IPL 2018: 5 Reasons behind Delhi Daredevils' failure
A lot was expected from the Delhi franchise that was one of the most active spenders in the auctions. Despite making some smart buys and forming an entirely new core with Ricky Ponting as the guide, the team could not create an impact and yet again fell below expectations with a bottom-placed finish at this year's edition of the Indian Premier League.
The Daredevils, who are yet to qualify for the playoffs since 2012, were in a position to grab a place in the top four before the tournament began considering the resources they had in their squad.
All Delhi Daredevils can do now is look at the positives with the team grabbing a couple of high profile victories before bowing out. As far as the negatives are concerned, the team will have to sort it out to avoid a similar situation next year.
Here's a look at the troubles that loomed the franchise that caused them to finish in the last place.
#5 Ineffective veterans
The purchase of Gautam Gambhir from the Kolkata Knight Riders was deemed as a solution for the franchise's leadership woes that have been troubling them for quite some time.
But despite starting strong, Gambhir's performances with the bat turned woeful which in turn added pressure to the middle order. This resulted in Gambhir resigning himself as the captain and was eventually dropped, the sudden transition did not end up being smooth and had several long-term consequences.
Apart from Gambhir, Mohammed Shami too failed to turn up with the ball and was a sporadic presence in the line-up before being dropped for good as the tournament progressed. The right arm pacer came into the tournament amidst a cloud of controversy and the side instilled faith in him by using the right to match card, but unfortunately, his performances never spoke the magnitude.