Arjun Tendulkar and Dhawal Kulkarni during a practice session. (File Photo)
Arjun Tendulkar, son of legendary batsman Sachin Tendulkar, will most likely make his IPL debut during Mumbai Indians clash against Delhi Capitals on Saturday.
The stakes are high as it will be a virtual quarterfinal for Delhi and a win will propel the Rishabh Pant-led side into the Playoffs. Mumbai, the five-time champion will aim to wrap up the season with a win.
Arjun has been a part of the team for two seasons and a social media post, where he is bowling yorkers gave an indication that he might don the blue and gold jersey. Mumbai have made some changes and so far 22 players have played in 13 games.
The Delhi unit has blown hot and cold, having won seven games and lost six from 13 games. Having a positive run-rate, the equation is simple. Beat Mumbai Indians and knock out Royal Challengers Bangalore, who have a negative run-rate of -0.253.
Delhi is still alive - thanks to their victory over RCB in the previous game that ensured back-to-back full points for them.
There have been days when Capitals have been extra-ordinary, with a David Warner (427 runs) or Mitchell Marsh (251 runs) or Rovman Powell (207 runs) upping the ante in batting.
Spinners Kuldeep Yadav (20 wickets, 8.45), Axar Patel (6 wickets, 7.37) and Lalit Yadav (4 wickets, 8.33) have also done a decent job with the ball in a number of games.
However, there are two areas where the Capitals have floundered this season. One has been the pace department which has blown hot 'n' cold throughout, save Khaleel Ahmed (16 wickets at 8. 08).
Shardul Thakur despite his 13 wickets has conceded runs at more than nine runs per over. And second and more importantly is skipper Pant's (301 runs) inability to convert some of his good starts into big scores.
What has worked for DC towards the business end is Marsh's batting form and his two half-centuries which has gone a long way in keeping them alive.
Mustafizur Rahaman (8 wickets at 7.62) was fantastic in the games that he played but the combination requirement has prevented Ricky Ponting from playing him in more games.
However, what will ease a bit of pressure off Ponting ahead of a high-stakes game is Sarfaraz Khan's form as an opener.
After Prithvi Shaw was indisposed due to a bout of typhoid (he is still recuperating), Ponting used Kona Bharat and it didn't work out well for the team.
Finally, Sarfaraz did look the part with a 16-ball-32 in the penultimate game and Ponting is unlikely to tinker with the combination unless Shaw is fully fit.
As far as MI is concerned, the less the said about this season, better it is for them.
Save Tilak Varma's emergence as a stylish batter, who could be the next MI legend alongside Tim David, who has taken over the mantle from Kieron Pollard, there is not much to write home about.
Skipper Rohit would certainly like this ordeal to get over and get some much-needed rest before the next tour of England.
Teams:
Mumbai Indians: Rohit Sharma (c), Anmolpreet Singh, Rahul Buddhi, Ramandeep Singh, SuryakumarYadav, Tilak Verma, Tim David, Arjun Tendulkar, Basil Thampi, Hrithik Shokeen, Jasprit Bumrah, Jaydev Unadkat, Mayank Markande, Murugan Ashwin, Riley Meredith, Tymal Mills, Kartikeya Singh, Daniel Sams, Dewald Brevis, Fabian Allen, Kieron Pollard, Sanjay Yadav, Aryan Juyal and Ishan Kishan.
Delhi Capitals: Delhi Capitals: Rishabh Pant (C), Ashwin Hebbar, David Warner, Mandeep Singh, Prithvi Shaw,Rovman Powell, Anrich Nortje, Chetan Sakariya, Khaleel Ahmed, Kuldeep Yadav, Lungi Ngidi, Mustafizur Rahman, Shardul Thakur, Axar Patel, Kamlesh Nagarkoti,Lalit Yadav, Mitchell Marsh, Pravin Dubey, Ripal Patel, Sarfaraz Khan, Vicky Ostwal, Yash Dhull, KS Bharat and Tim Seifert.
(PTI Inputs)
