capitals will likely have to win eight of their nine remaining games to have a chance of qualifying for the playoffs, starting with their sixth match in the Arun Jaitely Stadium against two-time champions Kolkata Knight Riders on Thursday night.