Delhi Capitals’ impressive start to the 2020 Indian Premier League campaign shows no signs of stopping after yet another convincing victory in Dubai on Monday.
Shreyas Iyer and his men were impeccable in every department as they handed Virat Kohli’s Bangalore a ‘Royal’ thrashing of 59 runs. Four wins in five matches and top spot in the table lends further credence to Delhi’s billing as the dark horses for the title.
However, the signs are increasingly pointing towards a bonafide run for the trophy. It is, after all, a side which finished in a lofty third position in the IPL table last year. A franchise built around a strong core of young Indian players was always going to contend for the big prize sooner rather than later, and a string of wily acquisitions ahead of the 2020 edition has only strengthened their hand.
More than the quality on the pitch, it is the riches that Delhi have in their reserves that bode well for their chances. They came into Monday’s clash on the back of the news that Amit Mishra had been ruled out for the remainder of the campaign with an injury.
The loss of an experienced Indian campaigner like Mishra would have been a big blow for most franchises in the league. Not for Delhi though, with the excellent Axar Patel slotting in seamlessly as a replacement. The left-arm orthodox spinner was the real star of the comprehensive win, finishing with sensational figures of 2-18 from his four overs.
Axar Patel is adjudged the Man of the Match for his brilliant bowling figures of 2/18 against #RCB.#Dream11IPL #RCBvDC pic.twitter.com/bI0llYqeKs
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) October 5, 2020
It was Patel’s third appearance of the campaign, with the spinner yet to concede more than 18 runs in any match so far. Meanwhile, highly-rated Nepal leg-spinner Sandeep Lamichhane is yet to get a game owing to Delhi’s abundance of quality in the overseas department. With Ravichandran Ashwin and now Patel leading the franchise’s spin charge, Lamichhane will find it tough to earn a spot among the four overseas slots in the playing XI.
He is not the only serious talent struggling for game time, with Ajinkya Rahane having to contend with a spot on the bench as well. Traded in from Rajasthan Royals, the India stalwart has so far been deemed surplus to requirements in the batting order and it is tough to argue against his continued exclusion.
It is rare to see an India international miss the cut for any IPL side, but there really is no space for Rahane in a batting unit which also contains Prithvi Shaw, Shikhar Dhawan, Shreyas Iyer and Rishabh Pant. Rahane’s former employer Rajasthan could do with a batsman of his calibre, such is the irony of his situation at present.
The likes of Alex Carey, Daniel Sam and Keemo Paul have also been forced to warm their heels in the dugout this campaign, with Delhi’s starting XI performing like a well-oiled machine.
A formidable playing XI backed by an equally strong bench, is a strong sign of a champion-in-waiting. Injuries and burnouts are always a worry when matches come in quick succession like in the IPL, but Delhi seem to have the reserve firepower to weather any storm.
The bench strength is just one of the many good things that Delhi have going right for them and it will take a collapse of epic proportions if they are to miss out on a maiden final appearance this year. The batting is firing on all cylinders with a reliable Indian spine, while Marcus Stoinis and Shimron Hetmyer have provided the explosive element to balance things.
Their spin supremacy is undeniable while their pace unit is deserving of its own accolades. The pace partnership of compatriots Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje has emerged as the best among all eight sides, with the pair combining for 19 wickets already in five matches.
Any side coached by Ricky Ponting is always going to be a serious threat and the evidence so far has been overwhelming. The cricketing acumen of the most successful skipper in the history of the sport is undeniable, and has been visible in great detail in the post-match dressing room videos posted by the franchise’s social media channels.
Quite frankly, Delhi have been making all the right moves both on and off the field. There has been a noticeable change in their approach ever since they were brought under new management in 2018. It is important to note that this is the same ownership which built Bengaluru FC from the ground in India’s domestic football circuit. Since its inception in 2013, Bengaluru FC has established itself as the benchmark for any professional football club in the country with its success domestically and in Asia.
Delhi Capitals are starting to show a similar trajectory in the past two years and the momentum has built up nicely for the ongoing edition.
The road to a potential title is always going to be filled with many twists and turns, and Delhi could yet lose steam in the latter stages for all we know. For now though, Ponting’s side will be quietly optimistic of silverware after a domineering first-third of the campaign. They started the tournament as dark horses. Now they just might be the real deal.
