Battle of equals (Preview)

After proving no match to their opponents in first two games, Delhi team management was looking for a turnaround to get their IPL, 2011 campaign going.

Their last game against Pune proved to be just what Delhi wanted.

Their much famed batting lineup finally came to the party helping the side to chase down a big Pune total.

There were enough reasons for Delhi to feel happy about after their maiden victory this season.

Explosive opening pair of skipper Virender Sehwag and David Warner fired in partnership and runs came from late middle order as well with Venugopal Rao and Aaron Finch playing crucial cameos under pressure to see their side home.

Win would have brought with a surge in confidence levels and Delhi camp would be feeling good about themselves.

Bowling still has lot to ponder about as Delhi fast bowlers have struggled to keep opposition batters under control and presented batsmen with opportunities score runs freely.

Left arm pacer Irfan Pathan is looking shadow of his past and has failed to make any impact with ball.

Young bowlers like Umesh Yadav and Ashok Dinda have also been taken for runs and what compounds to the Delhi problems is the face there is lack of quality spinner in the squad.

It is hurting them big time and fielding hasn’t looked sharp either.

For Delhi to make an impact at home against Hyderabad, they need to get the basic right and tighten their fielding.

Hyderabad have had only one victory under so far and losing other three.

They were on a high after winning at home against Bangalore but had to taste defeat when Adam Gilchrisht and Paul Valthaty had their bowlers on floor with one of the better batting display this season.

Kumar Sangakkara led side have a problem of plenty with batsmen not able to put big innings after getting starts.

It seems young players are yet to know what their role in the side.

What would frustrate team management is the fact that strong positions have been squandered to the opposition resulting in three losses.

Despite getting pasting in Punjab game, bowling department has looked in good form with fast bowling duo of Dale Steyn and Ishant Sharma bowling with searing pace and bounce.

Leg spinner Amit Sharma has been revelation not only getting wickets but has been difficult for batsmen to pick with variations of his.

Back-up bowlers need to contribute more in the middle overs to supplement some wickets to regular bowlers.

For Hyderabad to spoil Delhi’s evening at their home big guns have to make runs and play long innings and Delhi, on the other hand, would look for the first win at home.

There is nothing to choose between the two sides as Tuesday would mark a battle between Hyderabad pace attack and Delhi’s powerful batting unit.

DELHI

Players who can make impact…

James Hopes …Aussie all-rounder decided to stay with the team despite his father taking ill.

Hopes brings lot to the table with his ability to clear the boundary with the bat and bowling tight medium pacers.

He can also contribute in the field by fielding at crucial positions and has a sensible head on his shoulders.

He can well turn out to be finisher for his team as he did in game against Pune by hitting some lusty blows in the end.

Shahbaz Nadeem…Lot of good things has been said about this left arm spinner from Bihar.

Although yet to deliver a big performance but he looked the part against Pune by getting some deliveries to turn sharply and beating batsmen in flight on more than one occasion.

He can be a solution to the Delhi not having a spinner to take wickets in the middle overs.

SQUAD

Aaron Finch, Aavishkar Salvi , Ajit Agarkar , Ajit Chandila , Andrew McDonald , Ashok Dinda , Colin Ingram, David Warner,Irfan Pathan, James Hopes, Matthew Wade (wk), Morne Morkel, Naman Ojha (wk), Prashant Naik, Rajesh Pawar, Robert Frylinck,Robin Bist, Roelof van der Merwe, Shahbaz Nadeem , Sridharan Sriram , Tejashwi Yadav, Travis Birt, Umesh Yadav, Unmukt Chand, Varun Aaron, Venugopal Rao, Vikas Mishra, VirenderSehwag(c), Vivek Yadav,Yogesh Nagar

HYDERABAD

Players who can make impact…

JP Dumminy…A classy left handed batsman from South Africa is yet to set IPL on fire this season.

If Hyderabad wants him to contribute, he needs to bat in top four.

He can not only anchor the innings but can big shots when situation demands.

Ishant Sharma…Indian team discard is looking in a good shape getting the ball to bounce from the good length at a rapid pace.

It would be interesting to see how he performs against his native state Delhi as he is on his journey to make a comeback to the national side.

What would work in his favour is that he knows conditions in Delhi well and should be able perform well.

SQUAD

Akash Bhandari, Amit Mishra, Anand Rajan, Ankit Sharma, Ashish Reddy, Bharat Chipli, Cameron White, Chris Lynn, Dale Steyn, Daniel Christian, DR Teja, Harmeet Singh, Ishan Malhotra, Ishank Jaggi, Ishant Sharma, Jaydev Shah, JP Duminy, Juan Theron, K Sangakkara (c)(wk), Kedar Devdhar, Manpreet Gony, Michael Lumb, Pragyan Ojha, Shikhar Dhawan,Sunny Sohal