Delhi’s uphill struggle for Ranji Trophy quarters

The Delhi team finds itself in a challenging position mid-way through the Ranji Trophy national cricket championship and could miss the knockout round for the sixth straight year. In a move seen as regressive, the selectors replaced captain Himmat Singh after four matches, appointing Ayush Badoni in his place and making three changes to the team for the crucial fifth match against Jharkhand.

Although Delhi is still in contention for a quarterfinal berth, their path forward is undeniably tough. To progress, they must win their last three group league matches and hope that the other Group D games go in their favour.

Another setback is that two of their three remaining matches will be played outside Delhi. They are set to face Saurashtra in Rajkot from January 23, with their final league game against the Railways in Guwahati. This is significant, as Delhi won’t have control over pitch preparation in these games; the responsibility lies with the host associations. Delhi’s sole home game is against Jharkhand, scheduled to begin on November 13 at the familiar Ferozeshah Kotla grounds.

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Only the top two teams from each of the four groups qualify for the quarterfinals. Delhi is currently fourth with 11 points, trailing Chandigarh (19), the Railways (14), and Tamil Nadu (12). The maximum points Delhi, seven-time Ranji Trophy champions, can earn from the remaining matches is 21. A win is worth six points, with an additional bonus point for victories by an innings or 10 wickets.

So far, Delhi’s performance has been underwhelming. They have won just one of their four matches, with a surprising and disappointing nine-wicket loss to underdogs Chandigarh. Their sole win came against Assam, while two matches ended in draws. In the drawn game against Tamil Nadu, Delhi conceded a massive 408-run lead at the Kotla, while against Chhattisgarh they scraped by with a 14-run lead, thanks to Jonty Sidhu’s fine 103 not out and Ayush Badoni’s four-wicket haul.

Both batsmen and bowlers share the blame for Delhi’s struggles. The team has only once surpassed the 400-run mark, and the bowlers were thrashed by Tamil Nadu, conceding 674 runs, resulting in Delhi’s ignominious follow-on.

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Himmat, however, remains optimistic about Delhi’s chances of reaching the quarterfinals. “We can still qualify. We have three matches left and 21 points to play for—six for each outright win and one bonus point. But even if we win two matches outright, we will qualify,” the 28-year-old middle-order batsman told Patriot before being sacked.

But it’s easier said than done. Not only Himmat, who as the team’s premier batsman hasn’t performed up to the expectations and has managed just 182 runs in the first four matches, but his teammates will also have to rise to the occasion and deliver something dramatic.

Selection issues

Delhi has shockingly fielded 22 players in their first four matches. In a knee-jerk reaction, the selection committee, headed by former Delhi and Punjab batsman Gursharan Singh, and including KP Bhaskar and Rajiv Vinayak, made three changes for the fifth match against Jharkhand, adding Mayank Gusain and Shivam Sharma to the squad, with pacer Simarjeet Singh—whose injury status remains somewhat mysterious—staging a comeback. Since the rejigged squad is just for the Jharkhand match, more changes could be in store.

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The removal of Himmat and these changes have been criticised in Delhi cricket circles. “Why is the DDCA not changing the coach and sacking the selection committee? They are also equally responsible for the poor performance,” said a former Delhi Ranji player.

Whatever the reasons or pressures influencing the selection committee, 22 is a high number for any team aiming to go the full distance. Surprisingly, only four players—Himmat, in-form batsman Yash Dhull (349 runs, 2x100s, 1×50), left-handed opener Sanat Sangwan (332, 2x50s), and pacer Himanshu Chauhan—have played all four matches. Just one (Jonty Sidhu) has appeared in three, while eight players have played in two each. Nine players were picked for only one match before being sidelined.

The use of so many players suggests that either some are out of form, or the selection process has lacked consistency—or, according to rumours in Delhi cricket circles, a few players were “accommodated” in the playing XI due to their “connections.” Unfortunately for Delhi, these “accommodated” players also failed to perform.

No official explanation has been given for playing so many players, as the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA), led by Rohan Jaitley, has barred selectors and coaching/support staff from speaking to the media. There is also no statement from the association, which is now in election mode.

Go for the jugular

Now, Delhi has no choice but to go for the jugular. “We need at least two wins from the three remaining games. Home or away, we have to win two matches,” a source within the Delhi squad setup said. He advised against prioritising the bonus point at the start. “We shouldn’t start a match thinking we have to go for the bonus point. You go for the bonus point depending on how a match progresses and on situations,” he explained, cautioning against looking too far ahead.

Delhi can draw some encouragement from the form of two of their three opponents. Only the Railways have performed well so far, holding second place in the group after four rounds. Delhi’s other rivals—Jharkhand and Saurashtra—are placed below them, in sixth and seventh, respectively. However, anything can happen, and Delhi will also have to guard against complacency, particularly when playing away from home.

Selectors barred

Surprisingly, the selectors have been barred from travelling with the team for Delhi’s outstation matches and cannot provide input on choosing the playing XIs. “The DDCA management has told the selectors they can’t accompany the team for away games. However, it is assumed that if the selectors want to travel and watch Delhi’s outstation matches, they can do so at their own expense; the DDCA would not reimburse them,” a top DDCA source told Patriot.

The role of Gursharan Singh’s selection committee has been limited. “Their role is restricted to picking a squad of 15 or 16 players, with no say in choosing the playing XIs for matches,” said a source close to the committee. “This decision couldn’t have been due to financial constraints. The DDCA has been receiving ample funds from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).”

Since January 2023, the DDCA has received Rs.135.66 crore from the BCCI, according to the BCCI website. Of this amount, Rs.102.6 crore is the association’s share from various BCCI incomes, and Rs.33.06 crore is the fee for hosting domestic/international/IPL/WPL/World Cup matches at the Kotla. The DDCA is also believed to have made good revenue recently by hosting the Delhi Premier League T20. Clearly, finances are not an issue.

Chequered history

The last time Delhi won the Ranji Trophy was 16 years ago, in 2007-08, when Gautam Gambhir’s team staged a comeback to beat Uttar Pradesh by nine wickets in a thrilling final at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai. After that, it took Delhi 10 years to reach their next final, which the Rishabh Pant-led team lost to hosts Vidarbha by nine wickets in Indore.

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In the next five years—excluding 2020-21, when the Ranji Trophy wasn’t held due to Covid—Delhi failed to reach the knockout round. In 2018-19, Delhi finished at the bottom of their nine-team group, and the following season, they fared slightly better, ending fifth in their pool of nine teams.

In the modified 2021-22 format due to Covid, Delhi finished last in their four-team group league. The 2022-23 season was no better, with the team ending sixth among eight teams in their group. Last season, under Dhull’s captaincy, Delhi hit a new low by losing their opening match to newcomers Pondicherry—playing only in their sixth season—and never recovered. Dhull was sacked after one match, and the team, under new captain Himmat, eventually finished third in the seven-team group, missing out on the quarterfinals. Dhull has now been appointed vice-captain, but just for one match.

This season, Chandigarh, only in their sixth season, shocked Delhi with their biggest win yet. Now, with their backs against the wall and given the issues plaguing the team and the management, it looks like only a miracle can take Delhi into the quarterfinals.

(The writer is a senior journalist based in Delhi and has covered sports for over three decades)