| Scores | Upcoming | Results |
New Delhi: The Delhi have been dealt a huge blow ahead of Friday's match against Super Kings as Gautam Gambhir has been ruled out due to injury while MS Dhoni already out for three games.
Gambhir suffered a hamstring tear during the game against Mumbai Indians on Wednesday. He did not bat and was off the field for a major part of the Mumbai Indians innings.
An update was expected on his injury, but assistant coach Eric Simons informed the press that there is still no word.
Gambhir's injury presents an interesting dilemma to the Daredevils management. Gambhir was skipper, No. 1 batsman and opener all in one.
Bhatia himself would be fancying his chance in the match against Chennai and the gritty player said he would give his best if inducted in the playing XI.
"I have not played yet but I'm not frustrated at all. You always learn things. I had a good domestic season and incidentally, I always play better against Tamil Nadu (in Ranji Trophy), a team I represented in the past," he said.
Neither has hit form with the bat, but both find themselves in leading roles. Raina shot to fame during the first IPL but struggled to recapture that glory in the second, and his form in two matches this past week has not been convincing.
A good player of spin, Raina could trump the likes of Amit Mishra and Sarabjit Ladda who, despite going for runs in the last game, should hold his place.
Karthik, a vital member of Delhi's shaky middle order, should move up a place in Gambhir's absence. He's a skilled Twenty20 player and has bailed Delhi out of a few holes in both the IPLs. This could be his toughest test yet.
Delhi have preferred going in with two spinners. Amit Mishra is the specialist slow bowler, but Ladda has been expensive in two games.
Stats and trivia
Match facts
Friday, March 19, 2010
Start time 16:00 local (10:30 GMT)
