DC, LSG aim for strong IPL start under new leadership

MATCH STARTS AT 7:30PM IST

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VISAKHAPATNAM: With their respective leaders switching camps and squads undergoing major overhauls, both Delhi Capitals and Lucknow Super Giants, under new captains, will be eager to make a strong start to their IPL campaign when they face off here on Monday.

For a second year running, the Dr YS Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Stadium here will host two home matches for Delhi Capitals.

Pant, who had been a Delhi Capitals' player throughout his IPL career and also their captain, left the franchise ahead of the mega auction last year and was snapped up by LSG for a record price of Rs 27 crore.

While his pay cheque will keep the Indian wicketkeeper-batter in limelight through the course of this season, it will also present Pant an opportunity to make a strong case for himself in the white-ball formats as he didn't get a game during the recent Champions Trophy.

On the other hand, KL Rahul, who led LSG for two years since their IPL debut, has switched to Delhi Capitals, where he would be a vital cog in their plans, not as a leader but as a key batting mainstay, with Indian all-rounder Axar Patel being appointed captain.