OPINION
Follow UsWhen Lucknow Super Giants put Delhi Capitals to bat, there was a worry amongst the Delhi fans. After the first two games, Delhi in the powerplay averaged just 14.8 runs/wicket, 12 balls/wicket and lost six wickets. Prithvi Shaw top-scored for the franchise in the first six overs, with 29 runs, at a strike-rate of 145. The worry was justified.
The gulf difference between him, Tim Seifert, Mandeep Singh, Lalit Yadav and Rishabh Pant was mind-boggling. Evidently, all of them struggled to make any sort of impact, which left Delhi extremely paper thin. Since the beginning of IPL 2020, the Delhi fans have gotten used to watching Shikhar Dhawan and Shaw at the top of the order.
In between Dhawan and Shaw, there were 1117 runs, an average of 34.5 and a strike-rate of 141. The expectations, naturally was bound to be high after the standards the duo have set for the fans in the IPL.
But only from one of the two stars: Shaw.
There were a lot of talks that surrounded Shaw, of course, the ones relating to how he had failed the Yo Yo Test. "Please don't judge me when you don't know my situation. You are creating your own Karma," posted Shaw on his Instagram story.
And his actions were there to see, he came out with an intent (well-seen) before and played with his front foot always forward. While the start was sedate, with just the three runs, what followed later was carnage, perhaps the only reason why Shaw is always in contention for a spot in the Indian team, the fact that he can leave an instantaneous impact.
“Prithvi (Shaw) did make it look easy, for me I also felt that it was a slow surface,” credited the player of the match, Quinton de Kock.
In just the first six, against the off-spinner, Krishnappa Gowtham, he took the chance, smashed him through the off-side. Despite Jason Holder’s towering presence, Shaw did not pay too much of heed, spraying to all parts of the ground, including a maximum on the leg-side. And the carnage continued, with 47 runs in just 27 balls, finding a boundary every 3 deliveries.
Since the start of IPL 2020, only Dhawan and Rahul have scored more runs than Shaw in the powerplay, and amongst the Indian openers, Shaw’s strike-rate (154.8) is the best numbers for any player in the first six overs. While being risky doesn’t always equate to success, the right-hander has ensured that more times than not, it has been a success, which makes him pretty unique.
Pant struggled where Shaw dazzled
If Shaw was the better part of the puzzle, Delhi Capitals’ skipper Rishabh Pant had a night of struggle against the Lucknow bowlers. Their plan was pretty effective, bowling wide away from Pant, restricting his hitting zones, with just 13 runs off 15 ball on deliveries wide outside.
During his stay at the crease, the Indian southpaw had a total of 16 dot balls, including six on the trot against Gowtham’s off-spin. His leg-side game too was well tested, with Pant only scoring nine runs off the 14 balls that were on his pads, showing less efficiency on his pads.
While the pitch was sticky, was a tricky one for the batters, Pant’s approach has been quite alarming for a long time now. In the same time period, the southpaw has struggled to up the ante, with a strike-rate of 121.8, which falls alarmingly to just 105.82 against the tweakers. Against the spinners, the Delhi skipper only scores a boundary after 10.1 deliveries, once again showing his inability against the slower bowlers.
It has been a recurrent theme and it was once again on display, with just 11 runs off 18 balls against the spinners, striking at just 61.11. His innings-builder paints the perfect picture, from his first 20 balls, the left-hander only scored 12 runs, with just the one boundary, even when the match-up was evidently in his favour.
Yes, Pant is still a big match player and, in the past, has shown great attacking intent but with the long line of Indian wicketkeepers – Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan and Dinesh Karthik – is Pant’s approach in the shortest format still viable?
