Series: Indian Premier League, 2016 Venue: Feroz Shah Kotla, Delhi Date & Time: May 05, 08:00 PM LOCAL
Daredevils up against Dhoni’s brigade
The hosts’ 5-2 win-loss record is the best this season, desperate Pune’s 2-6 the worst
At present, Delhi Daredevils’s win-loss record of 5-2
is the best so far in this year’s Indian Premier League. Rising Pune
Supergiants’ 2-6 is the worst.
Going by form and fitness of the players involved in these teams, Delhi should be considered firm favourite to win on Thursday.
But
can Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s unsettled combination get its act together
against a performing side? Well, it appears improbable but not
impossible.
The only team to lose six times this
season, Pune started its campaign as one of the balanced teams. But
injuries to Kevin Pietersen, Faf du Plessis, Mitchell Marsh and Steve
Smith have truly left Dhoni too much to deal with on the fitness front.
So
far, former skipper of the Australian T20 squad George Bailey and
compatriot Usman Khwaja have reinforced the squad. But that should only
solve part of the problem faced by Dhoni.
After the
four leading overseas recruits found themselves on the casualty list and
returned home, the team lacks strength in its batting. Notwithstanding
the presence of Ajinkya Rahane and Dhoni, the team no longer has
performers to intimidate the opposition.
On the
brighter side, the bowling looks a shade better. Though each of the six
defeats for RPS followed after it batted first, the bowlers were not as
much responsible for the defeat. It was more a case of the batsmen not
going beyond par scores. Even after promising starts, the team has not
been able to set up imposing targets.
Delhi, on the other hand, has gradually risen to the second spot on the points table.
What
should boost the confidence of the team is the fact that it has avenged
the defeats to defending champion Mumbai Indians and table-topper
Gujarat Lions in great style. In addition, much against the trend this
season, Delhi successfully defended totals against Mumbai and Kolkata.
As compared to other teams, a starless Delhi has so far performed far beyond expectations.
It needs three more victories, from seven matches, to seal a place in the playoffs.
On
Thursday, Pune can be expected to come hard at Delhi. The visiting team
cannot afford to be too defensive since two more defeats will end its
aspirations of reaching the playoffs.
Dhoni’s calm
demeanour could well be in sharp contrast to the youthful exuberance of
the Delhi brigade, under the experienced Zaheer Khan.
At the halfway stage of the campaign, Zaheer finds himself in a much happier state than he was at the start.
Now it will be interesting to see how the team deals with the tag of ‘favourite’ against Dhoni’s men.
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