Deccan Chargers in 2008
{{Short description|Indian Premier League cricket team season}}
{{Infobox cricket club season||club=Deccan Chargers|image=|alt=|season=2008|coach=Robin Singh|captain=VVS Laxman
Adam Gilchrist|colors=|ground=Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium, Hyderabad
(Capacity: 55,000)|comp1=IPL|comp1 result=Group Stage|prevseason=|nextseason=2009|most runs=Adam Gilchrist (436)|most wickets=R. P. Singh (15)|most catches=Rohit Sharma (8)|most dismissals=Adam Gilchrist (7)}}{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2018}}The Deccan Chargers (DC) were a franchise cricket team based in Hyderabad, India, that competed in the Indian Premier League (IPL), a professional Twenty20 cricket (T20) league in India. They were one of the eight teams that competed in the inaugural 2008 Indian Premier League. The team was captained by V. V. S. Laxman and coached by Robin Singh.
Despite being one of the favourites to win the inaugural IPL,{{Cite news|date=September 30, 2008|title=Laxman sacked as Deccan Chargers captain|language=en|work=The News International|url=https://www.thenews.com.pk/archive/print/137583-laxman-sacked-as-deccan-chargers-captain|access-date=2021-05-31}} they finished at the bottom of the table, winning only two games out of fourteen.
After the 2008 season, the team management sacked the entire administration associated with the tournament in that year. The captain and coach were also replaced.{{Cite web|date=29 September 2008|title=Gilchrist to lead Deccan Chargers|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/gilchrist-to-lead-deccan-chargers-371655|access-date=2021-05-31|work=ESPNcricinfo|language=en}}
Background
The Deccan Chargers were one of the most expensive teams of the Indian Premier League and were considered to be one of the stronger sides.
Squad
- Players with international caps are listed in bold.{{cite web|date=28 March 2008|title=2008 Indian Premier League / Squads / Deccan Chargers|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/indian-premier-league-2007-08-313494/deccan-chargers-squad-338087/match-squads|publisher=ESPNcricinfo|access-date=2021-06-01}}
| class="wikitable" style="font-size:85%;"
! Name ! Nationality ! Birth date ! Batting style ! Bowling style ! Notes |
| colspan="6" style="background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center;" |Batsmen |
|---|
| Herschelle Gibbs
| {{cr|South Africa}} |{{birth date and age2|2008|04|20|1974|02|23|df=y}} |Right-handed |Right-arm medium fast | |
| Doddapaneni Kalyankrishna
| {{cr|India}} | |Right-handed | | |
| V. V. S. Laxman
| {{cr|India}} |{{birth date and age2|2008|04|20|1974|11|01|df=y}} |Right-handed |Right-arm off spin |Captain |
| Venugopal Rao
| {{cr|India}} | |Right-handed | | |
| Rohit Sharma
| {{cr|India}} |{{birth date and age2|2008|04|20|1987|04|30|df=y}} |Right-handed |Right-arm off break | |
| Dwaraka Ravi Teja
| {{cr|India}} | |Right-handed | | |
| Arjun Yadav
| {{cr|India}} | |Right-handed | | |
| colspan="6" style="background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center;" |All-rounders |
| Shahid Afridi
| {{cr|Pakistan}} |{{birth date and age2|2008|04|20|1975|03|01|df=y}} |Right-handed |Right-arm leg spin | |
| Sanjay Bangar
| {{cr|India}} | |Right-handed | | |
| Scott Styris
| {{cr|New Zealand}} | |Right-handed | | |
| Andrew Symonds
| {{cr|Australia}} | |Right-handed | |
| colspan="6" style="background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center;" |Wicket-keepers |
| Halhadar Das
| {{cr|India}} | |Right-handed | | |
| Adam Gilchrist
| {{cr|Australia}} |{{birth date and age2|2008|04|20|1971|11|14|df=y}} |Left-handed |Right-arm off break |Vice-captain; Captained side after Laxman injury |
| colspan="6" style="background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center;" |Bowlers |
| Sarvesh Kumar
| {{cr|India}} |{{birth date and age2|2008|04|20|1989|04|26|df=y}} |Right-handed |Right-arm medium fast | |
| Pragyan Ojha
| {{cr|India}} | |Left-handed | | |
| Chamara Silva
| {{cr|Sri Lanka}} | |Right-handed | | |
| R. P. Singh
| {{cr|India}} |{{birth date and age2|2008|04|20|1985|12|06|df=y}} |Right-handed |Left-arm medium fast | |
| Chaminda Vaas
| {{cr|Sri Lanka}} | |Left-handed | | |
| Paidikalva Vijaykumar
| {{cr|India}} | |Right-handed | | |
| Nuwan Zoysa
| {{cr|Sri Lanka}} |{{birth date and age2|2008|04|20|1978|05|13|df=y}} |Left-handed |Left-arm medium fast | |
Season overview
File:Adam_Gilchrist_of_Australia_(cropped).jpg
On 20 April, the Deccan Chargers started their IPL campaign with a five wicket loss against the Kolkata Knight Riders.{{Cite web|last=Veera|first=Sriram|date=20 April 2008|title=M4 : Deccan Chargers vs Kolkata Knight Riders, Commentary|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/indian-premier-league-2007-08-313494/kolkata-knight-riders-vs-deccan-chargers-4th-match-335986/ball-by-ball-commentary|access-date=2021-07-07|work=ESPNcricinfo|language=en}}
On 22 April, the Chargers suffered a defeat at the hands of the Delhi Daredevils.{{Cite web|last=Alter|first=Jamie|date=22 April 2008|title=M7 : Deccan Chargers vs Delhi Daredevils, Commentary|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/indian-premier-league-2007-08-313494/deccan-chargers-vs-delhi-daredevils-7th-match-335988/ball-by-ball-commentary|access-date=2021-07-07|work=ESPNcricinfo|language=en}}
On 24 April, the Deccan Chargers lost their match against the Rajasthan Royals, despite Andrew Symonds scoring a century.{{Cite web|last=Wilde|first=Freddie|date=2020-05-25|title=Andrew Symonds' 117*: Wisden's T20 Innings Of The 2000s, No.5. CricViz|url=https://wisden.com/stories/2000s-in-review/wisdens-t20-innings-of-the-2000s-no-5-andrew-symonds-117|access-date=2021-06-01|website=Wisden|language=en-GB}}
On 27 April, the Deccan Chargers recorded their first win, with a 10 wicket victory over the Mumbai Indians. Adam Gilchrist, who scored a century, was awarded player of the match.{{Cite web|title=Gilchrist leaves Mumbai gasping|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/indian-premier-league-2007-08-313494/mumbai-indians-vs-deccan-chargers-14th-match-335994/match-report|access-date=2021-06-01|work=ESPNcricinfo|language=en}}
On May 1, Andrew Symonds, who was one of the most expensive players in the auction, withdrew from the rest of the season because of international duty. On the same day, the Chargers lost to Kings XI Punjab by 7 wickets. The Kings XI won the toss and decided to bowl, restricting DC to 164 runs. Rohit Sharma and VVS Laxman played significant innings. The Kings XI chased the total with 7 wickets to spare.
On May 6, the DC secured their second win when they defeated the Chennai Super Kings by 7 wickets. DC won the toss and elected to bowl, restricting CSK to 144 runs. Gilchrist was awarded player of the match.{{Cite web|title=Full Scorecard of Super Kings vs Chargers 26th match 2007/08 - Score Report |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/indian-premier-league-2007-08-313494/chennai-super-kings-vs-deccan-chargers-26th-match-336007/full-scorecard|access-date=2021-06-02|work=ESPNcricinfo|language=en}}
On May 13, it was announced that VVS Laxman would not play the rest of the matches due to an injury, and Adam Gilchrist would take over the captaincy.{{Cite web|date=May 13, 2008|title=Laxman ruled out of the remaining IPL matches|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/laxman-ruled-out-of-the-remaining-ipl-matches/articleshow/3037068.cms|access-date=2021-06-01|website=The Times of India|language=en}}
In their last match of the season on 27 May, the DC lost to the Chennai Super Kings by 7 wickets.{{Cite web|last=Binoy|first=George|date=27 May 2008|title=M54: Deccan Chargers vs Chennai Super Kings, Commentary|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/indian-premier-league-2007-08-313494/deccan-chargers-vs-chennai-super-kings-54th-match-336037/ball-by-ball-commentary|access-date=2021-07-07|work=ESPNcricinfo|language=en}}{{Cite web|title=Chennai Super Kings chase 148 to seal semifinal berth|url=https://www.outlookindia.com/newswire/story/chennai-super-kings-chase-148-to-seal-semifinal-berth/575216|access-date=2021-06-01|website=Outlook India}}
The team finished last on the points table with two wins, and failed to qualify for the playoffs.