Thursday, 4 December 2014

Analysing Delhi Ranji team

The Delhi team that has been selected for the first Ranji Trophy match against Saurashtra contains no surprises. Ashish Nehra has gone a step further and rested himself even at the start of the season. Nehra played in the Vijay Hazare one-dayers in Himachal Pradesh and was below par in helpful conditions. In previous seasons he has refrained from playing two back-to-back Ranji matches as his body doesn’t allow it. But this resting at the start of the season without even getting your body taxed is a new thing. Any updates on his fitness. We know that he is harbouring World Cup hopes and it is strange that he feels he can last the entire high pressure world cup despite his fragile body.
The other major inclusion is of Pradeep Sangwan. Sangi, the left-arm seamer, is coming off a doping ban. He is a handy seamer but only handy. He can’t go all the way and deliver really quick stuff and if the wicket is less supportive, he can be no good. But he is still included thanks to his experience and also some backing from Virender Sehwag, who rates him high. Sangi said that he has worked a lot hard on his fitness. How much, only time and his performance will tell. To start with, he has a good place to start with --- the Roshanara Club grounds, which are very supportive for seamers.
The news also is that Mithun Manhas is injured. And he has been replaced by Himmat Singh, the U-19 Delhi skipper who is apparently rated highly by everyone, including chief selector Yashpal Singh. Himmat has two fifties and one big century against Tripura in the Cooch Behar Trophy. He is one for the future but will he get to play in a star-studded line-up and will he perform on a testing Roshanara wicket remains to be seen.
Gautam Gambhir, Virender Sehwag and Unmukt Chand will be the cynosure of all eyes despite their failure in the Vijay Hazare one-dayers. Sehwag says he still harbours world cup hopes. Well, he better prove to really catch a flight down to Australia. There is a feeling that he doesn’t stand a chance as he squandered the last remaining opportunity in the domestic one-dayers and he opted out of the zonal one-dayers, the Deodhar Trophy. But a couple blistering, big knocks in Ranji may help him as he is a big name. Gambhir too has been struggling. He is getting a bit more runs that Viru paaji but Gauti looks ungainly and is not inspiring confidence these days. He too may have to really dig deep. He wants a result, has taken a risk by opting for the tough Roshanara Club grounds for a result, but it’ll be tough work for him as a batsman. Unmukt comes up with gems but not when he is playing for Delhi. This has irked the selection panel, which even asked coach Vijay Dahiya if there is a need to replace him. But Unmukt, it seems has become a brand, big and promising enough for Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir to let him go for Deodhar instead of them and for national selector Vikram Rathour to back him.
Puneet Bisht, despite some below average showings, retains his spot while Rajat Bhatia, the only player who has consistently produced performances will again hold the key.
Navdeep Saini, Gambhir-backed lad, will again be part of the pace attack, along with his close friend Sumit Narwal, Pradeep Sangwan and hard-working Parvinder Awana.

 

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