Delhi bank on bench strength

Before the 2010 season began, would you have bet on Delhi Daredevils fielding David Warner, Paul Collingwood, Andrew McDonald and Farveez Maharoof as their four overseas players while leaving Tillakaratne Dilshan and AB de Villiers on the bench, and still fashioning a comfortable win?

That Delhi are the second-placed side on the IPL table is a testament to their team selection, their bench strength and their willingness to gamble their way out of trouble. The trouble began with Dilshan and de Villiers losing form, then Wayne Parnell got injured and flew home, while Daniel Vettori was playing for New Zealand until March 31. The injury to Dirk Nannes, out for a week after sustaining a finger injury, was the latest setback Delhi had to overcome, against Rajasthan Royals, and they did.

All was not well in the Indian contingent either. Ashish Nehra started injured and still is, Gautam Gambhir was also sidelined for a few games, and Virender Sehwag has fired only once.

Any of the other IPL sides would have rolled over and succumbed to such adversity but Delhi have found performers in players like Mithun Manhas, Dinesh Karthik, Umesh Yadav, Amit Mishra and other less celebrated names when the star attractions failed.