Delhi vs Tamil Nadu Prediction: Both teams hunting their first win of the season

Ranji Trophy has featured some of the most iconic players that have represented India at the international levels so this tournament is one of the most prestigious and has constantly produced an enviable talent pool. And like any other season, this time too, the talent level is sky-high and there are too many players to keep an eye on. After all, there are around 30 teams representing different states and the competition level is a gift that keeps giving away. Which team will get their first gift(win) when Delhi and Tamil Nadu clash?

Delhi comes into the game after playing out a draw against Assam on a flat surface. Batting first, the team accumulated 439 runs while allowing Assam to take the lead after conceding 443 runs, which is going to hurt the team as they almost avoided the fate by taking nine wickets. In what now looks like inconsequential second innings, Delhi scored 292 for 1. Dhruv Shorey was the standout batter, slamming 252 not out in the first innings and piling up 150 not out in the second innings. In their first game against Maharashtra, Delhi gave up a big lead of 133 in the first innings and ended up losing the game by nine wickets.

Last season, Delhi remained winless too. The team is currently captained by 20-year-old Yash Dhull, who has averaged 67 in his young career, showing tremendous poise. Dhruv Shorey has started solidly too. His opening partner Anuj Rawat is a big hitter but an average of around 30 implies some struggles. The middle order can prove to be mediocre against quality bowling attacks. One of the biggest concerns for Delhi is their bowling balance and thus far, their bowlers have looked toothless, be it any department. If Delhi doesn’t fix their bowling, they are in for another losing season.

Tamil Nadu comes into the game after playing a thriller against Andhra Pradesh as the team lost by mere 8 runs. Bowling first, Tamil Nadu built a decent lead of 48 runs after having scored 345. Sai Sudarshan put up 113 runs to lead the batting effort. In the second innings, Ravisrinivisan Sai Kishore struck five times to restrict Andhra to 250, meaning the Tamil Nadu team needed 203 to win. The team started pretty well, losing just three wickets for 155, but then Baba Indrajith’s dismissal triggered a collapse as the team lost seven wickets for just 39 runs. When the team had one wicket in hand, Washington Sundar was on 65 runs but he got out to Sasikanth, who took four wickets and Tamil Nadu was mainly blown away by Shoaib Mohd Khan, who struck six times.

The batting combinations look highly promising for Tamil Nadu as they have a solid middle order, with both Baba Aparajith and Baba Indrajith accumulating runs at an average of more than 70. Sai Sudharshan has started strong whereas Washington Sundar comes in the late middle order to provide a lift. Bowling-wise, Tamil Nadu has done a decent job but they depend too heavily upon Sai Kishore, who is their best bowling option, and sometimes he lacks help around him. Tamil Nadu has built a lead in the first innings of both games, to be honest, they should have won both of them and the margin of victory has remained rather too less both times.

Tamil Nadu has looked like a better team than the rebuilding Delhi squad which lacks depth on multiple fronts. However, playing in home conditions is one advantage they have here. The trouble for Delhi is going to be against Sai Kishore and I believe if Dhruv Shorey fails at the top alongside Rawat then except for Yash Dhull, Delhi may fall behind. Do remember that Tamil Nadu has performed amazingly in the first two games and that can play a big role. I predict a Tamil Nadu win by a big margin.