IS IT THE SAME DELHI DAREDEVILS ?


Winning needs, skill, heart, courage, the works. What it needs the most, is strategy and at least some sense of priority and timing. Irrespective of how people claim that instinct makes all the difference, and irrespective of how much Dinesh Karthik claims that momentum is not an issue, voluntary use of the grey cells as well as the confidence of a win work wonders for a team.

Delhi's demise at Cuttack was a classic example of sloth and hesitancy. Given the fact that Hyderabad did not get as many runs that they wanted and also given the fact that Delhi got off to a rollicking time, in spite of losing Virender Sehwag early, should have ensured that they won. David Warner and AB de Villiers did a great job but somewhere in the middle, the lack of momentum reflected once again. Karthik suddenly found himself to be too alone.

That, is about the momentum bit. They had no business losing by 10 runs.

Then comes the pragmatism and professionalism. Anyone heard of Rahul Sharma? Why is it then, that the tall leg-spinner was allowed to bowl four overs, and only once taken to the cleaners? It is natural that while chasing 10 an over or close to that, one needs to find a weak link. So to give Rahul Sharma so much respect, not to mention two crucial wickets, one off a full-toss, was criminal.

An asking of 10 in a T20 game, towards the end of the innings, is not such a big deal, but knowing that Andrew Symonds and Chaminda Vaas would almost surely be back to choke up things at the end, to allow a rookie to get away with just 10.50 runs an over was a folly of immense proportions.

Sure, it would need taking some risk, but that's the game isn't it? Having the heart to take the risk, as also the brain to count when to take it.

Another part of the Delhi side is a concern. It is way too top-heavy. All the big hitters -- Gautam Gambhir, Sehwag, De Villiers, Warner and Tillekeratne Dilshan -- are at the top of the ladder. There is nothing much lower down. Mithun Manhas has tried but he is not in any grade akin to any of the big hitters than abound lower down the order of most other sides. Or maybe, the heart and momentum aren't there.

Also, the foreign players are not being chosen well. Dilshan was justifiably dropped but Moises Henriques isn't quite the same thing as Faraveez Maharoof, especially when it comes to whacking a few out of the park down the order. And Maharoof is definitely a better bowler. So ideally, Warner and Maharoof both need to be in the side, unless there is an injury issue.

Most importantly, Delhi would dearly love for Gambhir to be back. Karthik is beginning to feel the heat. Its not easy to keep wickets, bat and also captain a team -- not everyone is a Mahendra Singh Dhoni or an Adam Gilchrist. So maybe he should pray for Gambhir to get better. Otherwise, try to get De Villiers to the don the gloves, or anyone else, and take one thing off his plate.