IPL 2018, Match 26, DD vs KKR - Delhi Daredevils Predicted XI

The Delhi Daredevils are in a terrible place in the Indian Premier League at the moment. They have already lost 5 matches out of the 6 that they have played in the season. They languish at the bottom of the points table and have a lot to worry about. If at all they wish to make it to the playoffs, they will have to play some brilliant brand of cricket to defy all odds that are against them from all corners at the moment.

To make things tougher for them, Gautam Gambhir has stepped down as the captain of the side. Certainly, it will be tough for the team to regroup under a new leader in Shreyas Iyer. While it is an ideal opportunity for someone like Iyer to thrive and make a name for himself, the situation also puts the side in a precarious state with no senior head taking the leadership roles anymore.

With this backdrop, the team is set to play against the Kolkata Knight Riders in their next fixture. The last time these two sides met in the competition, KKR had thumped Delhi Daredevils by 71 runs. The odds are against Delhi, the numbers are against them, and the form is against them. So what combinations with the double Ds put forth for the match against the Knight Riders? They need to get their best XI to win this game.

Here is the Delhi Daredevils Predicted XI for the match:

Openers (Gautam Gambhir, Prithvi Shaw)

Despite the fact that Gautam Gambhir has stepped down as the captain of the Delhi Daredevils side, it is unlikely that he will be rested for this game. Gambhir’s form has been poor this season and he rightfully admits it too. Barring a fifty that he scored in the first match for the side, he has only managed to get single digit scores since then. He will hope to contribute to the team as a player now.

Gambhir is likely to be assisted by Prithvi Shaw in the opening slot. With doubts over the fitness of Jason Roy, Shaw could be the beneficiary again. Shaw made his IPL debut in the previous game and scored a brisk 20. He looked quite composed at the crease and would not hope to convert the good starts to bigger knocks.

Middle-Order (Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant, Glenn Maxwell)

In the middle-order Shreyas Iyer will have a greater responsibility to carry for the team. In the previous game, he stayed till the very end with a fifty to his name but failed to get his side over the line. Now, as the captain of the side, he will have to shoulder more responsibility and needs to ensure that he gets his side to the wins they have been craving for.

Rishabh Pant has been the most successful batsman for the Delhi Daredevils in the season thus far. The hard-hitting batsman, however, needs to calm down a bit and play more sensibly. On most occasions, Pant has been found guilty of throwing his wicket away after getting good starts.

The overseas firepower has been lacking for the Daredevils. They have had high hopes from Glenn Maxwell. But the veteran Aussie all-rounder has been largely disappointing. He comes in, hits an odd boundary, ends up with a slog that leads to his dismissal. In the last couple of games, he has managed to contribute with the ball as well.

All-rounders (Chris Morris)

All-rounder Chris Morris is likely to be back in the side for this game. Morris missed out on playing the previous game owing to a slight niggle. While Morris is a big name when it comes to his stature in the DD camp, his performances have largely been a shadow of the same this year. He needs to step up big time.

Spinners (Jayant Yadav, Amit Mishra)

In the spin bowling department, the team is likely to continue with Amit Mishra in the side. Amit Mishra brings in a lot of experience to the table. Mishra has tasted a lot of success at the Feroz Shah Kotla, and hence, is likely to retain his place in the playing eleven for the match.

Also, the Delhi camp could finally part ways with Rahul Tewatia in the game. Tewatia, owing to his slogging abilities, has managed to stay back in the playing eleven for all fixtures this season. But, he has failed to score runs or trouble the batsmen with his tweakers this season. In all likelihood, someone like Jayant Yadav or Gurkeerat Mann could come in to the side. They will add depth to the batting.

Fast bowlers (Liam Plunkett, Avesh Khan, Trent Boult)

The Delhi Daredevils unearthed a great bowling option in Liam Plunkett in the previous game. Plunkett returned with figures of 3/17 in his debut IPL game against the Kings XI Punjab. It will only be fair if he gets another go in the season. he has bowled tight lines and can be a good support to Trent Boult.

Trent Boult, by far, has been the solitary positive point for the Delhi camp this season. Boult has bowled consistently well and it has been the case of running out of  partners for him in the bowling department. He creates pressure from his end, but the other bowlers end up disappointing him.

Avesh Khan played his first match of the season in the previous game against the Kings. He bowled very well with the new ball and looked highly impressive with his control over the ball. He is likely to retain his place in the side. With the likes of Mohammed Shami not delivering, it is fair to give chances to youngsters like Avesh.

Here’s DD Predicted XI for the game against KKR

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