IPL 10, Match 25, DD v MI: Delhi Daredevils Predicted XI

The Delhi Daredevils’ roller-coaster ride is currently in its downslope phase, which has resulted in the side struggling to hold on to its position in the top four. With two back-to-back losses, the Daredevils will look to mend things with a convincing win in the bag. However, up against them will be a red-hot Mumbai Indians side who will be playing in their own backyard at the Wankhede.

Following Sanju Samson’s stellar hundred, the Delhi Daredevils haven’t had an inspirational innings from any of their batsmen. Samson himself, being in great form, got off to a couple of good starts against the Kolkata Knight Riders and the Sunrisers Hyderabad. However, he hasn’t been able to cross the 50-run mark and make an impact on the result of the last two games.

It has taken Karun Nair 15 innings in any form of the game to make a 30+ score since his Chennai triple ton – a big reason to worry for the Delhi Daredevils. Nair has hogged the no.3 spot to no effect. His 33 off 23 against the Sunrisers Hyderabad, however, will foster some confidence in his batting.

A major issue for the Delhi Daredevils has been Angelo Mathews’ lack of contributions. The Sri Lankan all-rounder was taken for runs with the ball and failed to deliver with the bat. In spite of scoring a 23-ball 31, Mathews failed to see his side home against the Sunrisers. The Lankan hasn’t justified his selection over Corey Anderson who looked in fine nick last time around.

In the bowling department, Chris Morris stood out amongst a set of ordinary spells from the Delhi Daredevils bowlers. The South African picked up all four wickets that the Sunrisers had lost. Jayant Yadav wasn’t great on his comeback either.

The Delhi Daredevils will have to tie up the loose ends before they take on the Mumbai Indians. Here’s a look at CricTracker’s predicted XI for the Delhi Daredevils for their clash against MI:

Openers (Sanju Samson, Sam Billings)

The openers for the Delhi Daredevils have looked to attack, but it’s the younger of the two Sanju Samson who’s looked the aggressor. Sanju Samson has entirely been an IPL revelation. His glimpses of brilliance while with the Rajasthan Royals drew attention towards his batting. Samson has once again broken into fine form this season with a sterling hundred and 81 runs in the last two matches put together. The ease with which he plays his strokes makes him a difficult batsman to bowl to. What stands out in the youngster’s technique is that he doesn’t try anything fancy and plays the ball with the full face of the bat.

England’s Sam Billings, on the other hand, has looked dangerous at the top. His strike rate has been in excess of 135 so far in the IPL. However, Billings hasn’t been able to convert his starts into a big knock. The Englishman will focus on a lengthy stay at the crease against the Mumbai Indians.

Top order (Karun Nair, Rishabh Pant)

Delhi’s top order consists of two very contrasting players. Unfortunately for the Daredevils, Karun Nair hasn’t had much to show for following his spectacular triple century. His failures seem to be pulling the Daredevils’ batting down. As a result, the pressure has been on the middle order batsmen to score valuable runs, which they haven’t on a regular basis. It is high time Nair pulled up his socks and made a statement with the bat.

However, Rishabh Pant has impressed one and all with his batting in this season of the IPL. The youngster has looked calm and composed while at the crease and has delivered some responsible performances for his side. Pant has looked to attack from the very first ball and hasn’t been afraid to take the aerial route. He smacked 4 sixes in his 16-ball 38 against KKR which pushed the Daredevils total up to 168.

Although he has just one fifty against his name in the tournament so far, his quick contributions have been well received by the dressing room. Pant, unfortunately, missed out in the last game with a first-ball duck but will look to once again take on the attack when he comes to bat.

Middle and lower order (Shreyas Iyer, Corey Anderson, Chris Morris)

The Delhi Daredevils possess a middle order brimming with firepower. First up, Shreyas Iyer, who has ceded his spot as an opener to Sanju Samson, has looked in fine touch following his return from injury. He got off to a couple of good starts, but his unbeaten 50 was the innings which brought him back into the limelight. Although it was in a losing cause, Iyer’s knock exhibited his skill and strokeplay.

To follow Iyer, there are two brilliant overseas all-rounders who can bludgeon the ball at the back end of the innings. Both Corey Anderson and Chris Morris have looked dangerous, especially with the bat. Anderson’s 22-ball 39 against KXIP saw him smash 3 fours and 3 sixes to propel DD’s total near the 190 mark. However, the Kiwi all-rounder made way for Angelo Mathews, who hasn’t delivered in either department. With a prospective return for Anderson in the side, the Delhi Daredevils will hope he brings back memories of his powerful striking.

Chris Morris has undoubtedly been the best all-rounder in the IPL so far. He’s stood up for his side with both bat and ball. When the main bowlers in his side went wicketless, Morris stepped up his game to bag 4 crucial wickets. At 12 scalps, Chris Morris now finds himself 3 wickets behind Purple Cap holder Bhuvneshwar Kumar. With the bat, in spite of having got only a few overs towards the end of the innings, Morris has struck the ball fiercely. His unbeaten 38 off just 9 was a testimony to the blitzkrieg knock he can play. The onus will be on Morris to restrict the Mumbai batsmen from scoring freely on a chase-friendly Wankhede pitch.

Bowlers (Amit Mishra, Zaheer Khan, Ben Hilfenhaus, Shahbaz Nadeem)

In the bowling department, the Delhi Daredevils will be forced to make a couple of changes following some lacklustre performances. Although Pat Cummins has serious pace on offer, he went wicketless in the last game. However, Cummins got two wickets in each of the last three games that he played, so it isn’t a question of poor performances from the Australian. But the Delhi Daredevils could consider playing another Australian Ben Hilfenhaus.

Hilfenhaus emerged as CSK’s best bowler who played a vital role in the Chennai Super Kings making it to the 2012 IPL final. He relies more on swing than pace, and his tailing yorkers make him a perfect death overs bowler. Hilfenhaus has a world of experience under his belt and will look to bring all of it into play if given a game.

Skipper Zaheer Khan, on the other hand, will be the other pacer for the Daredevils. A seasoned bowler, Zaheer has already picked up 8 wickets for his side so far. Zak’s ability to swing the ball both ways as well as deliver them with accuracy makes him a phenomenon. He knows how to get wickets and will look to lead from the front with the ball.

Delhi’s spin department will need to bring back Shahbaz Nadeem, who has been one of DD’s better bowlers across seasons. Economical spells are his forte. The left-arm orthodox spinner has had three games in this season of the IPL so far and has had a maximum economy rate of just 6.50. He’s also chipped in with 4 wickets and will certainly keep the Mumbai batsmen under control if he plays.

Amit Mishra, on the other hand, hasn’t looked quite the bowler he used to earlier. He was very expensive in the previous game and also failed to bag a wicket. Mishra’s 3-11 against the Rising Pune Supergiant was his only high point in this season of the IPL. Nevertheless, with the googlies up his sleeve, Amit Mishra can be a deceptive bowler. He will certainly look to trouble Rohit Sharma, who has had some problems with the leggies of late.

With a few changes on the cards for the Delhi Daredevils, they should have their best side taking on a tough Mumbai Indians team. A win for the Daredevils in convincing fashion over MI will bolster their confidence as they get into the second half of the tournament.