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Misfiring batters keep Delhi Capitals stuck to the bottom
The only team without a win this IPL have not given themselves a chance due to their top-order troubles.
Post-mortems in Indian Premier League (IPL) are usually reserved for the end of the season. After five straight defeats in the 16th edition though, Delhi Capitals are in dire need of introspection. They are languishing at the bottom of the table without a point, their hopes of making the playoffs seemingly extinguished even before the halfway stage of the tournament.
While the bowlers have been guilty of leaking runs on occasion, it’s batting that is letting the David Warner-led side down time and again. Their highest total so far is 172, against Mumbai Indians, when they didn’t even bat the 20 overs. Scores of 143, 162, 142 and 151 in the other four losses are a clear indication of where the problem lies.
In Bengaluru on Saturday, for instance, the Delhi bowlers fought their way back into the contest by restricting Royal Challengers Bangalore to 174/6. The hosts looked good for many more at the 10-over mark at a venue where high scores are routine. But by losing four wickets in the powerplay, Delhi were again behind almost immediately into the chase. They have lost wickets in the powerplay in every game this season, as scores of 47/2 against Lucknow, 52/2 against Gujarat Titans, 38/3 versus Rajasthan Royals, 51/1 against MI and 32/4 against RCB show.
“We bowled very nicely today to restrict RCB to 170-odd. On that pitch, that was a very good effort,” DC assistant coach Shane Watson said. “But unfortunately, we weren’t able to put a good batting innings together. Our biggest issue at this point of time is losing wickets in the first six overs and then consistently losing wickets. We aren’t able to put a partnership together and get some momentum. At a ground like Chinnaswamy, if you can set a platform you can score a lot of runs in the last 10 overs. But we aren't giving ourselves a chance right now. You never mean to get out, but we are not executing well enough to be able to get past the best bowlers with the new ball.”
With opening partnerships of 41, 29, 0, 33 and 1 so far, the slide starts at the very top. Prithvi Shaw's outrageous stroke-making ability is often played up as a reason for showing patience, but he's provided scant evidence of that with 34 runs, including two ducks, in five games. On Saturday, he was too slow to get moving for a single and paid the price by being run out. That he came on as an Impact Player for the Delhi innings with no involvement on the field may have led to the poor running, but the way the team have used him also points to his limited contribution otherwise.
“The talk with Prithvi is just for him to have the freedom to go out and trust his skill. He is as skilled as any batter in India. Everyone has seen that right from his Test debut. The biggest thing for him is to allow himself to access those skills without the fear of making a mistake or getting out. That's the big reinforcement we are having as a coaching group with Prithvi,” said the former Australia all-rounder.
There are other concerns too. Though Warner is among the highest run-getters in this year’s IPL with 228 runs, he hasn’t played like the match-winner he was at his peak. That is apparent in a strike rate of 116.92, well below the others in the list of top run-getters. He hasn’t been helped, however, by the regular loss of wickets at the other end. All-rounder Axar Patel, mostly coming in at No 7, is the only other Delhi player who has crossed 100 runs this season.
By IPL standards, Delhi’s four-day break before their next game against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the Ferozeshah Kotla ground is a lengthy one. It is an opportune time to regroup and get their act together.
