IPL 2018: Delhi Daredevils cautious with rain threat over Royal Challengers Bangalore game
Delhi Daredevils will face Royal Challengers Bangalore in an Indian Premier League (IPL) 2018 match on Saturday. Both teams ar bottom-placed in the IPl points table
There were heavy showers here in the evening, washing away Royal Challengers Bangalore’s practice session. Delhi Daredevils, meanwhile, who were to train later, waited patiently and got their session under lights. Having got a four-day break, which according to the team management was refreshing, they were looking to get a hang of the field following the rain.
One of the worries for Saturday’s game is the recurrence of showers. It throws all the pre-match planning into a mess. Both teams, languishing at the bottom of the table can’t afford to have a match washed out as it’ll split points. Importantly, they can’t be left to decide their combinations on the vagaries of weather. It puts them in a fix and perhaps throws all the equations out of the window.
READ | Virender Sehwag, Kings XI Punjab have saved IPL 2018 by picking me: Chris Gayle
Speaking to the media, Delhi Daredevils batting coach Pravin Amre said, “Rain is expected tomorrow, so we’ll have to wait and see what is best. We had a rain-curtailed game against Rajasthan Royals too where our innings got reduced to six overs… this break has been refreshing, we had brainstorming sessions, meetings to sort it out.”
It will be a pity if all of that goes waste due to the weather.
One thing the teams will be prepared for is high scores. The Chinnaswamy Stadium has, in the past, seen some big scores.
READ | Sanju Samson not worried about India selection, says focus solely on IPL 2018
The former India batsman feels that bowling on this kind of wicket requires special skills and that will hold the key in tomorrow’s game.
“The ball travels here. After Johannesburg, this is the stadium where the ball travels the farthest. So you need bowlers who have special skills to bowl on these wickets. The other day Shahbaz Nadeem bowled four overs for 18 – that is the kind of bowling we are looking for,” said Amre before adding that a small ground is an advantage. “A set or an in-form batsman can win you game.”
READ | Chris Gayle ton leaves Kings XI Punjab skipper Ravichandran Ashwin ‘speechless’
Amre recalled the 175-run knock that Chris Gayle played a few seasons back. He was in the Pune camp then. “Can’t forget that knock.”
Perhaps, with Gayle out of RCB this year, having moved to Kings XI Punjab, Amre will feel a bit of respite.
Stay updated with the latest Cricket News, IPL Live Score, GT vs DC Live Score and get exclusive insights with the IPL Match Today, IPL Points Table match highlights, and more. Explore a comprehensive Cricket Schedule, track the race for the Purple Cap and IPL Orange Cap in IPL 2024, check Virat Kohli performance and stay ahead with all the cricket-related updates on the Hindustan Times website and app.