IPL 6: Delhi Daredevils - a case of so near, yet so far!

Delhi Daredevils have either delivered high octane performances or have fizzled out of the Indian Premier League. Either way, the team has been unable to lay its hands on the trophy, yet.

T20 cricket is all about power-performers and the Delhi outfit, despite numerous shuffles during auctions, has managed to either retain or buy players who are unafraid to step up and fire on all cylinders. Virender Sehwag epitomizes this mind-set and leads by example.

Strengths:

The Nawab of Najafgarh is the team's biggest asset. Sehwag is a natural attacker and his reputation as an explosive batsman serves a two-pronged purpose for the team. His unabashed knocks can smash the opposition to smithereens in a matter of a few overs while taking the pressure off other players.

Rival teams have also been occasionally guilty of concentrating much on Sehwag and in the process, forgetting the immense talent that other players in Delhi possess.

Apart from Sehwag, there are several other players in the side who excel in two styles of batting - blasting past and repairing with precision.

David Warner will be seen at the helm. The Australian has the potential to fire even if Sehwag does not which means that merely dismissing Sehwag will not be enough. Not even close.

Add names like Mahela Jayawardene - the skipper of Delhi this year - and Irfan Pathan to the mix and it makes for a deadly T20 batting cocktail which is refreshing as well as extremely potent.

And while the veterans are talked about at length, there is also a 20-year-old who will surely make use of all his talent to make the 'oldies' sweat out their cricketing wrinkles. Unmukt Chand is a sure-shot player to watch out for, as his performances in the 2012 Champions League T20 suggested.

Bowling too is decent with Roelof van der Merwe (18 IPL wickets at an average of 23.72), Morne Morkel (38 IPL wickets at an average of 23.26), Ajit Agarkar (29 IPL wickets at an average of 36.51) and Pathan in the team, giving a lot of options to the skipper.

Weaknesses:

Delhi have been slightly unfortunate to have lost big names like Kevin Pietersen and Jesse Ryder to injuries. Both players could have added multiple teeth to the attacking face of the side but will miss out this year.

Another very crucial concern will be Sehwag's frame of mind. Out of the national side with just a minor chance of a comeback, he will look to prove a point. Rather he will have to prove a point which means either he can set the stage on fire or buckle under further pressure. He is one such cricketer who is repeatedly mentioned in both the strengths and weaknesses columns.

Delhi now have another perfect chance to get rid of their 'chokers' tag. A formidable unit, the side has failed, repeatedly, to deliver the
knockout punch. Their record in IPL since the inaugural edition shows that they peak too fast, too soon.

Hot players to watch out for:

Indians:

Virender Sehwag: Will always have his name in the players to watch out for. Has 15 fifties in IPL and a strike rate of 167.32. More importantly, he has a solid reputation which he will be keen to uphold.

Unmukt Chand: After winning the U-19 World Cup, there has been a lot of spotlight on this young batsman. IPL will be a solid platform for him to justify why he is being labeled as the next big thing in Indian cricket. Has been part of the Delhi team for some time now and so, will not be over-awed by the expectations.

Naman Ojha: This wicket-keeper batsman has not received as much credit as may be due to him. He is a solid performer with the bat and has played several key knocks for the side. He also has safe hands behind the stumps which make him a valuable asset.

Foreigners:

Mahela Jayawardene: Some regard him as a steady hand but this Sri Lankan has an impatient side to his batting which is can takes rivals by surprise. Batting at either number 3 or 4, he can quickly repair early blows and construct a platform for the final onslaught. He is an experienced campaigner and the team can benefit from his leadership skills.
David Warner: May have mellowed down a bit but Warner can never be taken lightly by new ball bowlers. It does not take long for the ball to assume a weathered look when Warner is in full flow and form.

Roelof van der Merwe: A spinning all-rounder, this man played several crucial matches for his side in the previous edition of the tournament. His spin is effective and when van der Merwe is not taking wickets, he is busy keeping things tidy. When he is not bowling however, he can be seen waving his bat-shaped club to score his team to a win.

Past performance of Delhi:
2008: Semifinal
2009: Semifinal
2010: Group Stage
2011: Group Stage
2012: Play-offs

Quick stats:

The team has played 81 matches in the Indian Premier League and Champions League- winning 41.
The team has an equal record in terms of wins when playing at home vis-a-vis away (51.61%).

Trivia:

The team has the best record against Pune Warriors - winning 2 of three matches against the side for a success rate of 66.67%. It has performed well against Deccan Chargers too with 7 wins from 11 clashes at a success rate of 63.64%.
Irfan Pathan has the highest salary in the side - US $ 1,900, 000. This is more than even the likes of Sehwag, Jayawardena and Pietersen.
This year, the team will have posters of Mohammad Ali and Michael Jordan in their home dressing rooms to inspire the players.
This year, Delhi will play two home matches in Raipur.

Team:

Indians: Virender Sehwag, Shahbaz Nadeem, Umesh Yadav, Venugopal Rao, CM Gautam, Siddarth Kaul, Pawan Negi, Naman Ohja, Unmukt Chand, Yogesh Nagar, Varun Aaron, Sujit Nayak, Royston Dias, Ajit Agarkar, Irfan Pathan, Kedar Jadhav, Manpreet Juneja, Ashish Nehra, Arisht Singhvi

Foreigners: Mahela Jayawardene (Captain), Andre Russell, David Warner, Kevin Pietersen, R van der Merwe, Morne Morkel, Johan Botha, Jessy Ryder, Jeevan Mendis, Gulam Bodi