IPL 2018, DD V RR: 5 player battles to look forward to

The Delhi Daredevils’ loss in the previous game has made their position quite desperate and in the remaining 6 games, they have to win at least 5 if they are to have any chance of making it to the top 4. They return to their home for tonight’s game against the Rajasthan Royals, who have lost their previous game as well and are currently placed third from bottom.

Both the teams are desperate for a win and has all the ingredients for a mouth-watering clash. DD’s thrashing of Kolkata Knight Riders in their last home game bodes well for them. Ultimately the game will be decided by some of the individual battles that will take place tonight and here is a look at 5 of the most interesting ones.

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#5 Avesh Khan v Sanju Samson

The RR wicketkeeper-batsman has been one of the most consistent run scorers in the tournament so far. Sanju Samson is the team’s highest run-maker with 279 runs at an average of 46.50, in addition to a strike rate of 147.61 at number 3. He likes pace on the ball and has been a clinical hitter of fast bowling throughout the tournament.

Hence, his duel with another youngster in the form of DD’s quick bowler Avesh Khan is going to be an engrossing one. Khan bowls quick and has troubled plenty of batsmen throughout the course of the 3 games that he has played so far. In a largely expensive bowling attack, he has been excellent and has gone for only 7.75 runs an over so far. Tonight Samson will come up against a bowler who is in excellent rhythm and bowling brilliantly, which makes the battle a gladiatorial one.

#4 Glenn Maxwell v Ish Sodhi

Glenn Maxwell is one of the biggest stars of T20 cricket but his performances so far for DD has been nothing short of abysmal. He is averaging 18 and hence his strike rate of 159.49 is immaterial. The right-hander has the highest score of 47 and perhaps in this run of last few games, he ought to deliver if DD are to win at least 5 out of the last 6 games. If he does, then he is a player who can decide a game in the matter of a few overs and that is what RR must be a bit worried about.

That being said, he his troubles against spin have almost been comical during this season and in Ish Sodhi, RR have a bowler who has had the better of the Australian in the past. He has bowled to Maxwell 28 times and has gone for only 31 runs, while also claiming his wicket twice. The New Zealand leg-spinner played his first game in RR’s last encounter with SRH and tonight, his duel with his Trans-Tasman rival is going to be a vital one.

#3 Amit Mishra v Ben Stokes

Ben Stokes

The England all-rounder is one of the most important players in the RR side but his batting has so far been a disappointment and his struggles against spin bowling has been particularly alarming. Ben Stokes is averaging 21 and striking at only 123.52 and considering the fact that he is responsible for middle-order runs, his failures against spin are becoming even more of a problem for RR. However, in this latter half of games, Stokes would need to find a solution to these troubles and come good so that RR can make it to top 4.

His biggest challenge tonight would be playing DD’s Indian leg-spinner Amit Mishra and after being clobbered in the first game of the campaign, he has come back strongly. He is now solely responsible for bowling in the middle-overs and has provided DD with the sort of control that is so necessary for T20s. His economy rate so far in the middle overs has been 6.7 per over and when he comes up against a power-hitter like Stokes, it would become a contest that could go a long way in deciding the course of the RR innings.

#2 Trent Boult v Ajinkya Rahane

Trent Boult

The RR captain may not have set the IPL on fire yet but he has been amongst the runs and Ajinkya Rahane’s wicket will be crucial for DD if they are to get the better of the visitors’ batting line-up. He is their second highest-scorer with a tally of 225 runs and has recorded an average of 37.50, in addition to a strike rate of 130.05.

What is interesting is that the Indian batsman has been much more successful against spin than against pace. He is striking at 143 against spinners against 117.2 against the faster bowlers and that is why the opening duel against DD’s Trent Boult will be so important. Boult is one of the world’s leading fast bowlers but he has not had a great IPL so far, having gone for 9.18 an over so far in 8 games. However, he has taken 11 wickets and if he can eke out the wicket of Rahane in his initial burst, then DD would definitely have a better chance of winning tonight’s must-win game.

#1 Rishabh Pant v Jofra Archer

Jofra Archer

The young wicketkeeper-batsman has been a revelation for DD in this year’s IPL and Rishabh Pant’s power-hitting at number 4 has been one of the biggest positives for the team. He is the team’s highest scorer with a total of 306 runs and what is perhaps most important is that he has recorded a brilliant strike rate of 170.94. Even in the last game, he played a lone hand of 79 to take DD as close as he could to the mammoth target set by CSK. The left-handed batsman would definitely like to continue from where he left off and play another match-defining innings for his side.

However, this time he would have to contend with one of the world’s best T20 bowlers in the form of Jofra Archer, who has been quite brilliant so far. He was injured at the start of the tournament but since his return, he has been absolutely brilliant in the two games that he has played so far. He has picked up 6 wickets and has gone for only 6 runs an over, despite bowling at the death. Those are world-class numbers and the battle between the power-hitter and one of the tournament’s finest death bowlers is going to be a veritable treat for all concerned.