Dubai [UAE], September 19 (ANI): Delhi Capitals (DC) skipper Shreyas Iyer said that the addition of spinner Ravichandran Ashwin and batsman Ajinkya Rahane has brought a lot of experience and strength in the squad.
DC will take on Kings XI Punjab in their opening game of the tournament on September 20.
"They (Ashwin and Rahane) definitely bring a lot of strength and experience, and if you see the practice sessions we have had over the last few days, they have been amazing. They help everyone in the team and especially the younger guys," said Shreyas in a virtual press conference.
This year's IPL is being played in the UAE due to the coronavirus crisis. The tournament will be held in a biosecure environment.
"Circumstances are definitely challenging and unusual for us because we are used to staying in the sun for 6 hours. But we will be giving our best efforts to follow each and every rule, and at the same time we will be trying to come together as a team to make sure we are able to keep ourselves entertained and to ensure that we do not feel like we are far away from our families," Shreyas said.
UAE pitches are generally on the slower side and Shreyas reckoned that the slowness factor will come handy in the latter stages of the tournament.
Under head coach Ponting, the side did enter the playoffs last season, but a loss to Chennai Super Kings saw them return home without the trophy.
But there were sparks on display and if they are anything to go by, DC will be one team to look out for this season in UAE. (ANI)