What went wrong With DC?
DC Hits & Misses in TATA IPL 2023, what went wrong With DC, Reasons Behind DC’s Failure this Season, What Delhi Capitals can improve for next year, What happened to Delhi Capitals in TATA IPL 2023?
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The Delhi Capitals finished ninth in the points table. They could win just 5 games and they ended up losing 9 this season. Their tournament began on the most disastrous note. DC lost all of their first 5 games. They staged a comeback of sorts winning 4 out of their next 5 matches. But two consecutive losses post the winning streak halted their campaign. DC for a second year in running failed to make it to the playoffs.
The pre-tournament expectations:
There were limited expectations from Delhi this year. The fans and experts knew it would be difficult for the side to fill the absence of their skipper Rishabh Pant. This was a big opportunity for the side to play fearless cricket. It was their moment to shine similar to the Rajasthan Royals in 2008 and the Gujarat Titans in 2022.
We Look At What went wrong With DC In TATA IPL 2023?
What were the hits for DC?
#1 David Warner
The Delhi Capitals were without their captain this season. Rishabh Pant was not just the skipper but also their middle order enforcer cum finisher in addition to donning the wicketkeeping gloves. David Warner who was appointed the captain knew he had a huge task on his hands. The former SRH skipper was one of the rare bright spots for DC. He scored over 500 runs to finish among the top ten run-getters in the league stage. If only he had the support of his other partners, DC could have had a better season.
#2 Ishant Sharma
The veteran seamer was never known for his white ball credentials. Ishant Sharma found himself out of favour in the red ball format too. But DC showed enough faith in the senior bowler. Sharma’s entry into the team saw them winning 4 games out of 5. He expertly used his skills to stay ahead of the batters with both the new and old ball. Sharma was another proven international performer who stood up for DC this year.
#3 Axar Patel
He was one of the better-performing all-rounders this season. DC in all fairness didn’t utilise Axar Patel’s batting talent. He often found himself devoid of batting partners in the end. But he still finished as the second-highest run-getter for the side. Patel was more than useful with the ball too in many games.
What were the misses?
#1 The failure of overseas stars
Mitchell Marsh walked into the tournament on the back of some solid scores in international cricket. It was expected to be his year this season. But Marsh apart from a couple of games disappointed largely. Phil Salt showed enough aggression but it was too little and a little too late. Rilee Rossouw played one match-winning hand but that was about it. Anrich Nortje had a decent season but the likes of Rovman Powell and Mustafizur Rahman looked completely clueless.
#2 The sorry state of their Indian domestic talent
Delhi once boasted of the best young talent in the country. The batch of Prithvi Shaw, Shreyas Iyer, and Rishabh Pant were the toast of the side. But this very facet proved to be DC’s undoing this year. Shaw apart from one good knock looked out of sorts. Manish Pandey had another sorry season. Sarfaraz Khan’s tumultuous stays at the crease, unfortunately, validated the national selectors’ call to overlook him. Priyam Garg and Abhishek Porel too gave an impression that they aren’t yet ready for the next level.
What’s in store for them next season?
The return of their talisman should boast DC next year. Pant though will need the support of the rest of the batting group if DC has to qualify for the next round. They need to identify solid players in the middle who could anchor and also accelerate when needed. DC needs to rebuild its Indian core if they have set its sights on the future.
