Rishabh Pant has led the Delhi Capitals well since taking over last season when he took the side through to the playoffs but failed to reach the final. This year, although DC have won 3 games while losing 4, Pant has been lauded at times for marshalling his side in a commendable manner because they have missed players due to covid-19 and unavailability.
However, his bowling changes at times have been really questionable and has got plenty of flak for it. Pant has shown immense faith in part-time off-spinner Lalit Yadav, who really isn’t a great turner of the ball, especially when there is a left-hander at the crease.
That move, however, has gone down wrong twice in two games. Lalit was smacked for 41 runs in his 4 overs against Rajasthan Royals, while Axar Patel bowled just 2 overs and Kuldeep, the in-form spinner, bowled three. Yet, Pant seemed to have not learned from his mistake versus RR and repeated it against Kolkata Knight Riders.
It’s grind day.
#RP17 pic.twitter.com/4dxRvgakMQ
— Rishabh Pant (@RishabhPant17) April 25, 2022
After electing to bowl first, DC were on top of KKR with Shreyas Iyer‘s side struggling at 101/6 after 16 overs as Kuldeep Yadav, who had taken 4 wickets in their previous meeting, once again dismantled them snapping four wickets in his first three overs, conceding just 14 runs.
While cricketing logic suggests Kuldeep complete his quota of 4 overs, Rishabh Pant went the other way, bringing Lalit Yadav for the 17th over; by then Lalit had bowled two overs for 15 runs but Pant persisted with him for a third over instead of giving Kuldeep his last over despite the chinaman taking 4 wickets and being high on confidence. Pant’s thought process would have been to bowl the off-spinner, Lalit, to two left-handers at the crease, Nitish Rana and Rinku Singh.
However, had Pant done his homework and looked into Rana’s game, he’d have learned that Rana is an absolute marauder of off-spin bowling despite the ball turning away from him. What happened in Lalit’s over was almost predictable: Rana hammered him for a six off a no-ball and then another maximum, taking 17 runs off the over and bringing KKR back in the game.
Mustafizur and Thakur completed the last three overs where Rana and Rinku, both now confidence, took some boundaries to take KKR to a fighting total; Kuldeep didn’t get to complete his quota of four overs.
Former India cricket and now commentator Aakash Chopra questioned this move by the Delhi Capitals skipper, Rishabh Pant, saying that Kuldeep not bowling his fourth over despite taking four scalps in his first three overs was the biggest mystery of the season.
“Kuldeep Yadav not finishing his quota will be one of the biggest mysteries this season. Four wickets in three overs,” Aakash Chopra tweeted.
Kuldeep Yadav not finishing his quota will be one of the biggest mysteries this season. Four wickets in three overs. #IPL2022
— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) April 28, 2022
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