Delhi Daredevils in Doldrums: Disastrous Form Continues in IPL 7

Delhi Daredevils have been one of the most consistent teams of Indian Premier League. They have been consistently lackluster on the field and lost games, frustrating their fans for the last few years.

Languishing at the bottom of the points table in the ongoing edition, the battle for pride also seems to have been lost as the team crashed to a 62-run defeat against Rajasthan Royals on Thursday. This was their ninth loss in eleven matches and it has been a result of a collective failure in all departments of the game.

For instance, only one Delhi batsman - JP Duminy - figures in the top-15 list of run-scorers in IPL 2014 so far. The bowling too has been extremely dismal with just 40 wickets between all the bowlers - the lowest claimed by any team so far. (Also read: Kevin Pietersen and his bad decisions)

A total of 1727 runs have also been conceded, which is the highest by any side in the tournament so  far. Shockingly still, Delhi have been unable to bowl out an opposition in 41 consecutive matches since knocking Mumbai over for 92 at the Wankhede Stadium on April 16, 2012!

Such has been Delhi's catastrophic form, that coach Gary Kirsten recently emphasized on the need to step up. "Our bowling has not been up to the mark and batting has been inconsistent. We need to do something good. In the T20 format, we need to do a lot," he said. "We need to make best of the conditions and need to improve a lot. One or two players need to score big runs. We need a couple of partnerships to win games." (Read more here)

Already out of contention for a berth in the playoffs, Delhi's persistently poor record - the team finished last in 2013, third in 2012, last in 2011, fifth in 2010 - is a culmination of poor cricket that the team continues to play.

 

(Stats by Rajesh Kumar)