Delhi has some fine-tuning to do even though it has won two matches on the trot and is leading the Ranji Trophy Group A with 14 points.
The team, packed with youngsters, needs to bolster its batting and find the right balance in bowling before it ventures out for its crucial away engagements.
Ahead of the match against Bengal, starting at the Ferozeshah Kotla here on Thursday, Delhi made four changes to the squad — Navdeep Saini, Sumit Narwal and the uncapped duo of wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant and pacer Subodh Bhati in place of Ishant Sharma, Pawan Suyal, Mohit Ahlawat and Sarang Rawat.
Pant for AhlawatWhile Ishant and Suyal are not fit, the team management has replaced Ahlawat with Pant, who is known for his batting exploits at the under-19 level, to provide solidity to the middle order.
With the experienced trio of pacers — Pradeep Sangwan, Parvinder Awana and Narwal — likely to make the playing XI, the nature of the pitch will decide whether Saini makes a comeback or Bhati makes his debut.
Delhi’s bowling has largely been dependent on left-arm spinner Manan Sharma, who is placed among the top wicket-takers this season.
In the absence of Ishant, the side needs more options to continue its good run.
“Ishant bowled brilliantly for us and he will be missed,” said Delhi coach Vijay Dahiya.
Nagar’s presence jarringDelhi’s batting, which has largely banked on openers Gautam Gambhir and Unmukt Chand, will be keen to have some depth. In such a scenario, the presence of Yogesh Nagar, preferred to the talented Dhruv Shorey, looks jarring.
Nagar, according to State selectors and the team management the most ‘gifted’ player in Delhi since his debut in 2008, retains his place despite scores of 21, 0, 4 and 4 this season.
In 17 Ranji matches so far, he has aggregated 688 runs in 25 innings. He also has five wickets to his credit but has been reported this season.
Bengal, a far more balanced side than the host, features some international players, including captain Manoj Tiwary, Wriddhiman Saha, Pragyan Ojha and Ashok Dinda.
But the team has not yet translated its potential into results — managing four points from two matches to be sixth in the group.
“We have got the players for all sorts of challenges,” said Tiwary.
Talented batsmen such as Naved Ahmed, Sudipta Chatterjee and Tiwary are capable of putting up big scores, while Dinda, Veer Pratap Singh, Ojha and young off-spinner Aamir Gani make the attack look potent.
The teams (from):
Delhi: Gautam Gambhir (capt.), Unmukt Chand, Nitish Rana, Milind Kumar, Yogesh Nagar, Rishabh Pant (wk), Manan Sharma, Pradeep Sangwan, Parvinder Awana, Sumit Narwal, Navdeep Saini, Subodh Bhati, Baibhav Rawal, Pulkit Narang and Dhruv Shorey.
Bengal: Manoj Tiwary (capt.), Naved Ahmed, Shreevats Goswami, Sudip Chatterjee, Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Pankaj Shaw, Pragyan Ojha, Pradipta Pramanik, Ashok Dinda, Veer Pratap Singh, Aamir Gani, Mukesh Kumar, Parthasarathi Bhattacharjee, Sayan Shekhar Mondal and Abhijeet Das.
