IPL 2019: Will a change in name change the fortunes of the Delhi side?
The way your vision gets hazy in Delhi due to the atmospheric pollution, the same way the performances of the team in the IPL have been hazy due to lack of clear thinking. Does the change in name from Delhi Daredevils to Delhi Capitals signify a continuation of that muddled thinking, or is it instead a sign of a more decisive approach?
Last year, Delhi finished at the bottom of the points table. The reason behind that was largely thought to be the poor form of their former captain Gautam Gambhir, who handed over the baton to Shreyas Iyer mid-way through the tournament.
However, that kind of situation is unlikely to be repeated this year as Iyer had a good domestic season. He was the second highest run-getter in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy with 484 runs at an average of 61 in 10 matches.
As Gambhir has now announced his retirement, Delhi needed an experienced Indian opener in their squad. Therefore, they traded Shikhar Dhawan from Sunrisers Hyderabad in exchange of Vijay Shankar, Shahbaz Nadeem and Abhishek Sharma.
The other benefit of having Dhawan is that he is a Delhi boy. The other batsmen Delhi have from last season are Rishabh Pant, Shreyas Iyer, Prithvi Shaw and Manjot Kalra.
Moreover, they bought two new batsmen in this year’s auction - South Africa's Colin Ingram and Indian Test player Hanuma Vihari. Delhi would want Colin Ingram to continue his PSL form in the IPL.
As back-up, they have New Zealand opener Colin Munro, who can bowl as well.
In middle and lower middle order, they already had Chris Morris, Harshal Patel and Rahul Tewatia. This season they have added Axar Patel, Keemo Paul and Sherfane Rutherford.A lot will depend on Chris Morris as he would be used as a finisher and be required to bowl the death overs as well.
In bowling, they have got a host of varied options. They have leg-spinners Amit Mishra and Sandeep Lamichhane, and Trent Boult, Kagiso Rabada, Avesh Khan, Nathu Singh and Ishant Sharma as fast bowlers. These multi-faceted options will help them in balancing the combination of the team.
Their probable playing XI could read like this: Shikhar Dhawan, Prithvi Shaw, Rishabh Pant, Shreyas Iyer, Colin Ingram, Chris Morris, Axar Patel, Harshal Patel, Sandeep Lamichhane, Nathu Singh and Trent Boult.
Delhi may have changed their name ahead of the IPL 2019 season, but what they would really want is a change in their fortunes. And with the strong team that they have put together, that might well turn into reality.