Venue: Feroz Shah Kotla, Delhi | Date & Time: 5 May at 1830 (GST)
BIG PICTURE
After yet another admirably professional performance, the Delhi Daredevils moved to within two points of their previous opponents and league leaders the Gujarat Lions. It was a display of sharp, precise intent that will lead the Daredevils to fancy their chances against a floundering Rising Pune Supergiants.
Lying third from bottom in the table, with just two wins from their eight games, the Supergiants have struggled to say the least. While the other new franchise, the Gujarat Lions, have rocketed to the top of the table, the exact opposite has happened with the team from Pune.
An eight-wicket defeat to the Mumbai Indians was just the latest underlining of MS Dhoni’s struggles. Injuries have certainly not helped – after Kevin Pietersen and Faf du Plessis, Steve Smith is now sidelined with a wrist problem – and they face the challenge of swiftly integrating the replacements Usman Khawaja and George Bailey into the fold.
Thursday’s game is a must-win for the Supergiants if they want to make the play-off spots. They currently have only four points, are scheduled to play the Royal Challengers Bangalore after this and it will require a minor miracle to pull off a comeback. The Daredevils, by contrast, look well set: they are level on points (ten) with the Kolkata Knight Riders (third) and the Mumbai Indians (fourth) but have two games over both.
KEY BATTLES
Ajinkya Rahane vs Delhi bowling: Much of the Supergiants’ batting hopes are pinned on opener Ajinkya Rahane. In a batting order depleted by injury, Rahane is the beacon of hope who can offer runs to even a passable degree of consistency. It should be interesting to see how Rahul Dravid and company game plan for the Maharashtra-born batsman and who wins that duel.
Quinton de Kock vs Pune bowling: After a few poor performances, Quinton de Kock once again showed signs of life with a 45-ball 46 against the Gujarat Lions. A struggling side low on confidence could be in for a long evening against the bite and snap of the South African opener.
WATCH OUT FOR
Dhoni will be the player to watch out for
MS Dhoni: The skipper faces a double challenge in the capital on Thursday. It will be the ultimate test of Dhoni’s captaincy as he attempts to match the wits of the Delhi hierarchy, and in the absence of many high profile names in the batting line-up, a much greater level of responsibility falls on his shoulders to help bolster Pune’s endeavours with the bat.
EXPECTED XIs
Delhi could possibly make a few tweaks taking into account the opposition, but it seems that they will – by and large at least – stick with the same team that trampled all over the table toppers.
Quinton de Kock (wk), Rishabh Pant, Sanju Samson, Jean-Paul Duminy, Karun Nair, Sam Billings, Chris Morris, Amit Mishra, Mohammed Shami, Zaheer Khan, Shahbaz Nadeem
Rising Pune Supergiants will have to make at least one enforced change – Steve Smith – but the participation of either Usman Khawaja or George Bailey looks a little unlikely this early. Much will depend on the Indian core of the bowling attack – Ashok Dinda and Ravichandran Ashwin.
Ajinkya Rahane, Saurabh Tiwary, Peter Handscomb, Mitchell Marsh, Mahendra Singh Dhoni (wk), Thisara Perera, Rajat Bhatia, Albie Morkel, Ravichandran Ashwin, Murugan Ashwin, Ashok Dinda
STRAIGHT FROM TWITTER