3 things we learnt from Royals vs Daredevils game

If their last encounter was a last ball thriller, this one seemed more of a one-sided encounter. Sehwag and Negi just took the game away in short spans of 5 overs. Initially Negi who came into the attack in the 9th over just ran through RR’s batting with ease; claiming 4 wickets for just 18 runs. Rajasthan however, crawled to 141 thanks to the brilliance of Rahul Dravid. Sehwag later was at his punishing best smashing the leather to all parts and ensuring an easy win for Delhi.

However, here are 3 things to ponder upon.

1. Rajasthan Royals have the most-consistent opening pair in IPL-5.

If there is one thing common in most RR matches this season, it’s the opening partnership of Rahane and Dravid. The duo have produced some scintillating partnerships and against DD they were no different. Pure cricketing shots with great timing is the trademark of their partnership. Both play similar games, however Rahane scores at a quicker pace. They dealt in boundaries the other night bringing up yet another 50 partnership for the opening wicket. However, RR failed to capitalize on the start and ended up with a below par score.

2. When Sehwag and consistency come together, IPL title is very near.

One thing that has eluded Sehwag over the years is consistency. However, he seems to have finally conquered it, at least in this IPL. Scoring 5 consecutive fifties is no easy feat, and Sehwag has managed to be the first person to achieve this. Also what’s mind-boggling is the rate at which he scores them. Striking at a rate of 165+, Sehwag seems to be in fine touch and if he continues to be consistent, then rest assured the orange cap will be his and title DD’s.

 

3. Delhi are strong not only on paper.

Teams that have looked strong on paper have performed below par this season, but the Daredevils seem to be an exception. With names like KP, Jayawardene, Sehwag, Warner, Morkel and Taylor in the line-up, Delhi have lived up to the expectations thus far. Even with KP leaving, they already have a replacement in David Warner. Not only the foreign players, even Umesh Yadav, Pawan Negi and Naman Ojha have done decently well. Having lost just 2 games this season, DD are definitely the team to beat.