On Tuesday, April 11, Mumbai Indians (MI) and Delhi Capitals (DC) faced each other in a tense match at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. It was a last-ball thriller, and MI managed to hold their nerves and clinch a six-wicket win. This was MI’s first victory in the IPL 2023, while the Capitals suffered their fourth consecutive defeat. It is their second-worst start to a season, with their worst being six straight losses in IPL 2013.
The Delhi Capitals seem to be struggling in various aspects of the game. They are not only lacking tactical shrewdness but also failing to approach the game effectively. Unfortunately, nothing seems to be going their way at the moment, and it shows in their performance on the field.
Given their poor start to the season, it is essential to examine why the Capitals are struggling. Here are three possible reasons:
1) Wrong Tactics by DC
During the match against Mumbai Indians, the Delhi Capitals made a crucial tactical error that had a significant impact on the game. Despite having over 10 overs left in their innings, the Capitals’ management decided to send Rovman Powell in to bat at No. 5, knowing that there were still four overs of spin remaining.
Unfortunately, Powell’s statistics against spinners are not impressive, particularly against leg spinners, where he tends to struggle. He has been dismissed four times in 48 deliveries and averages only 11.95 with a strike rate of 95.46.
As expected, the decision to send Powell in at No. 5 backfired quickly. Piyush Chawla, a leg-spinner for Mumbai Indians, bowled a fuller length googly that spun and hit Powell’s pad, resulting in an lbw dismissal. This was Powell’s fifth dismissal against leg-spinners.
This incident is one of many examples that highlight how tactical mistakes have cost the Delhi Capitals significantly. By making strategic errors like sending in an unsuited batsman to face a particular type of bowler, they are not maximizing their chances of success.
2) All Things Going Wrong For DC
The Delhi Capitals are currently struggling in both their batting and bowling departments. While David Warner has been scoring consistently, his below-par strike rate of 114.83 has not been helpful for the team. Although he has scored 209 runs in the tournament so far, the Capitals’ management needs him to accelerate his scoring rate.
Unfortunately, other batters in the team are either out of form or not being utilized effectively by the management. This lack of contribution from the rest of the batting lineup is hurting the Capitals.
On the other hand, Kuldeep Yadav and Anrich Nortje have been performing well for the team, but they are the only ones creating an impact. Other bowlers have been struggling to execute their plans, which has been a significant cause of concern for the Capitals.
Furthermore, Rovman Powell and Mitchell Marsh have bowled more than expected, given Marsh’s injury concerns. This could lead to them getting tired or potentially picking up injuries, which would further weaken the Capitals’ bowling lineup.
3) Not Using Their Players Properly
Apart from David Warner, Axar Patel has been the only Delhi Capitals batter who has looked comfortable making runs with a healthy strike rate against both pace and spin. He has scored 108 runs at a rate of 168.8, primarily batting at No. 6. Given that other batters are struggling to find form, it would be prudent for the Capitals to use Axar’s batting skills higher up the order.
However, the team’s performance has been impacted by the management’s constant chopping and changing of the playing combination. This instability within the squad hampers their stability and has been visible in the results so far. To improve their performance, the Delhi Capitals need to find a stable combination of players and stick to it for a few matches to build team cohesion and confidence.
