“It’s an honour to come back and be part of this group, which excites me,” Dahiya told PTI after taking over as Delhi’s head coach for the third time. Vijay Dahiya wants Delhi’s players to take ownership of the team’s fortunes as they begin their Ranji Trophy campaign against Bengal, with the head coach stressing that individual talent must translate into collective success. Delhi have struggled to succeed as a team despite producing standout individual performances, and Dahiya believes self-belief, responsibility and pride in representing the state are key to improving their red-ball fortunes.
Vijay Dahiya wants Delhi’s players to take ownership of the team’s fortunes as they begin their Ranji Trophy campaign against Bengal, with the head coach stressing that individual talent must translate into collective success.
Because of their potential to win important matches, dahiya said selection debates were inevitable in professional cricket, with some players receiving longer runs.
Delhi have produced several international cricketers and India captains over the years, but Dahiya said the challenge was to convert individual performances into team success. He wants the side to establish a core of seven or eight players, with changes made according to conditions, opposition and team combinations. “It’s a team game played by individuals, and those individuals need to stand up and make it count,” he said. However, he said the team management had no official update on Pant’s availability. “We’d love to have someone like Rishabh Pant in this team, especially in this format, where he can change the game in one session,” he said. Before being the captain, he is one of the team’s main batters, and he needs to perform accordingly,” Dahiya said.
He wants the Delhi players to be involved in decision-making and believe in the team’s plans. Dahiya would also welcome Rishabh Pant back into the Delhi team, given the wicketkeeper-batter’s ability to change a match quickly. With Ayush Badoni leading Delhi this season, Dahiya wants the young captain to focus on his own batting responsibilities while guiding the side. “His immediate task is to captain Delhi well.
Badoni has previously been considered for India A’s white-ball captaincy but now needs consistent performances to regain that standing.
