Former India speedster, and manager of Delhi Daredevils, T A Sekar, feels his team is one of the most balanced ones in the IPL-2. With a good side that is a mix of hard-hitting batsmen, good all-rounders and steady bowling, there is a lot of flexibility and options.
The induction of five more international players has given the team more solidity and it also means a lot of options for the captain, Virender Sehwag, who himself is in brilliant form with the bat.
Even as skipper Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir, lay the foundation for the innings, the Daredevils can expect some explosive innings from Australia’s latest find, David Warner, who Daredevils signed up before he played for Australia.
Daredevils have snapped two other Australian players, all-rounder Andrew McDonald, who has since made the Australian Test team, and Dirk Nannes. Paul Collingwood, one of the most athletic fielders in the world and former England captain, and Owais Shah were picked up in the second IPL auction in Goa.
In addition, two other in-form stars, Sri Lanka’s Dilshan Tillakaratne and South Africa’s AB De Villiers and Indian team’s second wicketkeeper, Dinesh Karthik provide ample batting options. Tillakaratne and Karthik also provide options in terms of wicket-keeping.
Excerpts of interview with Sekar:
What was the game-plan while selecting the Delhi Daredevils team during the auctions? How will the new look side differ from last year’s combination and what are the strengths and weaknesses of the side?
This year we have selected a more balanced outfit. The game-plan was to get a couple of hard-hitting batsmen and a couple of all-rounders into the side.
We have the best opening pair in the world in Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir, both of whom are in excellent form. Then we have AB de Villiers and Dilshan Tillakaratne, who were an important part of the team last year also.
Last year for instance we had two international fast bowlers both of whom played every game. This time round we wanted an Indian fast bowler so we could play an international hard-hitting batsman like David Warner or Owais Shah. The all-rounder slots went to Andrew McDonald and Paul Collingwood. This gives the captain and coach a lot of flexibility and options.
Batting apart, how does the team look?
Kiwi skipper Daniel Vettori, one of the best left-arm spinners in the game today, and India spinner, Amit Mishra, will be a vital part of the team.
Among the new-ball bowlers, there will be sufficient options. We have the legendary Glen McGrath, Farveez Maharoof of Sri Lanka, Collingwood, new import, Dirk Nannes and Aashish Nehra will lend solidity to the bowling line-up.
Added to all big stars, the presence of seasoned first-class cricketers like Mithun Manhas, Manoj Tiwary, Rajat Bhatia, Yo Mahesh, Aavishkar Salvi, Yogesh Nagar and Umesh Yadav has ensured that the Delhi Daredevils walk into the IPL 2009 with probably the most balanced combination in the entire tournament.
Where does Ashish Nehra fit in the scheme of things?
Ashish fills the slot of the Indian fast bowler who would help bring a sense of balance to the side, bowling as he will in tandem with the legendary Glen McGrath.
How good do you think a 20-20 tournament is to judge talent from? Is picking the Test or even the one-day side from such a shortened and slam-bang version of the game prudent?
Technically one cannot pick a one-day or Test side from performances in 20-20 cricket. However, the IPL gives us a number of youngsters the opportunity to perform on what is almost an international platform. One can certainly judge the cricketer’s temperament and a sharp cricketing eye can detect talent as well.
Who among the youngsters in the Delhi Daredevils squad do you think has the potential to play for India?
I feel players like Yo Mahesh, Pradeep Sangwan and Umesh Yadav can one day represent the country provided they work hard and keep performing.
What role will the recently launched ‘Delhi Daredevils Fan Club’ play in the scheme of things?
The Indian premier League is modelled on the European Premier League, wherein there is a Fan Club created for each team which supports that team almost with a frenzy. This is what we plan to achieve for the Delhi Daredevils. It will be fantastic if sections of the stadium are packed with Delhi Daredevil fans rooting for their team wearing Delhi Daredevil merchandise and the works. It is not just good for the franchisee but also for the popularity of the sport.
The squad:
Indian contracted players
Virender Sehwag (Captain)
Gautam Gambhir
Dinesh Karthik
Rajat Bhatia
Mithun Manhas
Manoj Tiwary
Vijaykumar Yo Mahesh
Ashish Nehra
Amit Mishra
Pradeep Sangwan
Aavishkar Salvi
Yogesh Nagar
Umesh Yadav
Tejashwi Yadav
Foreign Contracted players
Owais Shah
David Warner
Tillakaratne Dilshan
Andrew McDonald
Daniel Vettori
Farveez Maharoof
Paul Collingwood
AB de Villiers
Glenn McGrath
Dirk Nannes
Support staff:
Coaches/Officials
Head Coach Greg Shipperd
Manager: T A Sekar
Asst. Manager: Aashish Kapoor
Assistant Coach David Saker
Physiotherapist Justin Steer
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