IPL 2021: Delhi Capitals players hit the ground running

Dubai - Amre, the former Indian middle-order batsman, says players are trying to get used to the conditions and the weather in UAE

The Delhi Capitals have started their pre-season camp at the ICC Academy in Dubai ahead of the second half of the 2021 IPL in UAE.

The Capitals players are training under the guidance of assistant coaches Pravin Amre and Ajay Ratra.

Amre, the former Indian middle-order batsman, says players are trying to get used to the conditions and the weather in UAE.

"It's going to be humid when the season resumes and it is important for the players to get used to the wickets and conditions here in the UAE. Credit to the DC management for sending us here early, so that we have enough time to prepare well with the conditions on offer," said Amre.

After missing out on the first half of the season with a shoulder injury, Shreyas Iyer arrived in Dubai a week earlier than the rest of the team to work on his game with Amre.

The assistant coach said Iyer has regained his full fitness and is hitting the ball very well in the nets.

"It's always hard for any cricketer to come back after an injury,” Amre said.

Amre also spoke about Iyer’s rehabilitation and thanked their conditioning and physio team for the role that they played in his recovery.

“Our entire team, especially Delhi Capitals' strength and conditioning coach Rajinikanth Sivagnanam, assistant physio Dhananjay Kaushik and physio Patrick Farhart worked hard when Shreyas was undergoing rehabilitation. Even the National Cricket Academy played an important role during Shreyas' recovery period. Getting his shoulder strength back was important for him and he has been hitting the ball as long as anybody in the nets," he said.

The Delhi Capitals are at the top of the table with 12 points from eight games, but Amre insists that the team will not be complacent and will be looking to start from scratch in the second half of the season.

"We have to look at the remainder of the season as a fresh one. There has been a long break after the first half and we will be playing in different conditions and wickets,” Amre said.

“We are looking to start from scratch and not show any complacency after a brilliant performance in the first half of the tournament. We will look to play with the same intensity that we showed in our first match against Chennai Super Kings."

The Delhi Capitals will take on the Sunrisers Hyderabad on September 22 when the IPL resumes in UAE.