IPL : Do the Delhi Daredevils have the guts to drop Mohd Asif
The Delhi Daredevils have now lost two games on the trot. I am not going to make the foolish mistake of prophesying doom for them. They still remain one of my favourites to win it all. However, the team now needs to do what champion teams do to win professional leagues.
Champion teams are flexible and know how to make adjustments. If plan A is not working out, they have a plan B in store. Also champion teams don’t pick players on reputation alone. They will drop a superstar without a second thought if he’s not performing and pick a lesser name as a replacement. Putting the best team on the field is more important than massaging star egos.
Delhi can prove that they have the makings of a champion side by dropping Mohd Asif and Shoaib Malik.
Mohd Asif is a great bowler. He is the modern day twin of Glenn McGrath - probably the most accurate bowler of the last 15 years. But while McGrath has been superb, bowling at an economy of 6.1 (best for the Daredevils and fifth best overall), Asif has been poor. His economy of 8.87 has been seventh-best for the Delhi side and 52nd best overall. Farveez Maharoof’s rate of 7.09 (the next best after McGrath’s amongst the Daredevils) is far better and he’s been cooling his heels on the sidelines. Asif’s also been poor in the late overs – getting clobbered for 3 sixes by Pollock in the penultimate over (of a low-scoring game against Mumbai) and then conceding 11 against Chennai with 33 required off 18 balls.
Therefore the Daredevils need to pick Maharoof and drop Asif. Maharoof’s batting will also add steel to the suspect lower-order.
Shoaib Malik has been poor with bat (9th best in the side) and ball (8th best in the side). Also guilty of bowling a terrible last over against Chennai and failing to guide the side home against Mumbai. AB de Villiers has also struggled but having played half as many games as Shoaib, can be given another chance. Delhi has an ideal replacement for Malik in the form of Tillakratne Dilshan - an aggressive middle -order bat who can also bowl some tight overs.
Inspite of the twin setbacks, the Daredevils dont have to lose sleep over it. Like most good sides, they have the bench strength to make the necessary adjustments. Making those changes would be the first step towards bouncing right back in the fray.
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Champion teams are flexible and know how to make adjustments. If plan A is not working out, they have a plan B in store. Also champion teams don’t pick players on reputation alone. They will drop a superstar without a second thought if he’s not performing and pick a lesser name as a replacement. Putting the best team on the field is more important than massaging star egos.
Delhi can prove that they have the makings of a champion side by dropping Mohd Asif and Shoaib Malik.
Mohd Asif is a great bowler. He is the modern day twin of Glenn McGrath - probably the most accurate bowler of the last 15 years. But while McGrath has been superb, bowling at an economy of 6.1 (best for the Daredevils and fifth best overall), Asif has been poor. His economy of 8.87 has been seventh-best for the Delhi side and 52nd best overall. Farveez Maharoof’s rate of 7.09 (the next best after McGrath’s amongst the Daredevils) is far better and he’s been cooling his heels on the sidelines. Asif’s also been poor in the late overs – getting clobbered for 3 sixes by Pollock in the penultimate over (of a low-scoring game against Mumbai) and then conceding 11 against Chennai with 33 required off 18 balls.
Therefore the Daredevils need to pick Maharoof and drop Asif. Maharoof’s batting will also add steel to the suspect lower-order.
Shoaib Malik has been poor with bat (9th best in the side) and ball (8th best in the side). Also guilty of bowling a terrible last over against Chennai and failing to guide the side home against Mumbai. AB de Villiers has also struggled but having played half as many games as Shoaib, can be given another chance. Delhi has an ideal replacement for Malik in the form of Tillakratne Dilshan - an aggressive middle -order bat who can also bowl some tight overs.
Inspite of the twin setbacks, the Daredevils dont have to lose sleep over it. Like most good sides, they have the bench strength to make the necessary adjustments. Making those changes would be the first step towards bouncing right back in the fray.
1 comment:
I might be biased but I think there's a good chance that McGrath will still be bowling well in the IPL when he turns 50 :-)) ... and he will still be muttering when he gets carted for four after dropping the ball short!!
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