Battle of Unequals: To defeat the fearsome Chennai Super Kings, Delhi Capitals need Prithvi Shaw to step up

In what might be accurately described as a “battle of unequals,” the Delhi Capitals will be looking to alter their out-of-depth batting order by inserting the flashy Prithvi Shaw into the mix against the reigning champion Chennai Super Kings on Sunday in an IPL encounter.

Reputations certainly matter in T20 cricket, but DC hasn’t been able to overcome CSK in their previous four games, and the disappointing results of 91, 27, and 77 runs lost each time portray a dismal image. It’s also important to remember that, save for their most recent encounter, in which Rishabh Pant was unavailable, the Delhi team’s core has remained mostly unchanged during those three crushing defeats.

Therefore, defeating CSK would be seen as a major upset in the competition.

If CSK once again seems to be a team to be reckoned with and has all its bases covered, the Ricky Ponting-coached DC has been outclassed in both areas of the game.

For a number of years, DC’s co-owners, GMR and JSW have been utterly screwing up the squad makeup at the auction table itself. Ponting and Director of Cricket Sourav Ganguly are scarcely able to achieve anything with subpar local talent.

For Rs 8.40 crore, CSK acquired the uncapped Sameer Rizvi, and the two sixes he hit in his first IPL innings against the Punjab Kings proved why the team was eager to have him join.

Of all the teams, Washington likely has the worst talent scouting program, and it is costing them dearly.

Ricky Bhui, who scored the most runs in the recently finished Ranji Trophy season with 902 runs, struggled in their most recent match, highlighting the stark differences between domestic cricket and the Indian Premier League.

Nandre Burger, a teenage pacer for the Rajasthan Royals from South Africa, brutally showed Bhui that he is out of his league at this level.

The hefty Andhra captain was left both afraid and traumatized by the way he set up, using a quick full delivery to pin Bhui on the backfoot and then a well-directed bouncer targeted straight for his head.

Shaw, who returned to competitive cricket in the second part of the Ranji Trophy, may not precisely meet Ponting and his support staff’s fitness requirements, but even the biggest “punter” in the DC locker room understands where to put his money if Shaw or Bhui is the better option.

David Warner, who is long beyond his peak, and captain Pant, who will need some time to get into a rhythm, have too much on their plates.

Over the last two seasons, Mitchell Marsh’s tenure with DC has been anything but steady. Shaw’s arrival will undoubtedly provide some strength to DC’s batting against an assault that includes Mustafizur Rahman, Deepak Chahar, Matheesha Pathirana, and Ravindra Jadeja.

In addition, there is Rachin Ravindra, whose bowling ability hasn’t yet been realized by CSK’s “spiritual captain,” Mahendra Singh Dhoni, and Daryl Mitchell’s seam-up skills.

The top-order may have a little more stability if DC brings in Shaw. However, Mustafizur’s pace-off deliveries, which deftly combine his assortment of cutters to make life difficult for hitters, will provide the true test.

The issue facing DC is that there aren’t many good power hitters among local talent in case Pant doesn’t perform up to par, and Tristan Stubbs and Shai Hope are very much the same in that they both take their time before going for the big shot.

Similar to this, DC’s death bowling is also a cause for worry. All of the other bowlers have averaged at least 7.50 per over, with the exception of Axar Patel, whose economy rate is less than six in two games.

In the Royals game, DC lost in the last five overs of their bowling innings due to Anrich Nortje’s inability to smash the ball at the proper length.

Ishant Sharma would need to return for DC so that he could ask Ravindra some pointed questions, because the latter has begun the tournament in an arrogant manner.

Cricket fans will be watching for the fight where Shivam Dube’s fireworks will meet their equal in Kuldeep Yadav’s skill.