Despite boasting of a stellar star-cast of players over the years, Delhi Daredevils have surprisingly not won a single IPL over eight editions.
With the eight edition of the Indian Premier League all set to kick start from April 8, it will be another season when perennial favourites, Delhi Daredevils, would try to break their tournament jinx.
Delhi have never won the IPL, despite boasting of a world-class player line-up, season-after-season, which gives them enough incentive to go one ahead and achieve it this season.
Despite finishing as semi-finalists in 2008 and 2009, they have failed to progress beyond the group-stage (2010, 2011, 2013 and 2014) on four occasions and their other best finish has been reaching the play-offs in 2012.
Delhi have twice finished as table-toppers in IPL history (2009-10, 2012) and also endured the ignominy of finishing rock-bottom on three occasions (2011, 2013 and 2014).
The 2014 season was when they hit their nadir, after winning 2 and losing 12 games, thus finishing off their league engagements with four points.
If Adam Gilchrists' whirlwind 85 for Deccan Chargers, knocked Delhi out in the 2009 semi-final at Centurion, then 2012 was all about a failed batting performance in the qualifiers stage against Kolkata Knight Riders and Chennai Super Kings.
Quinton De Kock, Imran Tahir and JP Duminy (clock-wise) form Delhi's South African brigade
So what ails Delhi despite starting off every season as tournament favourites, only to choke and splutter in the knock-out stages?
India and local legend Virender Sehwag has been part and parcel of the team for a good number of years, and despite his wealth of experience, they have mysteriously not even reached the final on a single occasion.
Though controversial England star Kevin Pietersen will man the reigns as team skipper this time around, still can he do enough to make sure that they break their jinx?
Despite boasting of some world-class hitters in AB De Villers and Glenn Maxwell over the years, they have lost the plot when it matters most and have endured batting collapses frequently.
The current team, apart from Pietersen, has the likes of Quinton de Kock, Jean Paul Duminy, Ross Taylor and the highly rated Dinesh Karthik, to bolster the batting, where as the bowling department will be spear-headed by Mohammad Shami, Wayne Parnell and Imran Tahir.
While it may be too premature to predict as to whether the team would choke and splutter once more, come the upcoming edition, still this may be Pietersen's golden chance to redeem Delhi's fortunes.
Kevin Pietersen will look to turn around Delhi's fortunes in IPL 8 (File photo)
The Englishman, who was sensationally given the axe by the ECB for his alleged misdemeanour during the 2013-14 Ashes series Down Under, will look at the IPL as a platform to resurrect his career.
Who knows, a fired up Pietersen may end up scoring runs by the dozen and probably even inspire Delhi to a maiden title win.
On all three occasions (when Delhi have lost in the knock-out matches), the batsmen have withered under pressure and the top order has failed to fire.
Interestingly, big-hitting Australian David Warner and Sehwag failed to deliver in those three games, and though the duo will not be seen in season eight, the onus now lies on De Kock and the rest to give the team a solid platform.
Of course '16-crore man', Yuvraj Singh, is Delhi's best bet to get the monkey off their backs, and the World Cup snub may spur him on to deliver a master-class.
As things stand, Delhi definitely have the arsenal to gun for glory this time around, and also break their knock-out jinx, with the likes of Pietersen and Yuvraj rising to the occasion.
And if they do, then rest assured they can finally 'Dare to Dream'!
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 "Delhi-Daredevils (File photo)")
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