IPL 2021, RR v DC: 3 reasons why the Delhi Capitals lost
The Indian Premier League (IPL) game between the Delhi Capitals (DC) and Rajasthan Royals (RR) was the third in a row to provide a close contest. Unlike the previous two games, however, the chasing side, RR, managed to overhaul DC by smashing away at the death and finishing the game with two balls to spare.
With the unlikely win, RR sit alongside DC at one win apiece. Both teams will play another game in this cycle before a shift of venue. Early into the IPL captaincy careers of Rishabh Pant and Sanju Samson, there has been a satisfying win and a nerve-wracking loss - the way the young wicketkeeper duo manage their teams going forward will make for interesting viewing.
Ahead in the contest for a large part of the RR chase, DC would feel disheartened about having conceded so many runs against RR's lower-middle order batsmen. Here are three reasons why DC lost the IPL game on April 15 against RR.
#3 Batting order struggles for DC
Right after an utterly dominant run-chase against the Chennai Super Kings where Prithvi Shaw and Shikhar Dhawan reigned supreme, the DC top three were removed for a sum total of 19 runs. Deceived by the off-pace delivery, or in the case of Dhawan simply outfoxed by the bowler, DC were reduced to 36/3 by the close of the powerplay at the hands of the returning Jaydev Unadkat.
What might worry DC more is the lack of any form shown by Marcus Stoinis, with both bat or ball. Although Rishabh Pant transferred his all-format purple patch seamlessly into the IPL, in the absence of Shreyas Iyer, the batting order has much to do if they are to be title contenders this year again.
Though the likes of Chris Woakes, Ravichandran Ashwin and Tom Curran can all bat, their form did not quite instill confidence for DC.
#2 Tom Curran's disappointing show
On a day where DC looked nearly in complete control of proceedings, Tom Curran unravelled against the same team he let down last season in his limited opportunities. While there was some respite for him with the bat, as he emerged the second-highest run-scorer behind skipper Pant, it was his primary skillset that let him down.
Bowling 3.4 overs, including the vital last over where he needed to defend 12, Curran was quite predictable with his slower ones and changes in length. As the likes of Rahul Tewatia and Chris Morris got used to his slower ball on a sluggish Wankhede pitch, he was hit down the ground or swiped for sixes as a strong first over disapparated into a poor finish.
Curran is unlikely to stay in the DC frame of things when Anrich Nortje returns.
#1 Poor assessment of the pitch as compared to RR
DC made a record of their own during their first innings - they completed the first ever IPL innings without a single six at the Wankhede Stadium. Despite Rishabh Pant looking in good touch, neither the southpaw nor any of DC's lower-order hitters wielded the long handle to send it over the ropes even as the RR bowlers used the slower balls to a consistent extent.
In comparison, RR's lower-order batsmen - David Miller, Morris and even Unadkat - cleared the boundary on several occasions to turn the game around, by either waiting for the slower ones or smashing the stock balls.
They erred similarly with the ball, as RR managed to put away the majority of stock pace deliveries and later got the hang of smashing the slower ones as well. Though they did bowl very well to reduce RR to 42/5, the unthreatening bowling allowed Rahul Tewatia, Chris Morris and David Miller to settle in and play good innings - something no DC batsman barring Pant was given the opportunity to do.
As the trend of teams doing poorly with the bat continued, DC did themselves no favours by erring when important with the ball.