Ranji Trophy: Delhi eye another big win

NEW DELHI: Things, it seems, can hardly go wrong for Delhi. Going into the second half of the Ranji Trophy league stage, Delhi cricket is finally on the move. They are not used to being in the position they are in.
The experienced batting line-up has delivered on tricky pitches and a young bowling attack has thrived to give wings to skipper Gautam Gambhir's aspirations of going far in the competition.
Now, it's time, the team management feels, to test the bench. That could lead to Vikas Tokas, the new seamer in the 15, taking the field against a modest Odisha side on Tuesday at the Ferozeshah Kotla. It won't be a surprise if one of the regular spinners is also rested. "Sumit Narwal, Parvinder Awana (medium-pacers) and Varun Sood (spinner) have been bowling all season which started with the one-dayers. They need rest," Delhi coach Vijay Dahiya mentioned.
Delhi have been trying to ease the veterans out and forge a young squad that can take the team to the heights seen many years back. But it's easier said than sone. Hence, despite sitting pretty with 23 points from four matches in Group B, any changes in the batting lineup is not on the agenda. "We have not been in this position in years. The batting has been a concern for a long time and now that it's working, we don't want to tinker with it," Dahiya reasoned.
That means the team management still prefers to sit safe with the greying batsmen with Unmukt Chand the only one in his 20s.
The young bowlers, on their part, have won the approval of the think tank, thus making the process of transition smooth.
With Delhi expected to dominate the game on a turning home turf, Odisha have four difficult days staring at them. Finishing second best in three out of four contests this season doesn't inspire much of confidence. Debashish Mohanty did not flinch in accepting Delhi's supremacy. "They are a very strong team. But every team has some weakness and with the pitch certain to take turn, we will try to work something out of it."
Mohanty, however, doesn't want to give up on the chances of making it to the next round. And if the pitch plays enough tricks, then things could sway either way. Like it did for Odisha against Haryana in Lahli.