IPL 2024, DC vs LSG Strategic Corner - Delhi Capitals Lay Trap For Nicholas Pooran

Probuddha Bhattacharjee

Nicholas Pooran has been in great form for LSG [AP Photos]Nicholas Pooran has been in great form for LSG [AP Photos]

The Delhi Capitals' next assignment is an away game against the Lucknow Super Giants. The Capitals are currently struggling with form in the tournament. They have lost three of their four matches and are lingering in the bottom half of the table. 

As the Capitals gear up for a comeback, they face a formidable challenge in the form of Nicholas Pooran. His exceptional form and pivotal role in the Super Giants' middle order make him a significant threat for the Capitals. 


Why Nicholas Pooran is the biggest threat for DC?

  • Nicholas Pooran is in great batting form in IPL 2024. He has scored 178 runs in 4 innings and has been dismissed only once in the tournament. His strike rate in this edition of the tournament has been 169.52. 
  • Nicholas Pooran is equally adept at handling both spin and pace. In IPL 2024, Pooran's strike rate against pacers is 162.3, and that jumps to 183.3 against spinners. This shows his ability against all types of bowling. Pooran's massive scoring rate against spinners indicates that he can shift the momentum of a game in his team’s favour with his big-hitting prowess in the middle overs. 
  • The West Indian keeper batter will have the confidence of doing a great job against the same opponent on a slow track in IPL 2023. 

DC's plan vs Nicholas Pooran

Decoding Nicholas Pooran's run scoring in IPL 2024

Line
Strike Rate
Length
Strike Rate
Outside Off Stump172.22Yorker20
Off Stump185.71Full Toss238.46
Middle Stump100.00Full Length170.37
Leg Stump204.76Good Length127.02
--Short Length196.29

The table shows us that a good length area around the middle-stump line is the perfect area to keep Nicky P quiet. Giving room to him is like bringing down the hammer on one's own feet. Therefore, the DC bowlers need to bowl at the stumps around the good-length area and dry down the runs for him. 


Pooran has only been dismissed once in IPL 2024. So, to analyse how to dismiss this dangerous West Indian batter, we will take a look at his dismissals in IPL 2023. 

Nicholas Pooran's dismissal areas in IPL 2023

Line
Dismissals
Length
Dismissals
Outside Off Stump6Full Toss1
Middle Stump 1Full Length7
Leg Stump4Good Length

On the basis of the stats available, here is a pitch map for Nicholas Pooran.

Pitch map for Nicholas Pooran [OneCricket]Pitch map for Nicholas Pooran [OneCricket]

The area of his dismissals in IPL 2023 shows that full deliveries outside the off-stump line have done the trick most of the time against him. What the stats don’t show is that most of the time, it was an off-pace delivery that led to Pooran’s downfall. So, while drying his runs up, the bowlers need to show daring and go full and wide outside the off stump while taking the pace off the delivery. The ideal bowler for them against Pooran could be Khaleel Ahmed.