CSK eyes hat-trick of wins: In-form defending champion takes on a struggling Delhi
If CSK once again looks like a team to beat with all its bases nicely covered, it has been quite the opposite for the Ricky Ponting coached Capitals, which has been outplayed in both departments of the game.
VISAKHAPATNAM: Delhi Capitals will be aiming to rejig its out-of-depth batting order by bringing the flamboyant Prithvi Shaw in the mix against the defending champion Chennai Super Kings in what could be safely termed as a ‘battle of unequals’ in Sunday’s Indian Premier League encounter.
In T20 format, reputations do go for a toss but DC in its last four meetings hasn’t been able to get past CSK and the margins of defeat -- 91, 27 and 77 runs respectively paints a sorry picture. One also needs to take into account that in those three heavy losses, the core of the Delhi team has been more or less same save its last meeting when Rishabh Pant wasn’t available.
Hence a win against CSK would be considered as a big upset in the tournament.
If CSK once again looks like a team to beat with all its bases nicely covered, it has been quite the opposite for the Ricky Ponting coached Capitals, which has been outplayed in both departments of the game.
CSK got an uncapped Sameer Rizvi for 8.40 crore and the two sixes in his first IPL innings against Punjab Kings showed why the franchise was desperate to get him on board. Among all franchises, DC probably has had the weakest talent scout programme and it is paying a huge price for poor recruitments.
The gulf between domestic cricket and IPL once again became evident with Ricky Bhui, the highest scorer in Ranji Trophy with 902 runs in the just concluded season.
That Bhui is out-of-depth at this level was cruelly exposed by young South African paceman Nandre Burger of Rajasthan Royals. The manner in which he set up with a fast full delivery to peg Bhui on the backfoot and then a well-directed bouncer that was aimed for his skull left the burly Andhra captain both scared and scarred.
Shaw, who made a comeback to competitive cricket during second half of Ranji Trophy, might not exactly conform to the fitness standards set by Ponting and his support staff but even the biggest ‘punter’ in the DC change room knows where to put his money if the choice is between Shaw and Bhui.
There is too much on the plate of David Warner, who is well past his prime and skipper Rishabh Pant, who will take some time to find his groove. Mitchell Marsh’s time with DC for the past two seasons can’t exactly be termed consistent and the presence of Shaw will indeed add some muscle to DC’s batting against an attack comprising Mustafizur Rahman, Deepak Chahar, Matheesha Pathirana and Ravindra Jadeja.
Add to it, Daryl Mitchell’s seam-up stuff and Rachin Ravindra, whose bowling potential hasn’t yet been unlocked by CSK’s ‘spiritual captain’ Mahendra Singh Dhoni.
