A new day dawns for DC | IPL 2021 Delhi Capitals vs Chennai Super Kings: SWOT Analysis

The match begins at 7.30 pm IST and will be broadcast live on the Star Sports network

Last season’s finalist the Delhi Capitals start their IPL 2021 campaign as they take on three-time champions the Chennai Super Kings at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.

Here's the SWOT analysis:

CSK SWOT analysis

Strengths: They have quality all-rounders. If CSK start with Ravindra Jadeja, Dwayne Bravo, Sam Curran and Moeen Ali in their XI, the team would have four all-rounders who can be relied on to deliver either with the bat, with the ball or with stunning work in the field. They would give the team two pace and two spin options and lend flexibility to CSK’s batting and bowling. Their batting positions can also be shuffled based on the match situation.

Weaknesses: An absence of power-hitting batsmen. With MS Dhoni in the twilight of his career, one cannot expect the six-hitting regularity of old from him. Also, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Faf du Plessis, Robin Uthappa and Ambati Rayudu are not known for their ability to smack easy sixes. In a tight game, the ability to clear the boundary at will could be the difference.

Opportunities: After missing last season, CSK’s all-time leading run-scorer Suresh Raina is back. His absence from the tournament and retirement from international cricket might have caused people to forget that he is the second on IPL's list of leading run-scorers with 5,368 runs. This is a great opportunity for the left-hander to make an impact.

Threats: Weary legs and a lack of match practice. Most CSK players who are like to get a spot in the XI have either retired from international cricket or haven't played much recently. Expect slow reflexes and running between the wickets plus some dropped catches.

Also read: It's Dhoni vs Pant as CSK take on DC in their IPL season opener

DC SWOT analysis

Strengths: The South African pace bowling pair of Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje can inflict a lot of damage to a batting unit. Rabada got 30 wickets last season and claimed the Purple Cap. With 22 wickets, Nortje was fourth on the list. The two complement each other well. Nortje bowls a hard length at a great pace at the top of the innings and Rabada's toe-crushing yorkers are preferred in the death. The Wankhede deck should also provide some assistance to them.

Weaknesses: Losing skipper Shreyas Iyer for the season to injury has been a body blow for the side. Iyer was the second-highest scorer for the team last season with 519 runs. In his absence, Ajinkya Rahane is likely to get a spot in the XI. Rahane, however, has not been in form for the last couple of seasons. In 2019, Rahane made 393 runs for the Rajasthan Royals. Last season at DC, Rahane managed to score only 113 runs from nine innings with just one fifty.

Opportunities: Steve Smith is with a new team. At DC, he has been relieved of the captaincy burden and has the chance to put behind his disappointments at the Rajasthan Royals. Smith needs to score big like only he can to prove his worth as one of the T20 greats.

Threats: Rishabh Pant will be leading an IPL team for the first time. The leadership role along with keeping wickets and serving as the team’s designated power-hitter could overwhelm the 23-year-old. If the team loses the first couple of games under Pant’s watch, the decision to appoint him the captain could be questioned.

Team news

Axar Patel tested positive for Covid-19 on April 3 and is currently in isolation as per BCCI guidelines. He could miss DC's first two games at least. He will be allowed to join the team bio bubble only after he tests negative. Rabada and Nortje will also miss the action as they are still in quarantine after arriving from South Africa.

CSK have no fitness issues. Their South African speedster Lungi Ngidi won’t be available for selection as he is also in quarantine.

Head-to-head record

Matches played: 23

CSK: 15

DC: 8

Recent form (last five matches)

CSK: W-W-W-L-L

DC: L-W-L-W-L

Deccan Herald’s dream XI

Prithvi Shaw, Shikhar Dhawan, Steve Smith, Rishabh Pant, MS Dhoni (captain & wicketkeeper), Marcus Stoinis, Sam Curran, Moeen Ali, Ravichandran Ashwin, Shardul Thakur, Ishant Sharma.

Impact player for CSK

Sam Curran: He is making a name for himself as one of the leading all-rounders in the world. The left-arm pacer can open the bowling and can walk out to open the batting if needed as well. He scored one fifty in last year's IPL and was the team’s leading wicket-taker with 13 wickets. Curran also had the best average last year for a CSK bowler picking up 10 or more wickets. His 95 not out in the third match of the India-England ODI series almost helped England pull off a stunning chase from a position of despair. The innings was a throwback to when Dhoni used to guide India home in tight chases.

Impact player for DC

Prithvi Shaw: He guided Mumbai to a title win in the Vijay Hazare Trophy with some superlative batting. Shaw was unstoppable as he hammered 827 runs hitting four tons and one fifty. He was averaging 165.40 with a top score of 227 not-out. That form will inspire a lot of confidence in a team that's already missing one of their best batsmen.

How to watch

The match will be broadcast live on the Star Sports network. Viewers can also catch the action online on Disney+Hotstar. The match begins at 7.30 pm IST.