IPL 2024: DC Review: What went wrong for the Delhi Capitals in Pant’s comeback season? - Cricket Winner

The Delhi Capitals had several commendable individual performances in IPL 2024, but a lack of cohesive team efforts resulted in a middling season, leaving them at sixth place on the points table. Despite this, there are positives for the franchise to build on. One of the standout aspects was the remarkable return of Rishabh Pant, who made a strong comeback to cricket.

Pant emerged as the team’s highest run-scorer, amassing 446 runs in 13 innings at a strike rate exceeding 155, while maintaining an impressive average of 40.54. His consistent performances were a beacon of hope for the Capitals amidst their struggles. Before the season began, Delhi Capitals were banking on David Warner, Prithvi Shaw, and Mitchell Marsh to shoulder the bulk of the scoring responsibilities, especially with Pant making his return from injury.

Unfortunately, a combination of injuries and poor form plagued the team, putting them on the backfoot early in the competition. The Capitals managed only one win in their first five matches, a slow start that ultimately hindered their playoff aspirations. Despite these setbacks, the individual brilliance of players like Pant provided glimpses of what the team is capable of, offering a foundation for future campaigns.

See Also: IPL 2024: CSK Review: What factors contributed to the Yellow Army’s inability to retain the IPL title?

DC’s Inconsistent top order

One of the primary reasons for the Delhi Capitals’ inconsistency in IPL 2024 was their unsettled top order. Throughout their 14 games, DC experimented with 11 different top-order (1-3) combinations and five different opening pairs. Shaw and Warner were the most frequent opening duo, partnering five times. Warner’s performance was underwhelming; in eight innings, he scored 168 runs, averaging 21 and striking at 134.40.

His appearances were sporadic, hampered by a hand injury midway through the tournament. Similarly, Mitchell Marsh, who was anticipated to be a key player, was ruled out due to a hamstring injury after scoring just 61 runs in four innings. Shaw, despite his proven record as an IPL opener, was inconsistent, managing 198 runs in eight innings at an average of 24.75.

The Capitals’ top-order struggles were evident, and it wasn’t until after the first five games that they introduced Jake Fraser-McGurk. The Australian made an immediate impact, scoring a 35-ball fifty in his first match of the season, batting at number three. Despite this promising performance, the instability in the top order had already cost DC crucial matches, highlighting the team’s struggle to find a reliable and effective combination. This lack of consistency at the top was a significant factor in their inability to build momentum throughout the season.

DC’s Expensive bowlers

Similarly, in the bowling department, despite some commendable individual performances, Delhi Capitals struggled to contain the scoring rate. The team recorded the second-worst economy rate of the season at 9.93, just slightly better than Sunrisers Hyderabad’s 10.03. Khaleel Ahmed managed to handle the new ball relatively well, finishing with 17 wickets and maintaining an economy of 8.87 in the first six overs, during which he picked up eight wickets. Mukesh Kumar also took 17 wickets but proved to be slightly more expensive.

The spinners, Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel, performed their roles effectively, contributing 16 and 11 wickets respectively, totaling 27 wickets between them. However, the collective bowling effort fell short, and the inability to maintain a tighter economy rate was a significant factor in DC’s inability to control matches, ultimately affecting their overall performance and standing in the tournament.