Author : Adam Admin | Created : 2021-07-01 16:07:00
Cricket is the national sport of India, and one of the most popular and exciting sports in the world. It is a sport that attracts millions of people globally, and the evolution of the game has been very exciting to see. With the long-form Test cricket remaining a firm fan favorite, to the more audience friendly T20 games, which are much shorter and faster, cricket has something for everyone these days. With cricket becoming more mainstream, the competition has become more intense at club level as well as internationally.
And nowhere is this more prevalent than in India, where the Indian Premier League (IPL) ranked sixth among all sports leagues in the world for average attendance. Since its inception in 2007, and its inaugural season in 2008, the IPL has become the benchmark for T20 cricket, and has made many players legends in the process. Two of the most well-known teams in the league are Chennai Super Kings and Delhi Capitals, so let’s look at these teams and the rivalry between them.
The Two Teams
Having a look at the two teams will help to give us some understanding of their histories, achievements, and rivalries moving forward. There are several teams in the IPL, and many of them enjoy a close and fanatical following, with these two being no different in that respect. Both sides have over 40,000 capacity stadiums, and attract fans from all across India. With the league expanding and new franchises being added, there is a chance that fans from certain areas might gravitate to other teams. But these appear to be two of the best supported franchises in the IPL, and this will surely continue for years to come as well.
Chennai Super Kings
One of the most successful clubs in the history of the IPL, Chennai Super Kings have 4 titles to their name, including winning the most recent championship. As well as this, they have also won two Champions League Twenty20 titles, and are listed as one of the most valuable franchises in the IPL. With a chequered past, including a two season ban for involvement in a spot-fixing scandal, Chennai Super Kings are one of the best-known IPL franchises.
Delhi Capitals
Founded in 2008 as the Delhi Daredevils, this franchise has been looking to improve every season, and the team reached its first IPL final as recently as 2020, in stark contrast to the Super Kings. The Capitals are coached by former Australia captain and batting legend Ricky Ponting, with fellow Australian James Hopes as the bowling coach. Pointing has been in the role since January 2018, and will be hoping to guide DC to their first ever IPL title win.
History of the Fixture
This fixture between the two sides is not necessarily regarded as one of the fiere rivalries of the IPL. It’s not on the same lines as Chennai Super Kings vs. Mumbai Indians, nor is it regarded as Delhi Capitals’ biggest rivalry, which is also regarded as Mumbai Indians, typically due to the rivalry between the cities. Though, in recent years, a competitive rivalry of sorts has occurred between Chennai and Mumbai. In 2018, Chennai finished 2nd in the table, and went on to become eventual champions. In 2019, Chennai again finished 2nd, with Dehli 3rd only on Net Run Rate. In 2020, Delhi finished 2nd in the table, and runners up in the playoff final, whilst in the 2021 season Delhi Capitals topped the league table, with Chennai Super Kings finishing in 2nd place, but winning the playoffs.
Is There a Rivalry?
As Indian Premier League rivalries go, Chennai Super Kings vs. Delhi Capitals is by no means the biggest. That title is reserved for the clash between the Super Kings and Mumbai Indians. Having said that, the Super Kings vs. Delhi Capitals do enjoy a recent competitive rivalry, with either one or both of the teams finishing in the top two of the league table in each of the past four seasons. And the Capitals appear to be having the best of the head-to-head battles recently. However, they unfortunately have no titles to show for it, whilst the Super Kings have taken the chances they’ve had, and been able to enjoy several league title wins in the process.
Past Results
The two teams have played one another 26 times, with the match up tending to favour the Super Kings, which makes sense being that they are the more successful side. In 26 matches, Chennai Super Kings have recorded 16 wins, whilst the Delhi Capitals have won 10 times. Delhi Capitals enjoyed their most recent victory in October 2020, triumphing by 5 wickets, whilst Chennai Super Kings won the latest match up between the two sides, a playoffs win by 4 wickets in October 2021.
Popular Players
Chennai Super Kings are widely regarded as a cricketing powerhouse, and one of the biggest names in the Indian Premier League. So, it should come as no surprise to hear that they boast a roster of some of cricket's most popular and renowned superstars. Their popular players include South African former captain Faf du Plessis, as well as homegrown talents like Ravindra Jadeja and Cheteshwar Pujara. Their captain is Indian cricketing royalty MS Dhoni, whilst they also have England all rounder Moeen Ali on their books. Former players include Mohit Sharma, Harbhajan Singh, and Sri Lankan great Muttiah Muralitharan.
The Capitals count among their squad elite players such as Steve Smith, Shikar Dhawan, Ishant Sharma, and captain Ravichandran Ashwin. Their former players include Indian legends such as Yuvraj Singh and Harshal Patel, as well as big names from overseas including AB de Villiers, David Warner, and Tillakaratne Dilshan.
These are two of the biggest names in Indian cricket, and they are sure to be competing for honours for many years to come. Delhi Capitals will be hoping the coming season brings success and they can finally claim their first IPL title win. Whilst Chennai Super Kings will be looking to defend their title win and draw level with Mumbai Indians by claiming a fifth IPL title.