Rishabh Pant of Delhi Capitals has Grade 1 tear; DC may explore option of playing Lalit Yadav

The Delhi Capitals are likely to miss their hard-hitting keeper-batsman Rishabh Pant for a minimum of seven to 10 days as he has suffered a grade 1 hamstring strain.

This development might prompt the team management to include Shimron Hetmyer in the playing XI but he's not a wicketkeeper. With no back-up for the keeper, the Capitals were forced field Alex Carey and drop Hetmyer. The firepower of two massive hitters was missing towards the end of their innings even as Shikhar Dhawan consumed 52 balls for his 69 not out.

"DC had sent the scan reports to BCCI's medical team as it is mandated by the BCCI for any centrally contracted Indian player. It shows that Pant has a Grade 1 tear," an IPL source privy to the development told PTI on conditions of anonymity.

Pant's absence has massively hampered DC's team balance as they can't afford to lose two power-hitters at the back-end.

The only option in the Capitals's current line-up is big-hitting all-rounder Lalit Yadav, with a strike-rate of 136 plus in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy over 30 games.

While Carey still remains favourite to don the big gloves, he has only hit six sixes in 30 T20 Internationals for Australia, which is roughly one six in every five games.

While Yadav doesn't have keeping experience at the first-class level, he could well be used for a couple of games as this would give Delhi the option to play Hetmyer as Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje and Marcus Stoinis are automatic picks in the playing XI.