IPL 2017: Delhi Daredevils announce Marlon Samuels as replacement for Quinton de Kock

What’s the story?

Much like their performances in IPL 2017, Delhi Daredevils have pulled a fast one on everyone by announcing West Indian batsman Marlon Samuels as the replacement for the injured Quinton de Kock who was ruled out of the tenth edition of the tournament with a finger injury.

The 36-year-old West Indian batsman went unsold at the IPL Auction 2017 where he had a base price of INR 1 crore but he is expected to join the Delhi Daredevils squad on April 29 in time for their clash against Kings XI Punjab at Mohali on April 30.

The Context

The two-time World T20 winner last played in the IPL for Pune Warriors in 2013, which is the only team that he has represented in the competition. In the eight matches for the side, he scored over 100 runs and picked up eight wickets. Samuels has played 149 T20 matches in which he has amassed nearly 4,000 runs at an average of over 32 and strike rate just under 120 with two hundreds, and 25 fifties to his name.

The Details

Earlier in the tournament, when the DD coach Paddy Upton was asked about why there haven’t been replacements announced for the missing South African pair of Quinton de Kock and JP Duminy, he added that contingencies were put in place.

“We actually had backups for both of them so there was no need to rush. With the South African bowlers leaving early, particularly Chris Morris and Kagiso Rabada, we might actually need bowling replacements rather than batting replacements,” he said. Despite that, DD have signed Ben Hilfenhaus as the replacement for Duminy and now Samuels in place of the injured de Kock.

What’s next?

Delhi Daredevils’ next match in the IPL is against Kolkata Knight Riders at Eden Gardens on Friday (April 28). But the earliest that Samuels can take part for DD is in the game after that as they take on Kings XI on April 30.

Author’s Take

If there is one area where DD have struggled so far it is at the top of the order, where their lack of experience has hurt them. While Samuels does seem like a left-field choice and one that might seem like a backward step given the number of youngsters in the side, there is no substitute for experience. And the 36-year-old will bring plenty of that to the table, along with a winning mentality which will only be a good thing.