5 reasons why Delhi Daredevils can win the IPL this year

The most competitive T20 cricket league in the world, the Indian Premier League, is all set to light up the stage once again with its 11th edition starting from April 7, 2018.

Over the years, the Delhi based franchise has tried different combinations but nothing has been able to get them into the finals. Delhi fans have been very loyal and patient with the team, but now they demand a title.

Looking at the set of players bought by Delhi in the 2018 auction, it seems the team has the potential to turn things around this year. Here we take a look at the 5 reasons why this could finally be the year for Delhi Daredevils.

#1 Captain Gambhir returns home

Gautam Gambhir playing for Delhi Daredevils in 2010

Gautam Gambhir the veteran batsman has returned to the Delhi side after seven years. The left-handed maestro has played 148 matches in the IPL, amassing 4132 runs in the process. He has also led KKR to two IPL titles, which shows his worth as a leader.

DD have struggled in recent years to find an experienced captain and Gambhir could be the solution to their captaincy woes. All the captains who have won the IPL in the past have been experienced campaigners and Gambhir is one of them.

Along with his captaincy, Gambhir will also be crucial at the top of the order. His experience of leading KKR will come in handy during crunch situations.

Bought at a mere 2.8 cr rupees in the auction, Gautam Gambhir could be one of the key factors if DD wins the IPL this year.

#2 Solid openers

Jason Roy in action for England

DD have a variety of openers to chose from at the top of the order. The team boats of fearless openers in Colin Munro, Jason Roy, Gautam Gambhir and the U-19 sensation Prithvi Shaw. Both Munro and Roy have been in fine form recently and these are good signs for Delhi, as both of these openers have the ability to win games single-handedly.

In the first few matches either Munro or Roy can start the innings with Gautam Gambhir. Should this experiment fail, Prithvi Shaw could get his chance to prove his talent on the big stage.

The experience of Gambhir, the talent of Shaw and the quick scoring ability of Munro and Roy will provide Delhi the much needed variety on the top. DD have got their opening bases well covered and these openers could well open their ways to a maiden IPL Trophy.

#3 Balanced Middle Order

Rishabh Pant

Delhi retained the promising middle order duo of Rishabh Pant and Shreyas Iyer who will bolster their batting line up once again. Pant recently scored the fastest century by an Indian in the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy, whereas Iyer has broke through into the Indian ODI and T20 squad.

DD have also added the Australian batsman Glenn Maxwell and the experienced Indian wicket keeper batsman Naman Ojha to provide some experience to the line-up. Delhi have also kept an eye on the future by retaining the young players, as these players can serve the team for years to come, with both Pant and Iyer in their early 20s.

This middle order is a good mix of talent and experience and will surely increase DD's chances of a title win.

#4 Versatile Bowling Attack

Chris Morris in action for South Africa

The Delhi based franchise boasts of one of the most lethal pace attacks in the tournament with the likes of Chris Morris, Kagiso Rabada, Trent Boult and Mohammed Shami in their ranks, with all of them having the ability to clock above 140Kmph consistently.

Adding to this they also boast of the tried and tested spin combination of Amit Mishra and Shahbaaz Nadeem, who have rattled the opposition many times in the past. With the resurgence of leg spin in recent times, an experienced spinner like Mishra could be worth his weight in gold.

They also have a good mix of all-rounders in Dan Christian, Jayant Yadav, Gurkerat Mann Singh and Vijay Shankar to provide backup and variety to the attack. With the mix of bowlers that they have, they can well and truly pose a challenge for any opposition on any kind of surface.

#5 Ricky Ponting becomes the Head Coach

Ricky Ponting with two ICC Cricket World Cups

This name needs no introduction. A true legend of the game, former Australian captain Ricky Ponting was appointed as the Head Coach by Delhi Daredevils before the 2018 Mega Auctions.

Ponting has captained Australia to two ICC Cricket World Cups in 2003 and 2007 and has a reputation of being an astute strategist. He was the Head Coach of Mumbai Indians when they won the title in 2015. His experience of winning an IPL as MI's Head Coach will surely help DD this season.

He will also act as a role model for the youngsters and could well shape some future superstars in the Delhi camp. Ponting understands the Indian surfaces very well and knows what it takes to win big tournaments both as a player and as a coach.

His experience could be the last missing piece of the jigsaw puzzle for Delhi Daredevils. The fans are positive that Ponting's Midas Touch will do the trick for their team this year.