Under new captain Badoni, Delhi looks to return to winning ways

Fresh start: Ayush Badoni, who was elevated to the leadership role four games into Delhi’s campaign, will look for a turn in fortunes. | Photo: SHIV KUMAR PUSHPAKAR

Can a change in captain bring a change in fortune?

Delhi will hope so when it faces off against Jharkhand in a Group-D Ranji Trophy contest at the Arun Jaitley Stadium from Wednesday. Having sacked Himmat Singh as captain and elevated Ayush Badoni to the leadership role four games into the campaign, the host needs to put in a much better show than it did against Chandigarh last week where a wretched display led to a nine-wicket defeat. It is currently fourth in Group-D with 11 points from four games.

The problems seem to be manifold. At the GMSSS ground in Chandigarh, with the exception of Yash Dhull in the first innings, Delhi’s batters did not show the nous needed to negotiate a turning track and register a substantial score. Badoni had done the hard work in the first essay, but after having raced to a run-a-ball 49, he was unable to resist the urge of playing a big shot and fell to left-arm spinner Nishunk Birla. If he is to start on the right note as captain, he will need to produce with the bat against Jharkhand.

While Himmat has been relieved of captaincy duties, it is equally imperative for Delhi that the 28-year-old finds his fluency in the middle-order. In four matches this season, his returns have been underwhelming – 182 runs in six innings at 30.33. There are also concerns in the spin department. Off-spinner Hrithik Shokeen and left-arm spinner Shivank Vashisth were subpar on a helpful surface in Chandigarh, let down by their lack of accuracy as much as anything else. Both have been dropped for this game.

If Delhi still has the upper hand, it is because Jharkhand is two spots below at sixth with just seven points. With Ishan Kishan unavailable following his involvement in India A’s tour of Australia, the onus lies on stand-in skipper Virat Singh to rise to the occasion. The 26-year-old is the team’s leading run-getter this season with 254 runs at 42.33.