By IANS,
New Delhi: Rajat Bhatia will lead Delhi in their last league match against Bengal, beginning December 15, in the Ranji Trophy Super League.
Bhatia will be third Delhi captain this season after Aakash Chopra led the side in the first three games and Virat Kohli in the next two.
Delhi were in search of a captain as Kohli, who led the side to two straight wins this season, will be on national duty playing in the One-day series against Sri Lanka. Kohli stepped in when designated skipper Chopra took a break to get married.
“Rajat is the senior member of the team and has been playing for quite a few years now and we thought he is the right man for the job under the circumstances,” chairman of selectors Chetan Chauhan told IANS Saturday.
Kohli will be replaced by out of form India pacer Ishant Sharma.
“The rest of the team remains the same,” Chauhan said.
Chopra should have returned to the side for the game against Maharashtra this week after skipping the Saurashtra match, but the selectors had decided to continue with Kohli as captain. The former India opener pulled out of the game saying he was down with fever.
Chopra told IANS that his doctor has advised him to rest for five more days and he will not be travelling with the team for the Bengal tie.
Chopra, however, said he is ready to play under any captain.
Delhi won the match against Maharashtra as well and suddenly, the team, languishing at second from the bottom of the table, bounced back to be a strong contender for the quarter-final place from the group.
Delhi now only need to draw their away league game against Bengal with a first innings lead to make the knockout round and Bhatia has his task cut out.
Bhatia, who will be leading Delhi for the first time, said they will like to wrap up the league phase with a win.
“It is the last match of the league and we will like to do well. The selectors spoke to me about the captaincy and I said Ok as someone had to lead the side,” Bhatia told IANS.
“There is no strategy at the moment, we will decide about the game plan once we reach Bengal. We will approach the match session by session.”
The in-form all-rounder, who strained his hamstring during his gritty knock of 99 against Maharashtra, said he is fit to play.
“I can’t say whether I will be able to bowl, but I am very much fit to bat,” Bhatia maintained.