Image Credit- PTI
Delhi announced shortly after their crushing, shocking
loss to Puducherry in their first Ranji Trophy 2023–24 home game at the Feroz
Shah Kotla that Yash Dhull would no longer be captain.
Himmat Singh will now be in charge of the team
travelling to Jammu and Kashmir on January 12.
“Yash is a talented player but is out of form. We
wanted him to do well as a batter, that is why we have relieved him of
captaincy duties. Himmat is our senior player and has done very well for us. He
will captain the side,” Delhi and District Cricket Association joint
secretary Rajan Manchanda told PTI after Puducherry bowled Delhi out for 148
and 145 on their way to a nine-wicket win. Dhull scored 2 and 23 in the match.
Dhull, who led India to victory in the 2022 Under-19
World Cup, was named captain of the state team in December 2022 and scored a
century in his first game in that role. Dhull has played in 17 matches and
amassed 1185 runs at an average of 43.88 since making his first-class debut in
February 2022. However, in the most recent Ranji Trophy season, he only
averaged 27.
Last season, when Dhull was away, Himmat, who is 27
years old, guided Delhi to victory over Mumbai. Himmat averaged 45.25 last
season and has scored 1174 runs at a 39.13 average in 22 first-class games.
Senior Delhi quicks Navdeep Saini and Ishant Sharma,
who were included in the India A squad to play the England Lions, would not be
travelling to Jammu with the team for their upcoming match. Ishant, a seasoned
pacer, would only be available for Delhi’s home games, it has been learned.
The Ranji Trophy was last won by Delhi, who had won it
seven times, in 2007–08.