Before even a ball was bowled, the Deccan Chargers (DC) were touted as one of the strongest teams in the IPL. While the batting line-up boasts of Symonds, Gilchrist, Gibbs, Rohit Sharma and all-rounders - Scott Styris and Shahid Afridi, only a fool would not bet on them going the distance.
Devoid of any Bollywood star power the team’s motto was to concentrate on cricket. Ten days into the tournament and four games later they are languishing at the second last place, just ahead of the other big team that is destined for doom - the Mumbai Indians.
In spite of winning Sunday’s fixture against Mumbai Indians, VVS Laxman’s woes are not going to vanish in a hurry. They’ve lost 3 games - out of the 4 they have played, and their star centurion Andrew Symmonds is leaving. From here on, in this competition (DC) will have to win 80 per cent of their remaining matches in order to get to the semi-final.
How did it happen?
DC was caught on the wrong foot on the wrong pitch in their first match against Kolkata Knight Riders. For the next match DC was playing in Hyderabad with home advantage but with a disadvantage of having Sehwag as their nemesis. The worst came in their third game against the Rajasthan Royals. After scoring a very competitive 214 runs, thanks to Symmo’s 117(53), it came down to defending 17 runs in the last over. Five balls later, Shane Warne, R.R’s jubilant captain was seen being carried off the field by his team mates on their shoulders and the Chargers were left to lick their wounds.
Why?
Except the last match against Mumbai Indians, the Chargers each time have faltered in either the bowling or the batting department. The Chargers’ over dependence on two of their main players Gilchrist and Symonds where each - barring one game failed to fire was the main cause for their predicament.
All three major all-rounders have performed badly in either bowling or batting. Symonds was hammered all round the park and Afridi has failed to play more than 10 deliveries in a match. The Chargers lack on both these counts. Plus the technically sound Laxman coming at the top of the order adds to their slack tempo.
Where to go from here?
The Deccan Chargers only hope now rests on two players, Herschelle Gibbs- who will surely get all the games in the absence or Symmo and Gilchrist who has found his form. Gibbs can match Symmonds shot for shot in batting and in fielding. With Gilchrist back to doing what he does best and a little help from Afridi the DC can still become the favourites. In fact, out of all the three 400crore plus teams it is the Chargers alone that has the chance to prove their worth.
April 27, 2008
