IPL 2018: How Delhi Daredevils could possibly lineup

The IPL 2018 auction ended after two days of intense and immense action. These two days saw all the franchises go all guns blazing in order to get the players and build a strong team. There were some players who went for big money and on the other hand, some of the biggest names in the game could not fetch buyers.

Delhi Daredevils, who is yet to win a title, look lethal on paper and will be eager clinch their maiden IPL title under new leadership of Gautam Gambhir. Before the auction, the team from the capital retained South African all-rounder Chris Morris, and young Indian batting sensations, Rishabh Pant and Shreyas Iyer. The franchise made some very smart buys during the auction to further strengthen their side.

This how the Delhi Daredevils can line-up for their first match of IPL 2018.

Openers

#1) Colin Munro

Munro has played 154 matches in T20 format and has scored 3486 runs at a brilliant strike rate of 147 across various leagues. The opener has done even better for the Black Caps, scoring 947 runs in 38 matches at an average of 33 and an excellent strike rate of 161.

The New-Zealander, who is the only one to register three centuries in International T20 cricket, has been sold for just ₹1.9 crores. The Daredevils have grabbed a diamond at the price of silver.

#2) Gautham Gambhir(C)

The prodigal son of Delhi returns back to his home. After having seven eventful years with Kolkata Knight Riders, the southpaw returns to captain the Delhi-based franchise.

Daredevils bought Gambhir after his former employers failed to show interest in retaining him during the auction. In 148 matches, he has scored 4132 runs, with an average of 31+. A lot of the side’s fortunes depend on the way this left-hander bats and marshals his troops.

Middle-Order

#3) Rishabh Pant

"He is a special talent. To me, he looks like a combination of Yuvraj Singh and Suresh Raina - the setup and the bat swing. (He is) wonderful to watch,"said Sachin Tendulkar, at the end of IPL 2017 about this young lad. The left-hander's ability to seemingly clear the boundary at will and consistent performances across all formats led to him making his India debut against England in a T20I in 2017.

Behind the stumps, the wicket keeper-batsman completed 11 catches and three stumpings. In front of it, he has also scored 366 runs at a strike-rate in excess of 150 in the previous edition, playing 14 games in total.

#4) Shreyas Iyer

In his debut season in 2015 for Delhi Daredevils, the Iyer amassed 439 runs in 14 matches, fetching him the Emerging Player of the Season Award in the process. The youngster, however, couldn't follow up on his brilliant debut season, scoring a meagre 30 runs in six games, before being dropped from the side. He made amends the following season, finishing as the third highest run-scorer with 338 runs, striking the ball at the rate of 140.

His style of play has drawn comparisons with the legendary Virender Sehwag, who set a trend amongst the Indian openers. He could really set the stage on fire this season for Delhi Daredevils.

#5) Glenn Maxwell

IPL 2018 Auction proved to be lucky for another Australian. Glenn Maxwell who was picked up by Delhi Daredevils for ₹9 crore after shrugging off competition from mutiple franchises for the services of the all-rounder from Down Under.

A hard-hitter of the ball, he was recruited by KXIP in the IPL Player Auction 2014 and has since made vital contributions to the team. The Australian was integral to the team’s success when they made it to the final in 2014. With a dangerous strike rate of 160+, he has scored 1228 runs in 57 matches in his career.

Lower-Order

#6) Vijay Shankar

A genuine all-rounder from Tamil Nadu, Vijay Shankar can contribute with both bat and ball. After playing four games for Sunrisers Hyderbad in the previous edition, the 27 year-old was brought in by DD at ₹3.2 crores.

Medium pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar opted to take a break against Sri Lanka in Nagpur , Shankar received his maiden national team call-up.

Having played a couple of handy innings down the order in the previous edition, Delhi will be hoping for more of the same from the all-rounder.

#7) Chris Morris

A player capable of clocking in excess of 140 on a consistent basis along with the ability hit the ball hard is worth his weight in gold in the shortest format of the game. Chris Morris, was bought by Delhi Daredevils in 2014 after he played for CSK and RR in previous seasons.

In 21 games for the franchise, the Proteas all-rounder has picked up 25 wickets at an average of 21.92 and economy of 7.30. He has scored 349 runs, averaging 43.62 and striking at a whopping 171.92.

The flamboyant all-rounder was retained by the Delhi and he would be looking to repay the trust with some good performances.

Bowlers

#8) Kagiso Rabada

The fast bowler from South Africa has risen to be a crucial player for his national side across all the formats since his T20I debut in 2014. Before he had turned 21, Rabada had already established himself as a potential leader of the attack.

The pacer can be handy with his lethal yorkers and bouncers on a flat Feroz Shah Kotla track. Even though he has an economy of 8+, Rabada is a dangerous bowler at any juncture of the game.

Delhi Daredevils used their RTM card to take the youngster away from the Chennai Super Kings, matching their price of ₹4.2 crores

#9) Amit Mishra

The first spinner to get an IPL hattrick, Amit Mishra was bought for ₹4 crores by the Delhi-based franchise. He is one of those spinners who is never afraid of getting hit by batsmen, consistently flighting and turning the ball on any track..

A bowler with shrewd variations and good flight, Mishra is an old school leg-spinner who has adapted to the demands of T20 cricket. His overall IPL record of 134 wickets in 126 games at 24.33 and an economy of 7.41 is quite impressive.

Bowlers

#10) Mohammed Shami

Mohammed Shami’s ability to swing the ball and accuracy made him a vital cog in the Indian lineup since his debut in 2013. Shami doesn't boast the greatest of IPL records but has been able to impress the bidders and was bought in for ₹3 crores by Delhi Daredevils. Initially, he was bought by Sunrisers but Daredevils decided to use their second RTM card to retain his services for the upcoming edition.

#11) Shahbaz Nadeem

A left-arm spinner with a classical action, Shahbaz Nadeem hails from the Steel City of Bokaro. Unlike most modern-day spinners, Nadeem isn’t afraid to toss the ball up and bait the batsmen. Nadeem, who has been part of India-A sides, has also had a few stints as Jharkhand's captain.

He has picked 37 wickets in 55 matches he played in IPL. He has an economy of 7.09, which is a decent figure considering that batsmen tend to go after the slower bowlers.