A virtual qualifier! Yes, the best term that can define the importance of this game. Both the teams, stuck at 14 points have the baggage of a series of huge losses on their back. The winner of this game will get into the Playoffs automatically while the loser would have to wait for the result of Tuesday’s game between Mumbai Indians and Sunrisers Hyderabad.
Both the teams have had huge consecutive losses, while Delhi have lost four matches in a row, Bangalore have also been subjected to three continuous losses. In such a scenario, this match would not only give the second team in the Playoffs but also make sure that the losing streak of at least one of these teams is broken.
The Delhi Capitals seemed like the team which would win the league this year. They had everything going in their favour with bowlers like Anrich Nortje and Kagiso Rabada hitting the deck well and the spinners in Axar Patel and Ravi Ashwin turning the ball and keeping the scoring rate of the opposition down. The batsmen in Shikhar Dhawan, Shreyas Iyer, and Marcus Stoinis were also hitting the ball well.
Forget winning, now they are even struggling to get into the Playoffs. But how did that happen? Having won seven of their nine games, Delhi faced Kings XI Punjab and from there onwards, the derailing started. The batters lost the plot and the bowlers their rhythm. It so happened that once the leading wicket-taker in the tournament, Rabada has not been able to pick even a single wicket in his last two matches.
The only way in which the Capitals can get back to winning ways is by going back to the basics. The openers need to apply themselves, without having a premeditated score in their mind. Either Stoinis or Iyer has to play till the end and give bowlers some good total to defend. Once a good total is set on the board, the bowlers would most likely defend it as well.
They say a captain is as good as his team. But there is also a term called ‘inspiring’ captain. Sometimes even a good team can fall flat if it's captain, on whom the faith of the entire team and management is placed, fails to get hold of the situation and falls out of form.
Virat Kohli is not a normal player, neither a normal captain, he is someone who has always inspired his troops, be it through his performances or otherwise. This year, that seems to be lacking and he needs to bring his beastly best to rally his team for one final go at the opponents to get into the Playoffs.
Match Number- 55
Date: 02 November 2020, at 7:30 PM IST, 06:00 PM Local, 2.00 PM GMT
Venue: Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi,
Broadcast: Star Sports and Hotstar
The Abu Dhabi pitch as seen from the games played in the last week looks like heaven for the team bowling first. The bowl grips right from the start due to the sticky nature of the wicket. It swings as well and helps the pacers. In the second half, the weather plays its role and dew makes it difficult for the bowlers, especially spinners to grip the bowl.
There are no chances of rain and the wind would blow gently as well. Dew has made its presence in the tournament long back and its impact is getting heavier day after day. Expecting that it would have its impact in this game as well, the team winning the toss would choose to bowl first.
The Capitals have struggled with all combinations. They brought back Prithvi Shaw in the last game as well, but to no avail. The best way to go for them would be to bring back Axar Patel as he is handy with the bat as well. After this, they should go with the full strength of six batsmen and five bowlers. Rishabh Pant has been messy, but the Capitals have no choice as they have no other Indian keeper in the squad, therefore he would also remain part of the Playing XI.
Prithvi Shaw, Shikhar Dhawan, Shreyas Iyer (c), Rishabh Pant (wk), Shimron Hetmyer, Marcus Stoinis, Harshal Patel, Axar Patel, Ravichandran Ashwin, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje
The Bangalore team is also suffering from some really painful selection debacles, although they did bring back Isuru Udana for the last game. Gurkeerat Mann has been truly off-colour and needs to sit out. At his place, a strong finisher like Shivam Dube or Pawan Negi or even for that matter Shahbaz Ahmed needs to play.
Josh Philippe, Devdutt Padikkal, Virat Kohli (c), AB de Villiers (wk), Shivam Dube, Washington Sundar, Chris Morris, Isuru Udana, Mohammed Siraj, Navdeep Saini, Yuzvendra Chahal
Josh Philippe (wk), Shikhar Dhawan (vc), Devdutt Padikkal (c), Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers, Marcus Stoinis, Washington Sundar, Axar Patel, Kagiso Rabada, Navdeep Saini, Anrich Nortje
Captain: Devdutt Padikkal
Vice-captain: Shikhar Dhawan
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