Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], May 6: Following a rain-affected match, veteran Indian spinner Piyush Chawla raised concerns about the Delhi Capitals' (DC) prospects for making it to the playoffs. He indicated that the team is at risk of missing out on the top four positions.
In a low-scoring encounter at Uppal Stadium, DC managed to salvage a point, keeping their playoff hopes alive despite a shaky performance. After a strong start with five consecutive wins, the team has struggled, recording just one victory alongside four losses and one no result in their subsequent matches.
During a discussion on 'Match Centre Live' on JioHotstar, Chawla commented on the need for changes in DC's opening lineup, advocating for Jake Fraser-McGurk to be given another chance after a series of disappointing outings.
“KL Rahul's opening against CSK was a necessary adjustment due to Faf du Plessis's injury. Rahul was originally slated to bat at number three or four to stabilize the innings during tense moments. DC has experimented with six or seven opening combinations. Their most significant gamble was on Jake Fraser-McGurk, which has not yielded results lately. However, I believe they should revert to him—if he performs, he can provide a dynamic start during the powerplay. If not, it won't differ much from their current situation,” he stated.
This season, DC's opening partnership has averaged a mere 20.18, the lowest among all teams. The lack of consistency is evident, with six different combinations utilized. Players like Jake Fraser McGurk (55 runs in six innings, best score of 38), Abishek Porel (191 runs in seven innings, average of 27.28 with one fifty), Faf Du Plessis (168 runs in six innings, average of 28.00 with two fifties), KL Rahul (77 against Chennai Super Kings), and Karun Nair (65 runs in five innings, average of 13.00 with no scores above 20) have all been tried as openers.
Piyush emphasized that DC must make bold choices at this juncture.
“They find themselves in a critical situation. A team that once seemed poised to secure a playoff spot is now in jeopardy of being eliminated. The upcoming matches will be challenging. In their last six games, they have lost four. Although the match against SRH was not entirely lost, it appeared to be leaning in SRH's favor based on their total. The next three matches are crucial; they need to win at least two—preferably all three—and for that to happen, their seasoned players must rise to the occasion,” he concluded.
In the match, after being reduced to 29/5, contributions from Tristan Stubbs (41* off 36 balls, including four boundaries) and Ashutosh Sharma (41 off 26 balls, with two fours and three sixes) helped DC reach 133/7. However, SRH could not chase the target as the match was ultimately washed out.
Currently, DC sits in fifth place with six wins, four losses, and one no result, totaling 13 points. In contrast, SRH is in eighth place with three wins, seven losses, and one no result, accumulating seven points.
