Vijay Dahiya Throws Challenge To Delhi Stars Ahead Of Ranji Trophy Opener

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. "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.

Dahiya, who has followed domestic cricket closely as a commentator, believes the players need to take the initiative rather than wait for others to turn things around.

"We do need a turnaround in red-ball cricket, and the players need to understand what the format requires," he said.

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.

Dahiya also singled out senior pacer Navdeep Saini, saying the bowler looked like a different player during the initial training sessions and needed to take charge of the attack.

The coach, who guided Delhi to Ranji Trophy, Vijay Hazare Trophy and Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy titles during his previous tenure, was quick to credit the players for those achievements.

"First of all, don't take away my hard work by calling me a lucky charm. Just joking," he said.

Dahiya said selection debates were inevitable in professional cricket, with some players receiving longer runs because of their potential to win important matches. He wants the Delhi players to be involved in decision-making and believe in the team's plans.

"It's one thing to have a plan, but the person responsible for executing it must believe in it. If the players aren't invested in the plan, it won't work," he said.

Dahiya would also welcome Rishabh Pant back into the Delhi team, given the wicketkeeper-batter's ability to change a match quickly. 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.

With Ayush Badoni leading Delhi this season, Dahiya wants the young captain to focus on his own batting responsibilities while guiding the side. Badoni has previously been considered for India A's white-ball captaincy but now needs consistent performances to regain that standing.

"His immediate task is to captain Delhi well. Before being the captain, he is one of the team's main batters, and he needs to perform accordingly," Dahiya said.

He also praised Sarthak Ranjan's commitment and Sanat Sangwan's discipline, while identifying Ayush Doseja as another player who could contribute. In the bowling department, Delhi have options in Navdeep Saini, Simar, Mani Grewal and Divij Mehra, with Dahiya facing a selection headache in choosing three for the playing XI.

Dahiya said he was happy to have the young players available for Delhi and wanted them to translate their potential into performances rather than focus on opportunities elsewhere.

"My job is to stand behind the players, not ahead of them. Once the game starts, we follow their lead," he said.

Though he will continue to keep an eye on emerging talent for IPL teams, Dahiya said his priority was to help Delhi regain their position among the leading sides in domestic cricket.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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