Dabang Delhi have a mountain to climb if they’re to stave off the ignominy of the last three seasons where they registered just 10 victories in their 42 games. The Eagles finished the first season of Pro Kabaddi in 6th position and slipped to 7th in the second season of. The third season turned out to be even worse for the team as they could manage a solitary win in their 14 matches.
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After such a season, a chance at revamping the team in the form of auctions came as godsent for the management and they leapt at it. They rung in the much-needed changes to give Dabang Delhi a new colour and hopes of improving their performances from the last season. Now it is to be seen if the changes work out for them when Delhi begin their campaign against Bengal Warriors on 27th June at Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex, Pune.
Here we take a look at what are the Strengths, Weakness, Opportunities and Threats that face Dabang Delhi’s campaign in 2016.
Strengths
Delhi’s biggest performer has been Kashiling Adake and the man from Sangli has been the lone bright spot in Delhi’s dismal performances over the three seasons. He has been a raider par excellence. The innocuous looking Adake from Maharashtra is a dangerous proposition when on the mat and scored more than 100 raid points in the first two seasons apart from making the record for most points scored in a match. This time, although he will have added responsibility as the captain of the side, he will also be supported by a hugely talented young Selvamani K and also Deepak Narwal, who turned up for Patna Pirates in the previous season.
Besides, the addition of Prashant Chavan and D Gopu to the squad considerably strengthens the defence of the team, which had been its Achilles heel in the past. Delhi will hope that these players prove a worthy replacement for their former skipper and one of the best defenders in the first 2 seasons, Ravinder Pahal. However, the most important addition to the Delhi unit has been that of Iranian all-rounder Meyraj Sheykh. If Sheykh can deliver what he promises, then he and Kashiling Adake will give a tough time to any defence in the league.
Weaknesses
The problem with Dabang Delhi in the past seasons have been their over-reliance on star raider Kashiling Adake. Although Kashi has always given it his all but at the end of the day, its a team game and individual brilliance can only take you so far. Besides, it will be interesting to see how Adake handles the leadership duties. The other main reason for Dabang’s failure in season 3 was their defence line, in which their star defender Ravinder Pahal was not able to replicate his performances from the previous seasons.
With the slew of star players that Delhi have acquired, the management will hope that the over-reliance on Kashi and Selvamani K is done away with in the 4th season. The team must look to tighten their defensive coordination in a bid to improve its showing this season.
Opportunities
When a team finishes with a wooden spoon, there lies a world of opportunities for it to look forward to in the next season. The new look squad gives Delhi and its fans some renewed hopes. The team will try hard to start the season well, something which hasn’t been their strongest suit. Besides, Adake’s captaincy too will be closely followed as the raider hasn’t really dabbled with captaincy before. If Kashi can bring a team with lots of new names together and get them to bring their A game every time they turn up, he will see his stock rise as a captain.
Besides, Delhi, courtesy of its performances in the first three seasons, will be entering the league as underdogs, but given their composition they can’t be ruled out as the potential winners of the 4th season. Youngster Selvamani K, who shone in the little opportunities he received in the last season will have huge responsibilities on his shoulders in this season as the management has shown faith in him by choosing to retain him. Besides, Deepak Narwal and many other newcomers, who were not retained despite being consistent performers with their ex-teams will also have a point to prove.
Threats
If past records are anything to go by, a team like Delhi will face threats from all teams. However, the biggest threat for Dabang Delhi is Dabang Delhi itself. In the past, despite having brilliant individual performers in Ravinder Pahal and Kashiling Adake, the team looked listless and lacking confidence. The defence will miss the services of Pahal, who will be seen in the colors of Puneri Paltan.
Also, when a team is revamped, there is a definite danger that too many matches are wasted in trying out combinations to see which one works the best for the team. This will mean that Delhi’s start to the campaign can prove shaky. And a shaky start isn’t something a team can afford when it is looking to win the title. Also, by burdening their best performer with captaincy, the team risks losing Kashiling Adake – the raider, in the process.
