There's something about Jammu and Kashmir and pace bowlers coming out of the region. Whether it was Umran Malik, Yudhvir Singh Charak and now Rasikh Salam Dar. The 24-year-old first burst onto the scene in IPL 2019 for the Mumbai Indians but was given just one game. Rasikh impressed with his line and length and variations playing for J&K in domestic cricket but still wasn't getting his chance in the IPL.
Three years later in 2022, he got picked for the Kolkata Knight Riders, played one game and was injured in the second. Now, a couple of years later, he has finally gotten a longer rope and the much-awaited success playing for the Delhi Capitals. Salam played a couple of games at the start of the tournament for Delhi but was expensive and hence was left out before he was brought back owing to the team's concerns with the overseas bowling options.
With Anrich Nortje struggling, Lizaad Williams and Jhye Richardson having a bad game each, the Capitals decided to go with an all-Indian bowling attack and Rasikh finally found his footing starting with the high-scoring game at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. Delhi has been a high-scoring venue and bowling hasn't been easy.
With Khaleel Ahmed and Ishant Sharma taking care of the powerplay, Delhi needed someone to bowl at least a couple of overs at the death alongside Mukesh Kumar and Rasikh has filled that gap, rather successfully. The signs of the change of the wind came against the Gujarat Titans when Delhi won by four runs and Rasikh had a huge role to play in that. He dismissed the highest run-scorer for GT in that game, Sai Sudharsan before getting rid of big hitters Shahrukh Khan and Sai Kishore.
Another three-fer in the next game against Mumbai Indians and the change of surface at M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Sunday saw what Rasikh is made of. Rasikh wasn't afraid to attack and go for wickets amid the dangerous partnership between Rajat Patidar and Will Jacks and eventually got the reward in the form of the former even though there were four dropped catches in between.
He bowled another superb spell at the death with the wicket of Swapnil Singh. He is skiddy, has a beautiful slower delivery and can bowl at a high pace as well and has shown promise enough that Delhi might think of retaining him ahead of the mega auction.
