Unfair to write off Delhi Daredevils: Mishra

Mishra said Daredevils cannot be brushed aside despite losing two key players -- JP Duminy and Quinton de Kock. While Duminy pulled out of the tournament owing to personal reasons, de Kock was ruled out because of an injury. 

“JP Duminy has some personal problems and that’s why he pulled out. When something like that happens, it’s better the player stays with the family. It’s never nice to keep on playing,” Mishra told reporters here.

“De Kock got injured and we can do very little about that. Whenever he’s fit, he’ll walk back in the team. Yes, it’s not ideal but that doesn’t mean you can write us off. The good thing is the guys have gelled well in the last few days and I feel we have a very good team this time. We are working hard. We will do well this year,” Mishra said. 

Yet to win the tournament, the Daredevils last made it to the play-offs way back in 2012. Since then, the Delhi outfit has finished in the bottom half of the points table in the last four seasons.

“Yes, this is the tenth edition and it would have been nice to have won at least once in the last nine years,” he said. 

“But in my last three years, I’ve seen the team improve and do well. When people say that we are a weak team, it motivates me personally and I want to prove them wrong. This time the team we’ve made, there has been a lot of thought put into it, there were several meetings and I’m sure, you’ll see the results,” Mishra said.

“Last year we almost made it to the play-offs. We were just two wins away from that. This year we have a balanced team and we will try to do better than last year.” 

Asked about the on-field altercations between Indian and Australian cricketers in the recently-concluded Test series, Mishra said the current Indian team prefers to give it back when provoked. 

“Every player tries to be calm and cool on the field and concentrate more on the game. The Indian team never provokes anyone but if somebody fingers us we are not the ones to sit quietly,” he said.