Delhi Daredevils have the distinction of being the least productive of all teams in the IPL. After a brilliant start in season one, the franchise could never make an impact in the tournament. Of course, after an ownership rehash, in the name of Delhi Capitals, the franchise based out of Delhi is doing far better now.
Delhi Daredevils is also one franchise that has made plenty of errors in retaining players and on the auction table. All of it, as usual, has had a massive impact on their on-field showings. In this article, we talk about seven players the franchise must have never released. Had they kept hold of them, we even feel they could have won a trophy by now.
1. AB de Villiers
After just three seasons, Delhi Daredevils let go of AB de Villiers. And, we are very well aware of where the man has reached now. Had the franchise retained him then, the move could have done wonders for them. The team would have had a terrific batsman and a solid captaincy material. All of it is at RCB right now. When the likes of RCB retained unproven Virat Kohli after three seasons, there is absolutely no reason why DD must not have kept hold of a proven ABD then.
2. Gautam Gambhir
Every Delhi fan would rue the fact that Gautam Gambhir did not play much for the team. In the first three seasons, GG was in top form, but for some reason, the franchise did not retain him. The Delhi opener then made the switch towards KKR, and in came two trophies for that Kolkata-based outfit. By failing to retain GG, Delhi also lost a massive chunk of their fanbase. If there is a top-class homegrown player in a franchise, you have to back him. However, Delhi took the opposite route and disappointed many.
3. David Warner
Much like Gambhir, Delhi also released David Warner at the wrong time. After the Aussie left his first franchise, he established himself as a world-class opener in Hyderabad. Warner also worked on his captaincy skills and even led his team to a trophy in 2016. On the other hand, Delhi could never find such a player after releasing Warner. With stalwarts like Virender Sehwag losing steam, Delhi could have thought of retaining the talented Warner then.
4. Andre Russell
Not many know, but Andre Russell was part of the Delhi franchise for a while before leaving for KKR. At Delhi, Russell did not get sufficient matches to showcase his destructive potential. The franchise could not tap into the West Indian’s talent and eventually, released him. It would have been a masterstroke had Delhi kept hold of the monster-player then.
5. Mayank Agarwal
Mayank Agarwal played for a few seasons at Delhi after his initial stint at RCB. Although he was underwhelming, Mayank did play a few good knocks for the franchise. However, the management did not retain him. Mayank is now a starter for the Indian Test Team and is also on the hunt for the Orange Cap in IPL 2020. The Bengaluru-lad has always been available for cheap at the auctions, and with this in mind, we feel Delhi could have gone back for him.
6. Quinton de Kock
Quinton de Kock was great at Delhi Daredevils for a few seasons. However, the franchise released him and did not try to buy him back at the auctions. Since then, Quinny has been in great form in the IPL. While he was one of the architects of MI’s success in 2019, in 2020 too, the South African has been having a fine time.
7. Imran Tahir
Imran Tahir was there in Delhi for a couple of seasons before making the journey southwards. Not only did the franchise not use him well, but they also failed to take note of his potential. Tahir has been one of the best spinners in IPL in recent years, and Delhi, who were lacking a clear match-winner in this aspect, should have used the South African more. Nevertheless, the opportunity is gone as Tahir may not play IPL from next season onwards.
