IPL 2014: 3 Point Mantra for Delhi Daredevils renaissance

Delhi Daredevils have won 2 out of their 6 games so far. Had Jean-Paul Duminy been sent in earlier in the narrow 4-run loss against Sunrisers Hyderabad at Dubai, they would have had one more in their count. It would be fair to say that they have punched above their weight, more so when you consider the fact that, 4 matches into the season, their strike bowler Nathan Coulter-Nile was ruled out of the season due to injury. I wonder what would it have been had they found the right combination, which they haven't done yet. While they still have a realistic chance of making it to the play-offs, let us look at 3 changes that they need to make to be in the hunt.

#1 What good is Wayne Parnell?

29 wickets in 28 games at an economy rate of 7.99: These are Wayne Parnell's figures in the international T20 circuit. They don't demand his inclusion as an overseas player in an IPL side.

1/35, 1/17, 0/38, 0/19 (in 3 overs): His figures in his four matches for the Daredevils this season. This doesn't sound promising, either. So, on what merit is he still in the team?

Quite surprisingly, the Daredevils went for Parnell ahead of Coulter-Nile for the first two matches this year. They were quick to realise that he is no good, though. The Australian fast bowler took just one match to show what they missed, bowling exceptional spells both upfront and at the death in the match against Kolkata Knight Riders.

Now that Coulter-Nile is ruled out, given the Indian bowlers' inability to bowl at the slog, I can understand the Daredevils' reluctance to go in without an overseas bowler. But when your overseas bowler is Parnell, you really need to reconsider the ploy.

Can Parnell challenge the best of the batsmen with the new ball? Is he a Lasith Malinga or Umar Gul at the death? Does he specialise in variations? Is he express fast?

The answer to all the above questions would be 'no'. Now that I want him out, what plans do I have to replace him?

#2 Siddarth Kaul and Rahul Shukla

What are Siddarth Kaul and Rahul Shukla doing on the bench?

Having taken 24 wickets in his 21 domestic T20 games at an economy rate of 6.38, Kaul, known for his ability to swing the new ball, has made quite a few appearances for the Delhi-based franchise in IPL 2013. Look at what Sandeep Sharma, a bowler with similar strengths, has done for Kings X1 Punjab.

Rahul Shukla sends down thunderbolts. Consistent in clocking 140 kmph, Shukla made his mark with the Rajasthan Royals in the 2013 IPL season. Look at what Varun Aaron is doing for Royal Challengers Bangalore.

If you are going to be carted for runs anyway, what harms you in trying out young Indian pacers who have the potential to succeed?

If included, they have to be used in a way so that they can deliver to their full capacity. How do you do that?

The PK way: Give Kaul 4 overs upfront. Let him make complete use of the new cherry. One of the most underrated aspects in T20 cricket is the importance of the new ball bowlers: strike early and dictate the game. It lessens the need for the Malingas and the Guls.

Reserve Shukla: Nothing is as worse as unleashing a rookie Indian fast bowler in the Powerplay overs. Unless the opposition is on the backfoot as a result of the early inroads made by the other bowlers, don't use Shukla in the Powerplays. He is erratic, and it is easy to unsettle him when he has got no protection at the deep. Let the fielders spread out, then give him a go. While the overseas players may find it relatively easier, the Indian counterparts will find it extremely demanding to slog him at that pace. When he nips them back in, which he can, even the better ones will struggle.

#3 Team Combination

I have already stressed on the need for Kedar Jadhav at number 4. He is someone who can build the innings, nullify quality spinners even on challenging decks, and then take the attack to the faster bowlers at the death. While Manoj Tiwary has not succeeded, partly due to his sloppiness and partly due to Delhi's gullible ways of using him, I would give him enough space to express himself at number 3 on slower decks. On flatter ones, Saurabh Tiwary is worth a shot.

Revamped squad - Kevin Pietersen, Quinton de Kock, Manoj Tiwary, Kedar Jadhav, JP Duminy, James Neesham, Siddarth Kaul, Mohammed Shami, Shahbaz Nadeem, Jaydev Unadkat, Rahul Shukla (a detailed explanation of why they find themselves in these positions can be found here - Rally behind Kevin Pietersen ).

As I firmly believe that no limited overs cricket line-ups should ever be constant, it will change according to situations. The reason why Tiwary and Jadhav find themselves at such crucial positions is their ability to attack quality spinners.

I am not a great supporter of De Kock on turners. He would start off well, but, once the spinners are introduced, his limitations would surface, as has been witnessed in his outings so far. However, with the Daredevils not having the comfort of a reliable 4th overseas player and with the team scheduled to play most of their matches at Delhi, Ahmedabad, Mumbai and Mohali - surfaces which don't have great support for spinners - it makes sense to load the batting line-up.

The competition for the spot comes from Murali Vijay and Dinesh Karthik, both of whom haven't done much to gain an automatic selection. Vijay has set his standards so low that he has tricked fans into believing that he has been doing well in the tournament. 134 runs in 6 matches at a strike-rate of 112.90 is below-par by any standards. A better account of Vijay's woeful T20 batting records can be found in the link given above.

The Delhi management has just been too harsh on James Neesham. Unlike his Kiwi teammate Corey Anderson, he did look in good shape when he was going for his shots. It was there for all of us to see when he played a quality knock on his Test match debut against India earlier this year. They need to stick with him, and the good batting surfaces are only going to make his job easier.