IPL 2020: Delhi Capitals suffer another blow as English all-rounder Chris Woakes backs out

The Delhi Capitals have looked like one of the strongest IPL 2020 lineups on paper but the team may need to go back to the drawing board. With only three weeks remaining for the IPL 13 to begin, it is now being reported that English all-rounder Chris Woakes has pulled out of the IPL 2020. Woakes was picked up by the Capitals at the Auctions for ₹1.5 crore.

ALSO READ | IPL 2020: ECB rules out injured Rajasthan Royals star Jofra Archer ahead of English summer

Chris Woakes IPL 2020: Delhi Capitals face another pace bowling setback

The Delhi Capitals have already been battling injury demons as their frontline pacers, Kagiso Rabada and Ishant Sharma, are projected to be missing the beginning of the IPL 2020. The Ricky Ponting-coached team will now need to look for another foreign all-rounder as Chris Woakes has pulled out of the upcoming IPL. The English all-rounder has been heavily successful in the last two years and his stints with the Royal Challengers Bangalore and the Kolkata Knight Riders were decent enough for him to bag another IPL contract.

Sky Sports has now cited PA and reported that Woakes is sitting out of the IPL 2020 in order to give himself some rest and be prepared for the West Indies series of England in June. The reports also suggest that the Delhi Capitals have been made aware of Woakes' decision and the team is on the lookout for a replacement. 

ALSO READ | No postponement; disbanding IPL 2020 season being considered amid Coronavirus: Sources

Delhi Capitals team 2020

The Delhi Capitals team 2020 will continue to be led by Mumbai batsman Shreyas Iyer and new players like Shimron Hetmyer, Marcus Stoinis, Alex Carey, Jason Roy and Mohit Sharma will now be joining the team that is yet to win its maiden IPL trophy. The Capitals will also play home to two major players in the form of Ajinkya Rahane and Ravichandran Ashwin. Ashwin, the captain of the Kings XI Punjab, was traded to the Capitals ahead of the Auctions and only a few days later, Rajasthan Royals skipper Ajinkya Rahane was also traded to the Capitals.

The Delhi Capitals' first match in the IPL 2020 schedule is against the Kings XI Punjab at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on March 30.

ALSO READ | IPL 2020 matches likely to take place in closed doors due to coronavirus threat: Report

ALSO READ | IPL 2020: Rohit Sharma trolls Mumbai Indians' IPL title wins in 'odd' years, watch video