Although they started their IPL campaign with a terrific win over Mumbai Indians, Delhi Capitals have hit a dead end with their performances in the next two games. While they lost to newcomers Gujarat Titans by 14 runs, they recently suffered a four-wicket loss at the hands of another new team – Lucknow Super Giants. There are visible loopholes in the squad and it seems that Delhi Capitals could have more issues as the season progresses. In this article, we take a look at three reasons why Delhi Capitals have struggled early this season.
1) Late arrival of the foreign players
The late arrival of the overseas stars is one of the reasons why the Delhi Capitals have struggled early this season. Delhi Capitals could afford only Rovman Powell and Tim Seifert as the foreigners in the first game. Mustafizur Rahman later joined the team and recently, David Warner and Anrich Nortje also played for the squad.
A team sport needs the players to gel before they do their act on the field. Although they are professionals, it might take time to get used to the new atmosphere. Therefore, Delhi Capitals have not had a settled XI and hence, their performances have been poor.
2) Rishabh Pant’s indifferent form
The indifferent form of captain Rishabh Pant is one of the main factors behind the not-so convincing display of the Delhi Capitals so far. In the three games so far, he has recorded scores of 1(2), 43(29) and 39(36)*. He could not take the team to victory in the second encounter and against LSG, he looked rusty.
Pant is one of the top performers in India and he holds a great responsibility in the batting line-up. His form in the last two seasons has been a concern and Delhi Capitals will hope that he will find momentum soon.
3) The poor form of the overseas cricketers
The foreign players are yet to contribute for Delhi this season. While Mustafizur Rahman and Tim Seifert have looked good in patches, Rovman Powell has been poor. David Warner and Anrich Nortje have also not started well for the team.
Foreigners play a crucial role in the success of the franchise. The big guns are not firing and this has affected the campaign for DC so far. It needs to be seen how they would perform as the season progresses.
