Daredevils face another spectre in Kotla

Monday, April 20, 2015
Start time 2000 local (1430 GMT)

On their tour to the west and the south east of the country, Delhi Daredevils managed to bury the ghost of 11 straight losses. But back in the Kotla, they face another equally discomforting spectre. Daredevils have lost their previous eight games at their home venue, a sequence that stretches back to 2013. No wonder then that while the teams from other big cities - Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata - have built up strong fan bases, Daredevils are still waiting to connect.

The inclusion of Yuvraj Singh, therefore, was not just based on cricket, it was perhaps thought to be the hook for fans. That hook is yet to work, but the signs are encouraging. Daredevils' young Indian openers have quietly racked up more than 100 runs each, the legspinning duo of Imran Tahir and Amit Mishra is a constant threat, and the batting is yet to show it's full colours. The only vulnerability at the moment seems to be in their pace bowling, and with Mohammed Shami ruled out, it is most likely to be that way throughout the tournament.

Kolkata Knight Riders have no such problems. The defending champions are well served with Morne Morkel and Umesh Yadav up front. However, the most interesting aspect of their start to this season is the lack of dependability on Sunil Narine, who has been economical, but has managed just one wicket.

Daredevils' opening pair of Mayank Agarwal and Shreyas Iyer may be the least illustrious among all teams, but over the course of the three matches, they have proven to be one of the most stable ones. There might have been an inclination in the Daredevils team management to bring Quinton de Kock at the top, but that can wait now as the two Indians have not only been able to give good starts, they have also picked up a half-century each. Agarwal, then, also made a match-winning impact in the field with a brilliant save on the boundary.

With 25 wickets in the 2012 IPL, Morne Morkel, then playing for Daredevils, was the leading wicket-taker. It was his pace, bounce and his partnership with Umesh, who had picked up 19 wickets, that helped Daredevils top the table at the end of the league stage. Morkel has already picked up five wickets this season and would look for a happy homecoming at the Kotla