IPL 2018: Performance Analysis of teams unable to make the playoffs

#4 Delhi Daredevils (10 points, 8th place)

Who is destined to turn DD's fortune around?

The good

The consistency of their batting lineup to pile up huge scores.

Rishabh Pant, Shreyas Iyer and Vijay Shankar were the protagonists of one of the most prolific batting teams in the tournament.

Pant's century against Sunrisers Hyderabad at Delhi was arguably the greatest ever IPL innings in a losing cause.

The likes of Prithvi Shaw, Avesh Khan, Harshal Patel and Sandeep Lamichhane performing well was another huge positive.

The bad

Gautam Gambhir stepping down from captaincy after five losses in six games.

It is admirable how selfless the man is, but given the absence of another proven captaincy candidate in the squad, Gambhir should have given his decision another thought and weighed in the fact that DD picked him at the auction more for his leadership than his batting.

The foreign batsmen failed to make an impact apart from one match-winning innings from Jason Roy.

Chris Morris had a poor start to the season and him being ruled out for the rest of it was a body blow to the team.

The bowling attack repeatedly failed to build pressure on the opposition, and except Trent Boult, who himself was patchy at times, most bowlers had a poor season.

Amit Mishra, the second-highest wicket-taker in IPL history, was dropped from the team after just one bad game and till he was given his next opportunity, the season was almost over for DD.

He showed his class in the last three matches of the league and his non-selection is a crucial aspect for the team management to think about in hindsight.

Star performers

Pant scored 684 runs this season

Pant had an incredible season, scoring 684 runs at an average of 53, strike rate of 174, including five fifties and one century.

His power-hitting was no surprise, but his consistency is what left everyone in awe. If this is a sign of what is to come, then India need not worry at all about MS Dhoni's successor.

Trent Boult picked up 18 wickets at an economy under 9, bowling the tough overs in the powerplay and at the death. An excellent season for one of the world's best fast bowlers.

The failing stars

Glenn Maxwell was in the form of his life in the lead-up to IPL 2018- he was named player of the series in Australia's T20I tri-series involving England and New Zealand, scoring over 200 runs including a century.

Unfortunately, he failed to bring that form into the IPL and that proved to be the biggest disappointment of DD's season.

All he managed was 169 runs in 12 innings, and despite coach Ricky Ponting backing him with an extended run in the side, Maxwell was just unable to perform.

Gambhir scored a half-century to start the season, but low scores followed in the next five innings.

He dropped himself from the team and did not play after that. It is debatable whether he made the right decision or not, but in either case, it seems unlikely that we will see him play next year.

What they missed

Rabada was ruled out IPL with

unjury

The most exciting fast bowler in the world, Kagiso Rabada. He was ruled out of the tournament with injury, and the value he adds to any team in the world makes him irreplaceable. It is scary to imagine him sharing the new ball with Trent Boult.

Their most valuable retention, Morris. His control with the ball in death overs and ability to finish games with the bat is unmatched. Unfortunately, his 2018 season was limited to four appearances due to injury.

The future

Daredevils have an enviable pool of young talent and almost everyone who got an opportunity, made the most of it which is a pleasing sign for years to come.

Prithvi Shaw, Abhishek Sharma, Harshal Patel, Avesh Khan, Sandeep Lamichhane and Rahul Tewatia showed immense potential, and in combination with Rishabh Pant, Shreyas Iyer and Vijay Shankar who are already part of the national set-up, these youngsters could form a solid Indian core for DD.

Hopefully, Morris and Rabada will be available and that will add much-needed pedigree to the bowling attack.

Gautam Gambhir, one of the most underrated contributors to Indian cricket, may well have played his last match of an illustrious IPL career.

The foreign batsmen- Roy, Munro and Maxwell- will certainly be released as DD will look for quality international batsmen, preferably with a more consistent record.

Ideally, their choice should also have captaincy credentials to relieve Shreyas Iyer from additional pressure and allow him to focus on his game.

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