5 biggest positives for DC from league stage of IPL 2024
While there is still a mathematical calculation which suggests that the Delhi Capitals (DC) can still make it through to the playoffs, that could only be possible if the Sunrisers Hyderabad lose their last two matches by more than 100 runs. Hence the season for DC is all but over but they definitely had their moments during different phases of the tournament.
Having started the tournament with a solitary win and four losses in the first five matches, things didn't look good for the Capitals and they needed to string together a couple of solid performances. They came back to winning ways with victories against the Lucknow Super Giants and the Gujarat Titans but suffered a defeat in their next game against the Sunrisers Hyderabad.
Three wins on a trot from that situation helped the Capitals storm back in the playoff race and had destiny at their own hands when they came out to play their last two matches. With as many as five teams vying for the last two spots, the Capitals needed to win the last two matches for a direct entry into the playoffs.
Rishabh Pant received a suspension in the penultimate group game for DC's third slow over rate offence and that proved to be decisive in the eventual outcome of the game against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). They won their final group game against LSG but that will unlikely be enough for a playoff berth.
The DC players will stay in Delhi for a couple more days and await the results of the last few matches. However realistically they won't have much hope as the equation seems a far-fetched one. Having said that, let us have a look at the five biggest positives for DC from the group stage.
#5 Never say die attitude
It's never easy to make a comeback in a tournament like IPL after losing four out of the first five games. The Delhi Capitals alongside RCB looked dead and buried for the first three weeks of the competition but had the never-say-die attitude to keep bouncing back at different stages of the tournament.
The bowling line-up kept leaking runs left right and centre and despite some impressive showing from the batters it was not to be for DC in the first five matches of the tournament. The change of mindset also brought a change in fortune for DC as they went on to make a strong case for themselves as the tournament progressed.
#4 DC managed to fight back despite several injury concerns
The Capitals were pegged by injuries right from the beginning of the tournament. One of their biggest overseas stars, Mitchell Marsh had to leave the tournament midway after sustaining a right hamstring niggle. He could only play four matches for the franchise in this season which turned out to be a massive blow for the Capitals.
Another big match player David Warner suffered an injury to his left hand, which forced him to miss the majority of the tournament. However, DC managed to find an ideal replacement in Jake Fraser-McGurk who took the tournament by storm with his blistering hitting.
Injuries to Prithvi Shaw and Kuldeep Yadav also disturbed their combinations in a few matches. With Kuldeep being one of the leading all-format spinners currently, his absence from a few matches was a massive blow for DC. However, they still managed to find ways of winning games and remained in contention for the playoffs.
#3 The mega auction retentions look straightforward with the emergence of new names
Despite all the injury struggles, the Capitals won seven out of their fourteen group games which indicates DC's bench strengths. The emergence of players like Jake Fraser-McGurk and Abishek Porel at the top of the order worked wonders for DC and the retention for the mega auction looks pretty straightforward.
Given how these two have played with intent and the bright future they have, DC will be tempted to retain both of them ahead of the mega auction. Fraser-McGurk took the tournament by storm and it was his ability to take on the powerplay which made the difference for DC.
Meanwhile, Abishek Porel was given a new role at the top order and he didn't disappoint. Another notable contributor for DC in the 17th season has been Tristan Stubbs, who slammed 378 runs to finish as DC's second-highest run-scorer. He was impressive as a finisher and the rate at which he scored benefited the Capitals immensely.
#2 The dominance of spin duo Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel
Both Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel are part of the 15-member Indian squad for the 2024 T20 World Cup, which is slated to be played at USA and the West Indies in June. While the form of the several India-bound cricketers for the World Cup has been a matter of concern, the performances of Kuldeep and Axar has been pretty clinical.
Kuldeep has always been a wicket-taking option and it was no different in the ongoing season. He has bagged 16 wickets in 11 matches, while Axar chipped in with 11 wickets and 235 runs in 14 games.
#1 The mega return of Rishabh Pant
Fairytales don't only exist in stories, it can be applicable in real life as well. For DC captain Rishabh Pant, it was a rebirth and he didn't let this opportunity go. From suffering a near-fatal accident in December 2022 to becoming DC's highest run scorer in the campaign, it was nothing short of an emphatic comeback from Pant.
He looked a bit stiff in the first couple of games which was understandable enough given Pant's physical and mental conditions coming into the tournament. The rehabilitation process took time but when he returned, he returned with a bang. Pant kept gaining from strength to strength as the tournament progressed.
He scored 446 runs in the group stages in 13 games and some of his shots were an indication that he was getting back to his best. The one-handed slogs followed by the falling pulls and hooks to reverse sweeping spinners. We saw a glimpse of Pant's wide range of strokes, which was also enough to seal his place in the upcoming T20 World Cup.