Why DC made a mistake by not handing Rabada the final over, and why they were correct in benching Stoinis
IPL 2021, DC against CSK: Some of DC's moves smacked of naiveté, such as not using up all of Rabada's quota, but others, such as not using up Ashwin, were less obvious.
Some argue that the Delhi Capitals made a slew of tactical errors in their playoff loss to Chennai Super Kings, from not starting the fit-again Marcus Stoinis in the match eleven to entrusting Tom Curran with the last-over duties, and not fully utilizing the skills and intelligence of Kagiso Rabada and Ravichandran Ashwin. Some of their decisions were foolish, such as not using up all of Rabada's quota, but others, such as not using up all of Ashwin's, were less so. Stoinis, on the other hand, had been completely average this season before breaking into the starting lineup.
Why was Tom Curran tasked with last-over responsibilities?
The England cricketer, who was born in South Africa, was the night's most successful DC bowler (three wickets). After a 1
A 10-run partnership between Robin Uthappa and Ruturaj Gaikwad, it was his two-wicket burst that sparked DC's comeback. He was also their most economical bowler until the penultimate over, surrendering fewer than six runs per over, with his cutters and slower balls proving difficult to crush for boundaries. So, with 13 runs to defend, Rishabh Pant was sensible in shoving him with the last over. They thought Rabada's pace was a risk, Ashwin had a difficult day (19 runs in 2 overs), and Curran's deft change of pace could be a problem on the ground.
What was the strategy's reversal?
Two things conspired against him. First and foremost, he has no prior experience bowling at the death. He's more of a middle-over suffocate than a death-over destroyer. He was also playing the opening game of the IPL's UAE leg, and he was understandably nervous. The strain came in the shape of length balls, rather than the fuller-length balls he preferred. Second, he's exactly the type of bowler that MS Dhoni enjoys.
As a seasoned captain, Curran's intentions were second-guessed, and he lined up for the slower balls and picked his places. Dhoni knew Curran couldn't be rushed, and the slowed pace isn't as noticeable as Rabada's, who was supposed to bowl the final over. However, captains frequently trust their instincts on a given day, and Curran was their greatest bowler until the last over on Sunday.
Important links:
Arnis | Volleyball Awards | Today Birthday | Cricket Birthdays | Kho kho rules | Badminton awards | PT Usha | Kabaddi awards | Throwball rules | Arnis variants
