New Delhi: Early momentum can be a somewhat misleading indicator of form and ability in a long tournament. In the context of the Indian Premier League for example, Mumbai Indians suffered a horror start to their 2015 campaign but came back roaring at the end. Away from cricket, Barcelona FC and Mohun Bagan AC are discovering to their consternation that winning starts do not necessarily translate into titles at the end of the season. No doubt, both the Delhi Daredevils and Kings XI Punjab will bank on the ‘bounce-back’ factor going into their second game of IPL-9 at the Kotla here on Friday, hoping to get their challenge back on the rails.
The two northern India teams have a chequered IPL history and while the Daredevils have acquired the reputation of being perennial under-achievers, the Kings are something of a roller-coaster unit, plunging to dead last in 2015 from being beaten finalists the previous year. Delhi could not even reach three figures in their away opener against Kolkata Knight Riders four days ago, and recently-appointed mentor Rahul Dravid will have been at work on the drawing board to find a more effective combination against the Kings on the morrow.
On paper, Delhi, twice Champions League qualifiers, have a batting unit that can raise big scores. South Africans Quinton de Kock and JP Duminy are dangerous batsmen in the 20-over format with a contingent of young Indian talent behind them, getting runs from whom being just the sort of task Dravid seems to relish, Looming over them all, of course, is the massive Carlos Braithwaite, who wrote himself into the history books so dramatically just a fortnight ago at Eden Gardens with his high-explosive finish against England in the final of the World T20. His IPL debut was something of a damp squib, and the Barbadian will want to get his scoring shoes on as quickly as possible.
India veteran Zaheeer Khan and his attack could not contain the Kolkata batsmen defending 98, while Kings too faltered against the Lions despite having posted a healthy 161/6. Bowling coaches of both teams will thus, have been hard at work in the run-up to Friday, and it remains to be seen whose plans hold up better out under the lights.
