Published: Apr 27, 2016, 08:57 AM (IST)
Edited: Apr 27, 2016, 09:40 AM (IST)
Delhi Daredevils have returned from the dead and won three games on a trot after suffering a tragic defeat in the first game and now find themselves among the top four teams in the points table. DD, inarguably have one of the most formidable bowling attacks in the tournament, with the likes of Zaheer Khan, Mohammad Shami, Chris Morris, Amit Mishra and Imran Tahir, who inspire confidence. Conventionally, T20 is reckoned as a batsman’s game but yet there are few bowlers who prove their worth in gold and bowlers like Mishra and Tahir belong to that rare breed. Suraj Choudhari feels the inclusion of Tahir in the line-up is a masterstroke by DD management and the pair of Mishra and Tahir will be the one to watch out henceforth.Full Cricket Scorecard:Delhi Daredevils vs Gujarat Lions, IPL 2016 Match 23 at Delhi
Leg-spinners are wicket-takers; they may leak runs but are meant for business even in a game of uncertainties like T20. And DD certainly have two match-winning leggies in their dugout with Mishra and Tahir. Playing both of them collectively and letting them bowl simultaneously is like having a double edged sword in full swing. READ: Delhi Daredevils vs Gujarat Lions, IPL 2016 Match 23 at Delhi: Preview
One doesn’t need to be reminded about the impact Mishra had in the ICC World T20 2014. In fact, Dhoni trusted him so much that he threw the ball to the wily leggie in the death overs and Mishra certainly stood to his skippers’ expectations. Mishra has analysed the game well, he bowls with a big heart and has enough variations up his sleeves. He dares enough to toss the ball up despite being hit for a six on the previous delivery. His stock delivery which is the convention leg-spin also has a striking loop and zip off the wicket for purchase. He gets enough revolution on the ball to make it turn massively. His googly which he bowls without a discernible change in action is difficult to pick for any genius at the crease. DD vs GL, IPL 2016, Match 23 at Delhi: Quinton de Kock vs Dhawal Kulkarni and other key battles
Talking about Tahir, his primary weapon is his googly which he uses to a good effect. He has established himself as one of the most effective white ball bowlers. He’s a proven match-winner and has done a commendable job for South Africa in T20Is. He is a kind of a bowler who can turn the game on its head in an over, well capable of picking a couple of back to back wickets.
Both the bowlers are different; they are unique in their own ways. Mishra and Tahir can form a match-winning tag team as they complement each other well. Though both are leg-spinners but this is for sure that if the duo is operational there will either be ample of runs or a cluster of wickets. Tahir has a tendency of leaking runs but he is a wicket-taking bowler which is like gold in this format.
Mishra has scalped 7 wickets at an astounding average of 10.28 and an overwhelming economy of 6.00 in four outings so far in IPL 2016. These numbers are a testament to his stand out abilities in a game where batsmen hold immense value. Tahir on the other hand featured in a solitary game where he remained wicket-less for 29 runs in his spell of four overs. But he’s a world class bowler and similar to Mishra’s calibre. DD need to invest more in him, he can win games single-handedly. And with the presence of Mishra, Zaheer, Morris and Shami, DD collectively wear a dominant bowling look along with Pawan Negi and part-time offie JP Duminy. It’s just a matter of time when these two tweakers will win DD matches solely with their spin webs.
DD have been inconsistent in the last three seasons where they failed to make it to the play-offs. They are off to a good start and have the ingredients to make an impact this time. The gamble of playing Mishra and Tahir together could turn out to the X factor for them.
(Suraj Choudhari is a reporter with Criclife and CricketCountry. He is an avid follower of the game, and plays the sport at club level. He has a radical understanding about the subtle nuances and intricacies of cricket, and tries to express it through paper and pen.)
