IPL 2018: 5 key takeaways from Chennai Super Kings’ win over Delhi Daredevils

Oh, here we go again! Just when you thought that Delhi Daredevils are back on track, they suffered yet another demoralising defeat against Chennai Super Kings by 13 runs at Pune. Delhi went into the match with a win, but again the same set of errors crept in and now the campaign of Delhi reaching playoffs is looking very bleak and gloomy. Chennai, with the latest win, is now leading the table and already have one foot in the knock outs.

List of 5 breathtaking moments from the match:

1. Shane Watson continuing his purple patch:

Former Australian all-rounder, Shane Watson’s career was at the crossroads before the IPL began. The big and burly all-rounder had a disappointing IPL 2017 and it looked like he might go unsold at this year’s mega-auction. But, Watson took his chance and on Monday struck a marvellous 78 off 40 balls, hitting seven glorious sixes and proved his class.

Shane Watson again got CSK off to a wonderful start in the company of Faf du Plessis and his purple patch is reaping huge benefits for his new franchise. Watson already has a century under his belt and it is looking that he is enjoying his game and is batting without taking too much pressure and is staying in the present.

2. Delhi’s bowlers trying to do damage control:

Delhi bowlers had a difficult task of containing a powerful CSK batting line-up and who could fault them for that? After CSK’s wonderful opening stand of 102 in less than 11 overs, DD bowlers removed du Plessis and Suresh Raina in quick succession and wanted to limit Chennai’s scoring.

Delhi Daredevils bowlers tried their level best, but fell short and conceded over 200 runs. It was a bad day for Trent Boult (0/48) and Liam Plunkett (0/52 in three overs) and in the slog overs couldn’t stop Chennai’s carnage.

3. MS Dhoni is proving a point:

CSK’s captain and Indian legend Mahendra Singh Dhoni ever since the 2015 World Cup has been facing questions about his future and his performances in the last couple of IPLs has been very underwhelming. But ‘Thala’ has literally roared this season and on Monday against a hapless Delhi attack, it was Dhoni of old.

MS Dhoni struck a ballistic 51 off 22 balls, hitting five sixes and remaining unbeaten. Dhoni this season is playing like his old self and when Mahi is in full flow, there is no better sight in world cricket and is once again proving that you cannot replace experience and pedigree and Mahendra Singh Dhoni is still the top dog.

4. Is Glenn Maxwell this generation’s Shahid Afridi?:

Australian show stopper and highly rated all-rounder Glenn Maxwell is having a miserable season. Maxwell could only score six runs and his consistent failing has affected Delhi very badly. Maxwell is a match winner on his day but his consistency is nowhere near good enough and apart from one great IPL season (2014), Maxwell has been very average.

Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi was also a mercurial player like Maxwell and also used to frustrate with his non-performance. Maxwell for some odd reason doesn’t trust his game and his record even for Australia is quite below par. If DD want to be fair then after Gautam Gambhir’s departure, Maxwell also has to perform and cannot stay in the team because of his reputation.

5. What next for Delhi?:

It is almost clear that Delhi will struggle to enter the last four stage and just after eight games, this season is looking like the previous ones. Delhi during the mega-auction revamped their team completely, brought in a new captain, new coach, but results sadly are still the same.

Delhi has again failed to gel as a unit and the removal of Gambhir won’t help the cause if serious changes aren’t made. Delhi is still playing an outdated brand of cricket and the team has let down people of Delhi time and again despite acquiring big names. Time for accountability has come and Delhi should start playing upcoming matches with more passion and fight.