In the absence of Rishabh Pant, Delhi all-rounder Lalit Yadav has the responsibility of leading the Purani Delhi 6 franchise in the Delhi Premier League and after back-to-back losses to start the league with, the Old Delhi team notched up their first win of the season with a 7-wicket victory against Hrithik Shokeen’s West Delhi Lions Wednesday night.
Lalit & Co put on a disciplined show with the ball, restricting West Delhi to a 141. In reply, young opener Arpit Rana’s unbeaten 59 guided Purani Delhi 6 to their first win in the inaugural DPL season.
Speaking with select media at the Arun Jaitley Stadium after the fixture, the Purani Delhi skipper told News18 CricketNext that his team waiting for this moment.
“It’s a great feeling. First win is always special. We have been waiting for this. It will give us confidence going forward, so will change the atmosphere in the dressing room. Finally, something on the points table,” Lalit told CricketNext.
‘I Like Taking Responsibilities’
The DPL and the Purani Delhi 6 captaincy have come at the right time for the 27-year-old. With inputs from Team India stars Pant and Ishant Sharma, Lalit is looking to make the most of the opportunity.
“It’s enjoyable but also, challenging at times. It’s a great opportunity for me and I’m just looking at how I can keep delivering my best. The side is a mix of youth and experienced guys. Rishabh has shared his insights with us when was here, so did Ishant bhaiya… It made the new comers feel confident and it was pretty evident in today’s result. So, we need to keep trying those things going forward,” Lalit said.
“Captaincy is a responsibility and I like when I have onus on my shoulders. Where there’s opportunity, I play my best game. So. I’m considering it as an opportunity and I just have to play well,” he added.
Expectations before the IPL 2025 mega auction
Delhi Capitals have shown enough faith in Lalit since 2020, but come the mega auction, the retention dynamics could play out differently. But as of now, the allrounder wants to focus on the ongoing league and believes that he would get what he deserves.
“Honestly, it’s [Auction] there in the back of the mind. DPL is a great platform for me and all the youngsters playing in the tournament. It’s going on air and the franchises are watching you. But I’m telling it to myself that let’s focus on the DPL first. And if God is willing, I’ll have something in my hand as well,” he said.
A long way to go
Wednesday’s victory was just the beginning and going ahead, Purani Delhi 6 would like to carry on the momentum by sticking to the basics.
“If we look at the last two games, there were moments where performance wasn’t good. But overall, we did well. But today, we discussed it before the game how we can play consistently in entire 40 overs. We need to keep reminding ourselves that not to complicate things in the upcoming games and just follow the basics,” Lalit said.
The fixture against West Delhi Lions also saw Lalit opening the bowling. And he made an immediate impact with an was an early breakthrough when West Delhi opener Ankit Kumar mistimed a fuller delivery and was holed out at third man.
The move paid dividends to the Purani Delhi skipper, laying the foundation of their first win in the tournament. Lalit wishes to keep giving his best.
“I’ll try my best and it’s a good plan. I’ve been working in my variations and I’m pretty confident about it,” Lalit concluded.
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