IPL 2018: How Delhi Daredevils might line up

Delhi Daredevils had been underdogs for a major part of the last decade of the IPL. With no titles to their name, Daredevils entered the auctions with an aim to rejuvenate the squad.

They did a surprisingly good job at the auctions and managed to build up a balanced squad on paper. With Gautam Gambhir coming back to the squad as the skipper, the Daredevils look like they have ticked all the boxes.

Like last year, this year also the Daredevils seem to have invested in younger players, with players like Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant, Gurkeerat Singh and Vijay Shankar making their way into the squad. It will be interesting to see how these younger talents flourish under Gambhir's captaincy.

Now, let's take a look at how their final XI might shape up to be.

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Openers (Colin Munro and Gautam Gambhir)

Colin Munro was one of the best buys for Delhi this auction. The New Zealander has been in the form of his life, with his recent century making him the first and only batsman yet to score three centuries in T20 Internationals.

Munro will be vital at the top, as he is the one who can make full use of the powerplay overs.

The captain is most likely to play his regular role as an opener. Gautam Gambhir will bring stability at the top as he has the ability to play long innings. With plenty of firepower down the order, Gambhir can play his natural game and anchor the innings well.

Middle order & Wicket-keeper (Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant and Gurkeerat Singh Mann)

Shreyas Iyer has been consistent for Daredevils in past three years. He has also impressed everyone at the international level, making the most of every opportunity that came his way. Iyer will need to continue his recent form and take the responsibility for his side at number three.

A left-handed, destructive, middle order keeper-batsman is a rare commodity in Indian cricket. Rishabh Pant has been in limelight in recent times and has been looked at as MS Dhoni's successor.

Pant had a good run in 2017 but was unable to impress at the international level owing to some poor shot selection. He would be eager to gain back the confidence, and what can be a better stage than the IPL?

Gurkeerat Singh Mann has been around for quite a while now but hasn't got many chances. The hard-hitting batsman has impressed everyone playing for Punjab in the domestic circuit.

He has the ability to finish games and is also a handy bowler, which makes him a great asset in the T20s. If he has fair chances coming his way, this can finally be a break-out year for the lower order batsman.

All-rounders (Glenn Maxwell, Vijay Shankar and Chris Morris)

One of the most destructive batsmen in world cricket, Glenn Maxwell has made his presence felt in the IPL in the past. Apart from IPL 2014, he never really set the tournament on fire but, nevertheless, on his day, he can turn any game on its head.

He is also one of the few players who can be used as floater depending on the match situation. Along with this, the fact that he can bowl two to three overs a match will be enough to assure him a place in the playing XI.

Vijay Shankar was one of the better buys for Delhi this auction. The Tamil Nadu all-rounder recently earned the Indian cap and was a part of India's team for Nidahas Trophy.

Though he did not get enough opportunities to display his batting prowess, he certainly impressed with his accurate medium pace bowling. He will be Gautam Gambhir's go-to bowler during the middle overs.

One of the three players to be retained by Delhi, Chris Morris had an amazing IPL 2017, both with the bat and bowl. He scored 154 runs with strike rate of 163 and took 12 wickets at an economy rate of less than 8. He had been a bit out of form of late, and it will be interesting to see how he makes a comeback.

Bowlers (Kagiso Rabada, Amit Mishra and Shahbaz Nadeem)

An obvious choice, Rabada is currently at the peak of his powers. He certainly brings that X-factor into the squad with his express pace.

With a doubt surrounding Shami's inclusion in the side, Rabada will have to lead the bowling attack. The young bowler, however, will need to address the fact that he can be a bit expensive in the death overs.

The second highest wicket-taker in the IPL, Amit Mishra, brings with him tons of experience. The veteran leg-spinner will lead the spin department, which does seem to be heavily reliant on him. Daredevils will be hoping that the wrist spinner continues his consistent performance in the shortest format of the game.

The inclusion of Shahbaz Nadeem makes sense as a left-arm orthodox bowler. His inclusion makes sure that Delhi have all bases covered. Nadeem is an experienced campaigner and has been delivering consistently in the domestic circuit.

With a new captain and few specialist players, Delhi Daredevils look set to overturn their past record. Yet, the form of some key players like Rishabh Pant, Chris Morris, Glenn Maxwell, Gautam Gambhir and Amit Mishra will be the key to their success.