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5 big names that may warm the bench a lot in IPL 2021

Debashish Sarangi
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5 big names that may warm the bench a lot in IPL 2021

5 big names that may warm the bench a lot in IPL 2021 | 5 famed overseas names who might not get many games in IPL 2021

Amidst the potential threat of cancellation/postponement due to the rise in the Covid-19 cases, the Indian Premier League is finally going to begin, which is great news for all cricket lovers across the globe.

As we all know, a team can play a maximum of four overseas players in an IPL match. Thus, there is a possibility of some really big overseas names missing out owing to the overseas quota. In this article, I am going to mention five such overseas players who are less likely to get many games in IPL 2021. Here we go.

David Miller (Rajasthan Royals)

5 big names that may warm the bench a lot in IPL 2021 | 5 famed overseas names who might not get many games in IPL 2021
5 big names that may warm the bench a lot in IPL 2021: David Miller

A big hitter down the order having a plethora of experience, David Miller is an asset for any side in any format of limited overs cricket. In the IPL, Miller has played 80 games and has scored 1850 runs at a decent average of 33.64 and a healthy strike rate of 138.78.

He was an integral member of the Punjab Kings before being picked by the Rajasthan Royals. But sadly, he played just a single game for the Royals in 2020 and warmed the bench for the rest of the season. He is supposed to do the same this year as well because Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler and Chris Morris are certain starters for RR and with Jofra Archer being unavailable in the initial phase; they are more likely to go with one guy between Andrew Tye and Mustafizur Rehman as their fourth overseas player.

Another reason is the addition of Shivam Dube provides them the luxury of having Indian finishers in Dube, Riyan Parag and Rahul Tewatia. Therefore, it is very unlikely that they will go with a third overseas batsman compromising with their bowling in the absence of Archer. Things will become more difficult for him when Archer becomes available. Due to these reasons, I don’t think Miller is going to get many games for RR this season.

Imran Tahir (CSK)

5 big names that may warm the bench a lot in IPL 2021 | 5 famed overseas names who might not get many games in IPL 2021
5 big names that may warm the bench a lot in IPL 2021: Imran Tahir

Imran Tahir was CSK’s best bowler in the middle overs phase in IPL 2019. But in order to have the batting depth, CSK decided to bench him and go with Indian spinners in most of the games in IPL 2020, and play those overseas players apart from the fast bowlers who could provide the batting option.

The lack of acceleration in the middle overs was a big issue for them last season and therefore they have added Moeen Ali to their squad this time, who is supposed to play the role of an enforcer in the middle overs phase. I don’t think Faf Du plessis will be dropped because he had a very good season last year playing as an opener for them. The place of Sam Curran is almost certain.

Secondly, CSK are going to start their campaign by playing 5 games in Mumbai, where the wicket doesn’t provide much assistance to spinners. Also, they don’t have any games on the spin friendly Chepauk deck. In such a scenario, they are more likely to go with a seamer in Lungi Ngidi or DJ Bravo as their 4th overseas player. Therefore, it is very tough for Imran Tahir to get many games in 2021 as well.

Dawid Malan (Punjab Kings)

5 big names that may warm the bench a lot in IPL 2021 | 5 famed overseas names who might not get many games in IPL 2021
5 big names that may warm the bench a lot in IPL 2021: Dawid Malan.

If a team gets the number 1 ranked T20I batsman in his base price, then it’s a steal; isn’t it? Among the several valuable additions, Malan was one of the best buys of the Punjab Kings in the mini auction this year.

But, Malan getting a game is going to be very tough due to the overall combination of PBKS. Chris Gayle was fabulous for them in the last season. They did a mistake by not including Gayle in the initial half and suffered the consequences.

They won 5 out of 7 games after including Gayle. So, they are supposed not to repeat the same mistake once again this year and start with Gayle straightaway. Nicholas Pooran is going to play a key role in their batting department like he did last year. Their other two overseas picks are supposed to be Fabian Allen and Jhye Richardson. Allen is going to be their finisher who can give some tight overs as well. They bought Jhye Richardson to solve their bowling woes; therefore he is going to start in Mumbai. So, there is a very slim chance of Malan getting a place in the starting XI. Unless an overseas player performs poorly, I don’t see Malan being preferred in the XI.

Mujeeb ur Rahman (Sunrisers Hyderabad)

5 big names that may warm the bench a lot in IPL 2021 | 5 famed overseas names who might not get many games in IPL 2021
5 big names that may warm the bench a lot in IPL 2021: Mujeeb ur Rahman.

Mujeeb is one of those versatile spinners who can operate at any phase of the match. But, he has been a part of the teams relying on their overseas batting options; thus his chance of being included in the XI gets reduced (PBKS last year and SRH this season).

The SRH team relies heavily on its top order to do well in the batting department. Their top 4 is most likely to consist of Warner, Bairstow and Williamson; thereby reserving 3 out of 4 overseas slots. Even if they go with Saha in place of Bairstow to avail another overseas player down the order, they are more likely to go with an all rounder like Mohammed Nabi (on spin friendly wickets of Chennai and Delhi) or Jason Holder (on seamer friendly track of Kolkata) as these guys can provide the batting depth.

Secondly, they already have a very good bowling unit comprising of Rashid, Bhuvneshwar, Sandeep and Natarajan. So, I don’t think they need to go with an overseas pure bowling option compromising with their batting. So, it is very unlikely that Mujeeb will get a game in IPL 2021.

Sam Billings (Delhi Capitals)

5 big names that may warm the bench a lot in IPL 2021 | 5 famed overseas names who might not get many games in IPL 2021
5 big names that may warm the bench a lot in IPL 2021: Sam Billings.

Another brilliant T20 player who might turn out to be a victim of the “problem of plenty” is Sam Billings. Getting a finisher like Sam Billings in the auction was a great deal for the Delhi Capitals. But, in the absence of Shreyas Iyer, they are most likely to go with one between Steve Smith and Shimron Hetmyer at the top. Their other 3 overseas slots are reserved for Marcus Stoinis, Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje.

Stoinis did tremendously well for them last season. He played some really good knocks at a rapid strike rate and offered some crucial overs with the ball as well. So, their primary plan is supposed to be using Stoinis as their prime finisher with guys like Lalit Yadav and Axar Patel supporting him with the bat.

Also, the South African duo of Rabada and Nortje was instrumental for them to reach the finals last season. Therefore, there is a negligible chance of Billings getting a place in the starting XI. But if Smith or Hetmyer fails at the top, they might promote Stoinis to the top and get Billings down the order to finish things in the later stage of the league.

This is my list of 5 famed overseas players who might not get many games in IPL 2021. Have your say!

Written by Debashish Sarangi. Follow Debashish on Twitter today.

IPL 2021 Match 1: MI vs RCB Dream11 Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report

Shekhar Singh
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IPL 2021 Match 1: MI vs RCB Dream11 Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report

IPL 2021 Match 1: MI vs RCB Dream11 Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | MI vs BLR Dream11 Prediction Today | Mumbai Indians vs Royal Challengers Key Players | Chennai Pitch Report

The 14th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2021) is upon us. The season will kick off with defending champions Mumbai Indians taking on Royal Challengers Bangalore in what promises to be an intriguing clash at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. 

Proven winners. World-class operators. Tons of depth. Yes, you guessed right, we are talking about the Mighty Mumbai Indians. It would be quite fair if we say in the last 5 years Mumbai has slowly displaced Chennai as the IPL’s most decorated franchise.

People say improving on perfection is quite tough but the defending champions have done quite well by bringing in Adam Milne as an upgrade to James Pattinson, re-signing Nathan-coulter Nile, and bringing in Piyush Chawla into their spin department, which was only their area of concern last year. On the whole, Mumbai seemed to have a stronger squad than the one which defended the Title six months back. Needless to say, they will be among the hot favorites for the Title yet again.

The World knows that Mumbai Indians have only won 31% of their opening matches but Fantasy nuts should also know that they have a history of surprising their opponents by picking someone out of the box in the first match of IPL. In 2018 it was Mayank Markande who picked a 3-fer on debut, In 2019 it was Rasikh Salam and last season it was Saurabh Tiwary. Most of their surprise picks have bought good fortunes to Fantasy Nuts and they should keep an eye on who is coming next. With Chepauk Pitch traditionally slow and RCB recent woes, the surprise pick can come from their spin department.

On the other hand, Royal Challengers Bangalore has been the most entertaining team in the history of the IPL as they have arguably the most dynamic batting stars in the competition’s history in Virat Kohli & AB de Villers. Add to that T20 Stars in Glenn Maxwell, Daniel Christian, Kane Richardson and it only gets better. Along with Devdutt Padikal, they also have a hidden gem in Rajat Patidar who is expected to make waves this season.  

RCB death bowlers have not had the best time in IPL which also means Daniel Sams and Kyle Jamieson have a point to prove. Bangalore hopes will also be on  Saini-Siraj Duo who have gained a good amount of International experience now. After a miserable struggle in the last few years, Bangalore was quite impressive in last year’s IPL and finished at the fourth spot last year. 

IPL 2021 Match 1: MI vs RCB Dream11 Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | MI vs BLR Dream11 Prediction Today | Mumbai Indians vs Royal Challengers Key Players | Chennai Pitch Report | Which players to pick for Dream11 MI vs RCB | Dream11 Team Combination | Dream11 Tips and tricks for IPL 2021
IPL 2021 Match 1: MI vs RCB Dream11 Prediction: Big season for Virat Kohli and RCB?

Key Players to Watch/Key Stats

  • Rohit Sharma–  Captain Fantastic is among the all-time top run-scorers in the IPL, only behind Suresh Raina and Virat Kohli. It would be quite fair if we say IPL 2020 was a quiet season for Sharma’s standards and he could only manage 332 runs from his 12 games. Against RCB he has 510 runs from his 26 games at an average of 29. His Average against them goes up to 36.3 while batting first. At Chennai, he has 152 runs at an average of 21.7.
  • Suryakumar Yadav – After a sensational International debut, Yadav’s confidence would be SKY high. He was also one of the strong reasons behind MI’s dominance last year. He made 480 runs from 16 games at an average of 40 and the best score of 79* which came against the RCB.  Overall he has 220 runs at an average of 27.5 in his 12 games. However, he averages 48.7 while batting at no.3 against the Challengers with 146 from runs 4 games.
  • Ishan Kishan – Like SKY, Young Kishan was brilliant on his debut as well. He has the top run-scorer for Mumbai Indians last season with 516 runs from his 14 games at an incredible average of 57.33. Against Challengers, he has 200 runs from 7 games at an average of 28.6. 
  • Quinton de Kock– Once a Challenger, Quinny has done remarkably well for the Mumbai Indians. He had a 500 run season last year at an average of 35.92. Against his former side, he has 338 runs at an average of 42.2 from his 8 innings.
  • Hardik Pandya – Flamboyant Pandya provides an incredible balance to the side with his all-around ability. In 11 innings against RCB, he has 217 runs at an average of 54.2. His average is on the higher side because of being not-out in the back-end of the innings. He has also picked 5 wickets against the Challengers and all his 5 wickets have come bowling first.
  • Kieron Pollard – Mighty Polly loves playing against RCB and has a terrific record against them. In 21 innings he has 537 runs at an average of 41.3 and also has 11 wickets.
  • Krunal Pandya – Senior Pandya is coming on the back of a terrific domestic season.
  • Jasprit Bumrah –  Bumrah is pure Box-Office! He picked 27 wickets last season. Overall against RCB he has 19 wickets from his 15 innings at a strike rate of 18.3. However, he strikes at 13.5 against them bowling second with 8 wickets from his 5 innings.
  • Trent Boult – After a couple of average seasons in the IPL, Boult was at his very best last season. He picked 25 wickets, out of which 16 came in the powerplay. Against RCB, he has picked 9 wickets from his 5 games. Overall in his T20 bowling career, he does well bowling first.
  • Rahul Chahar –  Chahar had a good IPL 2020 as well. Against RCB he has picked 2 wickets from his 3 games and both the wickets came while bowling first. With RCB’s recent struggle against leg-spin, he will be a good pick in Grand Leagues.  
  • As stated earlier, MI can also surprise by bringing Piyush Chawla, he has 19 wickets from his 21 games against RCB at a strike rate of 21.5. He also has 9 wickets from his 7 games at this venue.
IPL 2021 Match 1: MI vs RCB Dream11 Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | MI vs BLR Dream11 Prediction Today | Mumbai Indians vs Royal Challengers Key Players | Chennai Pitch Report | Which players to pick for Dream11 MI vs RCB | Dream11 Team Combination | Dream11 Tips and tricks for IPL 2021
IPL 2021 Match 1: MI vs RCB Dream11 Prediction: Big season for Ishan Kishan?

Royal Challengers Bangalore:

  • Virat Kohli – Consistency, Class & Elegance are some of the synonyms which are used quite often for Virat. Super V showed clear intent to lift his maiden IPL Title when he said he will back to his opening position. He has the most runs (637) in MI vs RCB games and has done relatively better while batting second. 
  • Overall at Chepauk, he has 173 runs from his 6 games.
  • AB de Villers– ABD deserves a Statue by the sea for his contribution to this beautiful game. He loves playing against MI. In 22 innings against them, 726 runs at an average of 45.4.  Also, his average goes up to 58.2 while batting first. The only slight concern here is that he has not played competitive cricket after the IPL.
  • Glenn Maxwell – RCB has chanted Maxwell Mantra and all RCB Fans hope that he lives up to the expectation this time around. In 12 games against his former side, he has 254 runs at an average of 21.2.  
  • Daniel Christian – Serial T20 Winner has returned to the IPL and quite Ironic that his last match was also against Indians where he could not finish the match and Rising Pune Super Giant lost the final to Mumbai. He has unfinished business. In 7 innings against MI, he has 104 runs at an average of 19.8. He has also picked 6 wickets out of which 4 came bowling first. Overall also he has one well while bowling first.
  • Yuzvendra Chahal – Chahal is a genuine wicket-taker and RCB go-to bowler. He picked 21 wickets last season. Against MI he has 19 wickets from 13 games at a strike rate of 15.8. He is a much better bowler while bowling first and his striker rate drops to 12.7. On the Chennai deck, he will be a crucial pick alongside Washinton Sundar who will be playing at his home ground. Sundar has picked 5 wickets from his 7 games against MI.
  • Navdeep Saini – Saini has played thrice against MI and has not picked up a single wicket.
  • Mohammad Siraj – Siraj has picked 7 wickets against MI out of which 5 Wickets came bowling second.

Also read: 5 big predictions for IPL 2021

Stats and Facts

  • Overall Played 29 | MI 19 | RCB 10
  • RCB has won 62% of their opening games. MI just 31%.
  • Rohit & ABD have four 50+ scores in MIvRCB games – most by any batsmen.
  • In eight years as captain, Rohit has led MI to five IPL titles. He is the most successful IPL captain. 
  • In the last eight years, RCB has played only 4 games at Chennai and lost all of them while Mumbai has played 5 games and won all of them. 
  • RCB have lost their lost 5 consecutive games.

Predicted Playing 11

Quinton De Kock’s availability for the first game is not certain as South African players have to go a mandatory 7 quarantine after arrival.

Mumbai Indians: 1. Ishan Kishan, 2. Rohit Sharma (c), 3. Suryakumar Yadav, 4. Hardik Pandya, 5. Kieron Pollard, 6. Krunal Pandya, 7. Nathan Coulter-Nile/Adam Milne, 8. Rahul Chahar, 9. Trent Boult, 10. Jasprit Bumrah, 11. Piyush Chawla

Unfortunately, All-Rounder Daniel Sams have tested covid positive and will miss this match. Devdutt Padikkal has tested negative and will join up with the RCB squad.

Royal Challengers Bangalore: 1. Virat Kohli (C), 2. Devdutt Padikkal, 3. Glenn Maxwell, 4. AB de Villiers (wk), 5. Rajat Patidar/Sachin Baby, 6. Daniel Christian, 7. Washington Sundar, 8. Kyle Jamieson, 9. Mohammed Siraj, 10. Navdeep Saini, 11. Yuzvendra Chahal

Chepauk Chennai Pitch Report and Conditions

Chepauk has been a traditional slow wicket and anything above 160 is considered a decent total. The average first innings score in IPL 2019 at the venue was 144.

With humid conditions on offer, either side will prefer to chase at the venue upon winning the toss.

Dream11 Prediction (this may change closer to the match)

Option 1:

IPL 2021 Match 1: MI vs RCB Dream11 Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | MI vs BLR Dream11 Prediction Today | Mumbai Indians vs Royal Challengers Key Players | Chennai Pitch Report | Which players to pick for Dream11 MI vs RCB | Dream11 Team Combination | Dream11 Tips and tricks for IPL 2021
IPL 2021 Match 1: MI vs RCB Dream11 Prediction

Option 2:

IPL 2021 Match 1: MI vs RCB Dream11 Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | MI vs BLR Dream11 Prediction Today | Mumbai Indians vs Royal Challengers Key Players | Chennai Pitch Report | Which players to pick for Dream11 MI vs RCB | Dream11 Team Combination | Dream11 Tips and tricks for IPL 2021
IPL 2021 Match 1: MI vs RCB Dream11 Prediction

Match Prediction

In the last eight years, RCB has played only 4 games at Chennai and lost all of them while Mumbai has played 5 games and won all of them. RCB is on a 5 match losing streak as well.

We are going against the odds and back RCB to win, given that MI rarely win their first game of the season.

5 players who can win the Purple Cap in IPL 2021

Robin Rounder
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5 players who can win the Purple Cap in IPL 2021

5 players who can win the Purple Cap in IPL 2021 | Who will win the Purple Cap in IPL 2021? | Who will score the most runs in IPL 2021?

There is fierce competition between bat and ball in the Indian Premier League. Star batsmen and bowlers compete against each other in the world’s best franchise cricket league.

There are batsmen who can smoke big sixes, and there are bowlers who can rattle their stumps, which makes for riveting cricket. So, here are five bowlers who can win take the most wickets in the 14th edition of the tournament, and win the Purple Cap:

Jasprit Bumrah

5 players who can win the Purple Cap in IPL 2021 | Who will win the Purple Cap in IPL 2021? | Who will score the most runs in IPL 2021? | Who will take the most wickets in IPL 2021?
5 players who can win the Purple Cap in IPL 2021: Jasprit Bumrah is certainly a leading contender.

Indian speedster Jasprit Bumrah is one name that can intimidate any batting line-up. Known for his accuracy and the knack of picking wickets, Bumrah is one of the top bowlers in the cricketing circuit with the new ball and in the death overs in all formats. He is arguably the most important player in the Mumbai Indians squad.

Bumrah picked up 27 wickets in 15 games last season and was the second-highest wicket-taker. Good with the new ball, effective in the middle overs and superb at the death, Bumrah is surely one of the first names that come to mind when talking about the Purple Cap.

Kagiso Rabada

5 players who can win the Purple Cap in IPL 2021 | Who will win the Purple Cap in IPL 2021? | Who will score the most runs in IPL 2021? | Who will take the most wickets in IPL 2021?
5 players who can win the Purple Cap in IPL 2021: Rabada to win the Purple Cap again?

Protea pacer Kagiso Rabada has been exceptional in the IPL since the 2019 season. He won the Purple Cap last year with 30 wickets in 17 games and was the second-highest wicket-taker in the 2019 season with 25 wickets in 12 games.

Rabada is one of the reasons for DC’s rise in the tournament as a team since 2019. As a result, they played their first final in 13 years in the last edition. The team will expect nothing less from Rabada this year too and he has already shown that he is more than capable to do so.

Also read: 5 big predictions for IPL 2021

Rashid Khan

5 players who can win the Purple Cap in IPL 2021 | Who will win the Purple Cap in IPL 2021? | Who will score the most runs in IPL 2021? | Who will take the most wickets in IPL 2021?
5 players who can win the Purple Cap in IPL 2021: Rashid Khan will be key on turning pitches.

Rashid Khan is currently the best spinner in the T20 format. He is one of the contenders for the Purple Cap this season, especially with the Sunrisers Hyderabad playing their first 5 games at the spin-friendly wicket at Chepauk. Rashid came into the IPL in 2018 and SRH got into the finals on the back of his exceptional bowling.

He picked up 20 wickets in 16 games last season and is expected to be even more of a threat to the batters on the slow and turning wicket of Chepauk.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar

5 players who can win the Purple Cap in IPL 2021 | Who will win the Purple Cap in IPL 2021? | Who will score the most runs in IPL 2021? | Who will take the most wickets in IPL 2021?
5 players who can win the Purple Cap in IPL 2021: Bhuvneshwar Kumar has been in great touch.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar returned from injury in the recently concluded India vs England series and looked at his best during the 5 T20Is and 3 ODIs. He was swinging the ball, which he’s known for, with excellent accuracy. We all know what Bhuvneshwar Kumar is capable of and him being back in form and full fitness will be a huge relief for the Sunrisers Hyderabad.

Bhuvi brings immense value with the new ball in the powerplay and as well as in the death overs too. He has a habit of picking up wickets in the start and push the opposition on the back foot early. He’ll surely be eyeing the Purple Cap to announce that he is well and truly back.

Shardul Thakur

5 players who can win the Purple Cap in IPL 2021: Shardul Thakur has been excellent.

Shardul Thakur has emerged as a genuine wicket-taker for the Indian team in recent times. He picks up wickets every time he is given the ball irrespective of the situation. He was the highest wicket-taker in ODIs as well as the T20I series against England recently. He picked up 8 wickets in 5 games in T20Is and 7 wickets in 3 games in the ODIs.

He picked up 11 wickets last season. His ability to pick crucial wickets in the middle overs is what makes him a contender for the Purple Cap in 2021. CSK will be playing their 5 games at Wankhede which is his home ground and expectations will be high from Shardul this time.

These were our 5 picks for the potential Purple Cap winners in IPL 2021. Hope you guys enjoyed it.

Thanks for Reading!

Written by Robin Rounder. Follow Robin on Twitter today.

IPL 2021 Predictions: 5 big predictions for the tournament

Charbel Coorey
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IPL 2021 Predictions: 5 big predictions for the tournament

IPL 2021 Predictions: 5 big predictions for the tournament | Looking at which players and teams will perform best in IPL 2021

As IPL 2020 was held in strange circumstances in September-November in the UAE, one constant remained. The magnificent Mumbai Indians were at it again, arguably playing better cricket in 2020 than they did in 2019.

Fast forward just six months later, and we’re back at it again. This time in India. However, like the UAE edition, the tournament will be played behind closed doors with a strict bio-secure bubble in place due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

From a cricketing perspective, will we see Mumbai Indians winning the title for a third-straight season? Or could we see a brand new champion this time around? Can KL Rahul and Kagiso Rabada successfully defend their Orange and Purple Caps respectively? Who will make the playoffs?

These, among many other questions, will be answered over the next six weeks in T20 cricket’s best league. In this article, I will make five key predictions for the upcoming IPL 2021 season:

  • Orange Cap winner
  • Purple Cap winner
  • Bottom-placed team
  • The four teams to make the playoffs
  • IPL 2021 winner

Orange Cap winner: David Warner

IPL 2021 Predictions: 5 big predictions for the tournament | Looking at which players and teams will perform best in IPL 2021 | IPL Predictions for 2021 | Predictions for Indian Premier League in 2021
IPL 2021 Predictions: David Warner will win the Orange Cap.

No batsman in IPL history has more Orange Caps than Australian David Warner. In a T20 World Cup year, and leading a strong SRH side, Warner is primed for a big IPL campaign. Also, the left-hander has an incredible record of winning the Orange Cap in alternate years since 2014 (Warner won it in 2015, 2017 and 2019), and he has it in him to go big once again this season, and will pick up the Orange Cap.

Other leading contenders: KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, Shubman Gill, Ben Stokes.

Purple Cap winner: Kagiso Rabada

IPL 2021 Predictions: 5 big predictions for the tournament | Looking at which players and teams will perform best in IPL 2021 | IPL Predictions for 2021 | Predictions for Indian Premier League in 2021
IPL 2021 Predictions: Kagiso Rabada to win the IPL 2021 Purple Cap.

Kagiso Rabada had an outstanding IPL 2020 campaign, headlined by his ability to bowl well in the crunch stages. There is no doubt that he will once again play a key role for the Delhi Capitals in 2021, where he will prominently feature in the powerplay and death overs. Rabada’s ability to take wickets regularly, particularly at the death, makes him a very strong candidate to win the Purple Cap for a second-straight year. For this reason, I believe Rabada will have the most wickets of any bowler at season’s end.

Other leading contenders: Jasprit Bumrah, Trent Boult, Yuzvendra Chahal, Rashid Khan

Bottom-placed team: Royal Challengers Bangalore

This is certainly a controversial prediction, and my least-favourite one to make. Given RCB’s incredible batting power, I am prepared to hold my hand up and say that I can easily be wrong here.

However, RCB’s auction performance, where Kyle Jamieson was purchased for 5 crores more than the released Chris Morris, has left them in a tricky situation. Their death bowling looks very thin for the upcoming season, which has been their achilles heel throughout their history, despite possessing the best batsmen in the game.

This season is no different with Kohli and de Villiers again at the helm, with Glenn Maxwell joining them. Add the likes of Devdutt Padikkal, Mohammad Azharudeen, and RCB have the lineup to consistently make scores upwards of 200. However, whether they defend those scores is another question, and given their thin death bowling stocks, they may very well fall short on numerous occasions.

4 teams to make the IPL 2021 playoffs:

  • Mumbai Indians: Superb squad, superb team. The back-to-back and five-time champions have too much depth and quality to not make the playoffs.
  • Sunrisers Hyderabad: The recent form of Bhuvneshwar Kumar makes the SRH bowling attack look even more potent this season. Sandeep Sharma, who was excellent in IPL 2020, will combine with the likes of Kumar, T Natarajan and Rashid Khan to make up an excellent attack. And, when you add the batting prowess of Warner, Jonny Bairstow, Kane Williamson, Manish Pandey among others, the consistent SRH will be tough to beat again.
  • Delhi Capitals: The absence of captain Shreyas Iyer is a blow. So, it will be interesting to see if Rishabh Pant can lead the team well throughout the campaign. DC’s strength, once again, is a well-balanced bowling attack with Rabada and Anrich Nortje to lead the way. Also, the excellent form of Prithvi Shaw can see DC setting strong platform for the likes of Pant, Marcus Stoinis and Shimron Hetmyer to go big.
  • Rajasthan Royals: Perhaps the most controversial pick out of the four. The Royals, who have been the league’s “nearly men” in recent seasons, will be after a big year. Kumar Sangakkara is now at the helm, and they had a good auction with the addition of Chris Morris, among others. The absence of Jofra Archer for the first part of the season is a factor that RR need to handle well. The batting, comprising of Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler and new captain Sanju Samson, can enable them to make big scores. Also, this could be a big season for all-rounder Shivam Dube.

Winner: Mumbai Indians

IPL 2021 Predictions: 5 big predictions for the tournament | Looking at which players and teams will perform best in IPL 2021 | IPL Predictions for 2021 | Predictions for Indian Premier League in 2021
IPL 2021 Predictions: Mumbai Indians to win the IPL Title once again.

I predicted that the Mumbai Indians will win the IPL the past two years, and I am prepared to say they will win it again.

Some may point to whether this team can maintain such a high level of performance after back-to-back titles. I believe they certainly can, for four key reasons. One, their XI, and much of their squad, will be motivated to maintain top form in a T20 World Cup year. Two, the likes of Suryakumar Yadav and Ishan Kishan have had a taste of international cricket, and will have an even more renewed sense of self-belief. Third, MI possess the depth and quality in the middle order that other teams can only dream of. Fourth, their bowling attack, led by Bumrah and Boult, will be hard to get away at all stages of the innings.

MI is the perfect T20 team, and will be lifting the trophy at season’s end.

So, there are my five predictions for IPL 2021. Are there any you agree or disagree with in particular? Have your say!

5 players who can win the Orange Cap in IPL 2021

Robin Rounder
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5 players who can win the Orange Cap in IPL 2021

5 players who can win the Orange Cap in IPL 2021 | Who will win the Orange Cap in IPL 2021? | Who will score the most runs in IPL 2021?

It’s IPL time again as the 14th edition of the biggest league in the cricketing world is upon us. All the franchises have started training while the fans are excited as ever to cheer their favorite teams and players. This is the second IPL season in 6 months after the last edition of the league was organized in UAE in September-October 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This year, the IPL caravan has returned home but at selected venues and without fans due to the pandemic situation.

All 8 teams are very strong with world-class players waiting to show their magic on the field. There is very intense competition among the teams and amongst the players too for the Orange and Purple Caps. Here, we’ll mention the 5 players who can win the Orange cap in IPL 2021.

Virat Kohli

5 players who can win the Orange Cap in IPL 2021 | Who will win the Orange Cap in IPL 2021? | Who will score the most runs in IPL 2021?
Will Virat Kohli win the Orange Cap in IPL 2021?

It’s impossible to not mention Virat Kohli when we are talking about runs and batting; not only in IPL but in international cricket too irrespective of the format. Kolhi has the most runs (5878 runs in 184 innings) in the IPL, including 5 centuries, in which 4 of them came in a single season in 2016.

The last few seasons haven’t been up to his standards, but he has confirmed that he’ll be opening the batting this season. The last time he did that was in that incredible 2016 season, where he scored 973 runs in 16 matches at an average of 81.08, striking at 152.03 with 4 centuries.

Virat is arguably the best batsman of this generation and with him opening the innings, it’s very probable that he’ll be the highest run-scorer this season and can win the Orange Cap in IPL 2021.

KL Rahul

5 players who can win the Orange Cap in IPL 2021 | Who will win the Orange Cap in IPL 2021? | Who will score the most runs in IPL 2021?
Will KL Rahul win the Orange Cap again?

KL Rahul has been the best Indian batsman in the IPL for the last few seasons. He won the Orange Cap in IPL 2020 with 670 runs in 14 games at an average of 55.83. He was the second highest-scorer in 2019 and the third highest in 2018. Rahul has been in excellent touch for some time now, although he struggled in the recently concluded T20I series against England. However, he came back to his best in the ODIs.

He did play a bit slowly in the last edition, but is expected to bat with a higher strike rate this season. PBKS fans will hope that Rahul will lead the franchise to their first title this season, not only as a captain but as a batter too.

David Warner

5 players who can win the Orange Cap in IPL 2021 | Who will win the Orange Cap in IPL 2021? | Who will score the most runs in IPL 2021?
David Warner can reclaim the Orange Cap.

David Warner is the most successful overseas batsman in the history of the IPL. He has 5254 runs and is the only player to have won the Orange Cap thrice (2015, 2017 & 2019).

The southpaw is very consistent in the IPL. He took SRH to the finals in 2016 and eventually to their first title by single-handedly scoring runs that season. The SRH management will want their skipper to do the same in IPL 2021 and lead them to their second title. With a big T20 World Cup approaching, Warner will be out to have a big season.

Shubman Gill

5 players who can win the Orange Cap in IPL 2021 | Who will win the Orange Cap in IPL 2021? | Who will score the most runs in IPL 2021?
A big season ahead for Shubman Gill?

Predicted as the future superstar by many, Indian youngster Shubman Gill is another contender for the Orange Cap. Gill is a very exciting batsman and his game against both pace and spin bowling is top class. He handled the pace of Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc very well in the last BGT Trophy and played attacking cricket against them.

He scored 440 runs in the last season at an average of 33.84 with 3 half-centuries to his name. He’ll surely want to have the Orange Cap to his name coming into IPL 2021.

Rishabh Pant

5 players who can win the Orange Cap in IPL 2021 | Who will win the Orange Cap in IPL 2021? | Who will score the most runs in IPL 2021?
Rishabh Pant is capable of producing great things

Man of the moment, Rishabh Pant, is another very exciting player who can win the Orange Cap this season. Pant has been in form of his life since the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2020-2021. He has been scoring runs for fun in all three formats. Pant, who is known for his fearless unorthodox batting, can tear apart any bowling attack on his day.

Pant is appointed as the captain of the Delhi Capitals for the year 2020 after Shreyas Iyer was ruled out due to injury. We can expect Pant to bat higher this season which means more chances of him to score more and more runs.

These were our five picks who can score the most runs and win the orange cap in IPL 2021. We hope you guys enjoyed reading it.

Thanks for Reading!

Written by Robin Rounder. Follow Robin on Twitter today.

Will we see a brand new champion in IPL 2021?

Vaibhav Tripathi
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Will we see a brand new champion in IPL 2021?

Will we see a brand new champion in IPL 2021? | Will Royal Challengers Bangalore, Delhi Capitals or Punjab Kings win IPL 2021?

If you look at the history of the toughest T20 league in the world, then barring 3 current IPL teams, every other team in the current lot has won the tournament at least once. There have been 13 seasons of the IPL and among the eight teams, two have won the trophy eight times (5- MI and 3- CSK) between them. Kolkata Knight Riders have won two, while Sunrisers Hyderabad and Rajasthan Royals each have one title to their name. We haven’t got a new champion since Sunrisers’ title triumph in 2016.

Royal Challengers Bangalore, Delhi Capitals, and Kings XI Punjab are the ones without any title. We’ll analyse all three teams and figure out which team has the potential to emerge out as the new winner of the IPL.

Punjab Kings

The newly named side, Punjab Kings (formerly Kings XI Punjab), with a big purse, made a lot of noise in the IPL 2021 Auction. They had some expensive buys in the form of two Australian quicks – Jhye Richardson, Riley Meredith, and also the uncapped Indian batsman Shahrukh Khan.

However, out of the two Aussie quicks, one may not even be the first-choice option for the team. Punjab’s strength has been their strong batting group. The top 5 of this team is one of the most dangerous among all teams. The likes of KL Rahul, Mayank Agarwal, Chris Gayle, Dawid Malan, and Nicholas Pooran are all capable of turning the match on their own.  The addition of Malan is an interesting one as if they want to rest Gayle then Malan comes in his place at 3 or even a Moises Henriques, who has prior experience of playing at 3 for Sunrisers Hyderabad. Also for the lower order hitting PBKS have 3 good Indian options in Mandeep Singh, Deepak Hooda, and Sarfaraz Khan. The batting group will keep the opposition bowlers on their toes.

While their batting is their outright strength, the bowling department will be their biggest worry for the 14th edition of the tournament. Apart from Mohammad Shami and Chris Jordan, the bowling lacks experience which might leave them exposed once again. One can see a lot of potential in Jhye Richardson, Riley Meredith, Ravi Bishnoi, Murugan Ashwin, and Arshdeep Singh, but there’s a lack of experience to go along with that.

With KL Rahul as the captain and their best player, the team would be dependent on Shami, Mayank, Gayle, Pooran, and Jhye Richardson to have a successful campaign.  The Team also lacks good all-rounders, which is again a defining area.

Royal Challengers Bangalore

The search for silverware is on for RCB in the 14th edition of the IPL as well. They have made some structural changes for the upcoming IPL in the hope that they can go the distance this year.

RCB made some exciting inclusions in the squad for the upcoming season with Glenn Maxwell being much-talked-about. RCB acquired the services of the Aussie power-hitter for a massive 14.25 crore, while they also bought New Zealand’s all-rounder Kyle Jamieson for a whopping 15 crores. Daniel Christian, Mohammed Azharuddeen, and KS Bharat are the other players who might help RCB to overcome the ghosts of the past.

The overseas combination should see Glenn Maxwell, Dan Christian, Daniel Sams, Kane Richardson, and Kyle Jamieson playing a major role in the team. The top 4 looks solid with Kohli, Padikkal, ABD, and Maxwell playing the role of the floater. However, it is the lower middle-order that is a problem area for RCB. If the top 4 are bundled out for low scores, then RCB could be in a dangerous situation. The lack of good Indian batting options is also an area of concern. Yuzvendra Chahal-led spin department will happily play most of the IPL matches this season at the slow-turning tracks of Ahmedabad and Chennai.

The Play Bold army has a fresh fast bowling attack with some exciting young pacers like Jamieson, Mohammed Siraj, and Navdeep Saini. However, the combination lacks experience. Jamieson has made a name for himself in the New Zealand team but his performances in T20Is have been questionable with an economy of 9.80. But as RCB is going to play five of their league games on a seaming track (Kolkata), Jamieson certainly will enjoy bowling on that kind of track. RCB has some depth in their pace attack this time with Daniel Sams, Harshal Patel, and Kane Richardson, but it still looks rusty in many ways without any solid leader of the pack. Indeed, death bowling is still the team’s weakest link.

How Virat will handle his overseas resources will decide the fate of RCB in the IPL 2021.

Delhi Capitals

Will we see a brand new champion in IPL 2021? | Will Royal Challengers Bangalore, Delhi Capitals or Punjab Kings win IPL 2021?
Will we see a brand new champion in IPL 2021? Can Rishabh Pant lead DC to the Title?

Delhi Capitals has been the most improved T20 unit since 2018. Undoubtedly, the Capitals has been one of the consistent sides in the IPL in recent times since the franchise rebranded itself ahead of the 2019 season. DC made it to the playoffs in the last two editions of the cash-rich league, including the final in IPL 2020. Unfortunately, DC will be missing their skipper Shreyas Iyer due to a shoulder injury. Rishabh Pant has been announced as the captain of DC for IPL 2021. The franchise has once again successfully formed a strong squad with backup options available in each department.

The sheer quality of Indian players in the squad is the biggest strength of the runner-ups of the last season. Especially their batting department is full of big household names like Shikhar Dhawan, Prithvi Shaw, Ajinkya Rahane, and captain Rishabh Pant. Most of these players are in good touch with the bat which certainly will be helpful in DC’s hunt for their first title.

The inclusion of big names like Sam Billings and Steve Smith provides further depth to the Delhi Capitals’ batting. Their spin and fast bowling attack is equally potent and gives the opposition batsmen a run for their money.

The captaincy of Shreyas Iyer will be sorely missed this year since Rishabh Pant will have big shoes to fill. The batting line-up also lacks credible finishers barring the in-form skipper Pant and if he does fail to finish the innings, the onus will be on the likes of Stoinis, Hetmyer, and Axar to end the innings on a high.

Conclusion:

Of all the 3 teams, Delhi Capitals, even in the absence of their regular skipper Shreyas Iyer, looks like a complete T20 unit. And we believe they’ve a better chance to emerge as the new winners of the IPL than the other two franchises. 

Written by Vaibhav Tripathi. Follow Vaibhav on Twitter today.

How important is Joe Root to England’s ODI team?

Adam Sutherland
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How important is Joe Root to England’s ODI team?

How important is Joe Root to England’s ODI team? | Analysing the impact of Joe Root in England’s ODI team of hard-hitters and big strikers

It was Joe Root – a survivor of England’s calamitous 2015 World Cup campaign – that launched Eoin Morgan’s ODI revolution at Edgbaston on June 9 that same year. A superb century set England on their way to amassing 408-9 against New Zealand, their then highest ODI score.

Root’s century, punctuated with trademark cover drives and back foot punches, was brought up off only 71 balls, making it the third-fastest by an England batsman. However, such was the pace of Morgan’s white ball revolution that his century now sits 12th on that list. Indeed, Jos Buttler that very same day ensured Root’s entry into the top three lasted only two hours, registering a century of his own off a mere 66 balls.

To understand Root’s role in England’s ODI team, you have to look at his fellow protagonists in the white ball revolution. England’s top six have amassed formidable strike rates since the 2015 World Cup. Buttler, widely considered the poster boy for the new era, leads the way striking at 123. The bludgeoning opening pair of Roy and Bairstow have amassed their runs at 107 and 106 respectively per 100 balls. England’s middle order left-handers, Morgan and Stokes, at 99 and 98, and the now forgotten Hales striking at a shade under 98.

When it comes to raw power, you can’t look past Roy and Stokes. If it’s innovation, Buttler and Captain Morgan are your go-tos. Few in the world, let alone England, can match Bairstow’s belligerent consistency at the top of the order.

Yet, ask most England fans: who do you want to see coming to the crease in a tight situation? The answer will be Joe Root. That scenario presented itself in what was then the biggest test for the new England – the opening game of the 2019 Cricket World Cup against South Africa. For once the Roy and Bairstow combination failed, as Bairstow edged Imran Tahir through to de Kock first ball. Faf du Plessis threw a surprise in the shape of his 40-year- old leg spinner, and England were a little stunned. As English nerves were frayed, would England fluff their lines yet again on the biggest stage?

How important is Joe Root to England's ODI team? | Analysing the impact of Joe Root in England's ODI team of hard-hitters and big strikers
Joe Root has enabled others in the England team to go big.

Out came Root, who played a characteristically assured innings, finding gaps in the field, running hard and taking the sting out of a buoyed South African attack. By the time he was dismissed, for a well compiled 51 off 59 balls, he had put on over 100 with Jason Roy. The platform was established for Morgan and Stokes to propel England to 311, a lower total than some of the scores they had become accustomed to, but one that proved far beyond South Africa. The stage was set; Root went on to score 556 runs in the tournament – the most for an England player and the seventh most overall in a single World Cup.

Yet Root’s value isn’t just that of providing stability when his belligerent teammates fail. On nine occasions Root has scored 50 or more when England have posted totals in excess of 350. Yet, in contrast to some of his teammates, his exploits sometimes hardly make it into despatches. In 2016 when England set what was then an ODI world record – pillaging 444-3 at Trent Bridge against Pakistan – Root made a fine 85 at a strike rate of 98.84. His contribution however was reduced to a mere footnote as Alex Hales laid waste to the Pakistan attack with a thunderous knock of 171 off 122 balls.

Against the Windies at Bristol in 2017 it was Moeen Ali who took the limelight. A brutal knock of 102 off 57, in which he moved from 50 to 100 in just 12 balls, powered England to 369-9. Moeen in typically self-effacing style played down his knock, commenting “I just had a slog and everything came off”. A fine slog indeed, but one that would have been less likely without a characteristically assured 84 off 79 from Root, who guided them from a perilous 74-3.

Against Afghanistan in the 2019 Cricket World Cup, Eoin Morgan launched an assault on the Afghan bowling attack that bordered on gruesome; the England skipper hit a world record 17 sixes on his way to 148 in 71 balls. Root, in contrast, managed only the single six, as he fell for 88 at a strike rate of 107.31 – more than 100 fewer than Morgan’s.

In this context, one can see Root’s overshadowed Edgbaston century at the dawn of the era as emblematic of his entire ODI career. A career that, in most other teams and any other era for England, would take central billing. Since the 2015 World Cup Root has a strike rate above 90, with eight of his 12 centuries in that period coming at better than a run a ball. His career strike rate sits above Kevin Pietersen and Marcus Trescothick – both considered ahead of their time in conservative England ODI setups. Root has achieved these feats while maintaining an average of 50.10 which, among batsmen to have played at least 40 innings, is the ninth best ever and second best for England behind Jonathan Trott. Yet, despite his status as one of the best batsmen produced by England, his contributions are regularly reduced to the supporting act.

It’s not always a glamorous role but what Root does for the England ODI team is valued and appreciated. For all the glitz and glamour of England’s new era, it is built on the most solid of foundations. Root is the glue – a pressure valve allowing the rest of the line-up to play their natural games. For a supposed anchor, he possesses almost all the shots and scores runs all around the wicket. His game is versatile enough to rebuild if the situation requires or drive home the advantage when the team is ahead. His innings might not be what the spectators go home talking about, but his contributions are not lost on teammates and supporters alike.

Written by Adam Sutherland. Follow Adam on Twitter today.

IPL 2021 Favourites: Who are the top contenders?

Charbel Coorey
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IPL 2021 Favourites: Who are the top contenders?

IPL 2021 Favourites: Who are the top contenders? | Which team will win IPL 2021? | A look at the teams who have a good chance to win IPL 2021

The upcoming season of IPL is almost upon us, and all eight teams present their cases for lifting the coveted trophy at season’s end. The sheer competitiveness expected in the upcoming season increases anticipation even further, as the successful Mumbai Indians look to make it three straight.

This season, the seven other challengers will be looking to bring the trophy home. Three of those – Delhi Capitals, Punjab Kings and Royal Challengers Bangalore – have never won the tournament before. So, will this be the year that we see a new champion, or will the likes of Mumbai and Chennai Super Kings reign supreme?

According to the odds, Mumbai Indians are right up there to win the title once again. The Capitals, last year’s finalists, are just behind them in their quest to win the title. Royal Challengers Bangalore, courtesy of their fiery batting lineup, sit in third according to bookmakers.

Note, if you do plan on betting during the IPL, here are some key tips to keep in mind before you do so.

IPL 2021 Favourites: Who are the top contenders? | Which team will win IPL 2021? | A look at the teams who have a good chance to win IPL 2021
IPL 2021 Favourites: Who are the top contenders?

One of the first things that you can notice over here is that the gap between the teams is pretty narrow. As a result, we can expect tough competition between teams.

Although, Mumbai Indians with 5.00 is the most favorite team to defend their IPL title. But if you look at other teams like Kings XI Punjab or Rajasthan Royals with 10.00, they have a pretty good chance of winning.

The bookies are also expecting Delhi Capitals as the winner. As they beat the finalists last year. Also, there is a chance of Royal Challengers Bangalore.

Mumbai Indians (5.00)

There is no doubt that Mumbai Indians is the most favoured team for the IPL 2021 Title. Mumbai Indians have a great history of winning IPL titles, and we might see the same in IPL 2021.

The team has players like Ishan Kishan, Quinton de Kock, and Suryakumar Yadav. These players were among the top seven run scorers last season. This is in addition to the likes of skipper Rohit Sharma, the Pandya brothers and Jasprit Bumrah. Overall, MI have the best all-round players in the team. So, they will be one of the hardest teams to defeat in IPL 2021.

Delhi Capitals (5.50)

Next, there is the Delhi Capitals. It is a team that never won an IPL title. But they were pretty close to the title last year.

The team finished second in IPL 2020. Although, they amazingly defeated Sunrisers Hyderabad in the playoffs, the team lost by 5 wickets in the final. So we can expect that the team is desperate to win the title of 2021, even in the absence of Shreyas Iyer as Rishabh Pant will lead the side.

The team has the south African duo Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje leading the way in the bowling attack, with a number of experienced batsmen to also look towards.

Royal Challengers Bangalore (6.00)

Lastly, there is the Royal Challengers Bangalore who is known as the biggest underachievers in IPL history. They have failed in all the IPL seasons.

However, during the last season, the team managed to make its way to the fourth place with its superior net run rate. But they were knocked out by Sunrisers Hyderbad during the Eliminator.

The team has big players like Virat Kohli as the team captain who is the leading run scorer in the tournament’s history. Also, they have other players like AB de Villiers and Yuzvendra Chahal, who are the best players. Add Glenn Maxwell, and RCB could be looking at massive totals with the bat.

Also, if you look at the team’s past, RCB reached three finals between 2009 to 2017. So they have a pretty good chance of coming in the finals this year or finally get the IPL title, if they can bowl well at the death.

Final Words

So those were some early betting odds that will help you to bet on IPL cricket. However, before placing any bets, make sure you do proper research to prevent heavy losses.

5 IPL debutants to watch out for in 2021

Debashish Sarangi
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5 IPL debutants to watch out for in 2021

5 IPL debutants to watch out for in 2021 | 5 debutants who could be mighty impressive in the 2021 edition of the Indian Premier League

To the delight of all the cricket fans across the world, the 14th edition of the biggest festival of Indian cricket, the Indian Premier league, is going to commence from 9th of April. We will witness some fantastic cricket for a long period of almost 2 months.

There are some exciting players who are expected to make their debut in the IPL this season, and they would like to capitalize on this golden opportunity. In this article, I am going to mention five such debutants who might turn out to be impressive in IPL 2021.

Lalit Yadav (Delhi Capitals)

One of the numerous batting talents in Indian domestic circuit, Lalit Yadav, has a strong reputation of being a dynamic hitter of the ball. In his T20 career, Lalit has scored 560 runs from 28 innings at a very good average of 37.33 and an excellent SR of 149.33.

He provides a bowling option as well. He has picked 27 wickets from 34 innings at a very impressive economy of 6.86. Despite being an allrounder of such a calibre, he didn’t get a single game for the Delhi Capitals last season, which was a bit surprising for me.

Last season, Marcus Stoinis seemed to be the lone warrior for them in the finishing department in most of the games. Although they have Sam Billings this time, the rule of including a maximum of four overseas players might not allow them to include him in the first choice XI. In such a scenario, there is a decent possibility that DC might try Lalit who has the potential to score some quick runs down the order and provide a bowling option as well, thereby bringing the balance into the side. If he is given a chance, he definitely has the ability to play some crucial quick cameos down the order and might thus turn out to be impressive in IPL 2021.

Shahrukh Khan (Punjab Kings):

5 IPL debutants to watch out for in 2021 | 5 debutants who could be mighty impressive in the 2021 edition of the Indian Premier League
5 IPL debutants to watch out for in 2021: Shahrukh Khan.

Like Lalit Yadav, Shahrukh Khan also has the reputation of being a fearless striker down the order. In the recently concluded Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, Shahrukh had the best batting strike rate of 220. He played some really quick cameos for Tamil Nadu, including a crucial knock of 40 runs off just 19 balls against Himachal Pradesh in the quarter final.

Now looking at the Punjab Kings’ squad, they need someone who can start hitting from ball one batting down the order as they lack firepower beyond their top 4. They spent over 5crs to get Shahrukh for this purpose only and therefore he is expected to start as their finisher alongside Fabian Allen. Looking at his ability of hitting sixes effortlessly, I really believe that he can be the shining light for the Punjab-based franchise this season.

Finn Allen (Royal Challengers Bangalore)

Finn Allen, one of the most promising talents in the world cricket right now, has been signed by RCB as Josh Philippe’s replacement. Statistically speaking, Allen has scored a total of 554 runs from 15 innings at a very good average of 42.61 and a stupendous SR of 182.23. He was the highest run-getter in the latest edition of the Super Smash, where he smashed 512 runs at an extraordinary SR of 193.94.

The young Kiwi batsman is a like-for-like replacement of Philippe and therefore is expected to make his debut this season. Allen might enjoy batting especially on the tracks of Mumbai and Kolkata where the wicket has good pace and bounce, and the ball comes on to the bat nicely as compared to the relatively slower decks of Chennai and Ahmedabad. So, considering his immense potential with the bat, he could prove to be a boon for RCB at the top of the order by providing the best possible start.

R Sai Kishore (Chennai Super Kings)

This tall left arm orthodox bowler is another exciting young talent to watch out for in this IPL, the reason being his immaculate accuracy with the ball. In the 30 innings he has bowled so far in t20s, Sai Kishore has picked 33 wickets at an unbelievable economy of 5.28. In the recently concluded Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, he took 8 wickets from 8 games at an economy of mere 4.82 and thus played a key role for Tamil Nadu in becoming the champions. These numbers speak volumes for his capabilities with the ball. He is accurate; also his height can prove to be a big advantage especially on the bouncy Wankhede deck where CSK are going to play their first 5 games. If he gets his lengths right, he has a chance to deceive the batsmen especially with his trajectory as often the tall spinners do. So, his name will definitely be under consideration and if he gets a chance, he definitely has the skillset to bowl some really good spells for CSK.

Jhye Richardson (Kings Punjab)

5 IPL debutants to watch out for in 2021 | 5 debutants who could be mighty impressive in the 2021 edition of the Indian Premier League
5 IPL debutants to watch out for in 2021: Jhye Richardson.

One of the major reasons for the downfall of the Punjab Kings last season was their death bowling. So, prior to the mini auction, they released Sheldon Cottrell and bought 2 genuinely quick Aussie bowlers Jhye Richardson and Riley Meredith in the mini auction.

Richardson took the most number of wickets in the recently concluded BBL, on the basis of which he was picked by PBKS. In the BBL, more than 40 percent of his total wickets came in the death overs.

Overall, Richardson has taken 82 wickets from 67 innings in T20s with a decent economy of 7.92. He can swing the new ball at a very good pace and also possesses the ability of nailing yorkers accurately at the death. Considering his stature, he is definitely expected to start for PBKS ahead of Meredith. He is supposed to be the leader of their attack alongside Mohammed Shami and Arshdeep Singh. Therefore, his performance will surely determine the performance of PBKS in the tournament to a certain extent. Looking at his abilities as well as current form, I won’t be surprised if he takes the precious Purple Cap with him to Australia.

So, this is my list of five debutants who might turn out to be impressive for their respective teams in IPL 2021. Do any others come to mind? Have your say!

Written by Debashish Sarangi. Follow Debashish on Twitter today.   

NZ-W vs AUS-W 2nd T20I Dream11 Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report

Charbel Coorey
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NZ-W vs AUS-W 2nd T20I Dream11 Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report

NZ-W vs AUS-W 2nd T20I Dream11 Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | NZ-W vs AUS-W 2nd T20 Dream11 Prediction Today | NZ vs Australia Key Players | Napier Pitch Report

For a while in the 1st T20I, New Zealand were in the game. In fact, they weren’t just in the game, but ahead. Having reduced Australia to 14/3 with the big wickets of Beth Mooney, Alyssa Healy and Rachael Haynes, the White Ferns would have been forgiven for thinking ahead to a possible victory.

However, such is the strength and depth of this Australian side that Ashleigh Gardner came up with the goods yet again. Player of the series against New Zealand in October 2020, Gardener slammed a brilliant 73* off 48 balls to underline Australia’s remarkable depth, where a number of players can deliver on any given day.

So, how do New Zealand overcome such a juggernaut? For starters, they would like to score more runs, of which the onus rests on the top order to set a better platform than they did on Sunday. With the series on the line, they have to get everything right this time around.

NZ-W vs AUS-W 2nd T20I Dream11 Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | NZ-W vs AUS-W 2nd T20 Dream11 Prediction Today | NZ vs Australia Key Players | Napier Pitch Report
NZ-W vs AUS-W 2nd T20I Dream11 Prediction: Sophie Devine to deliver?

Key Players to Watch/Key Stats

New Zealand:

  • Amy Satterthwaite top-scored for NZ on Sunday, with a 31-ball 40. She has the second-most runs for NZ against Australia (692 runs, avg. 21.63)
  • Given Hayley Jensen’s struggles at the top of the order lately, NZ could be well-served opening with Frances Mackay. She recently scored 75, 42 and 94* for Canterbury in domestic cricket, to go with her bowling ability.
  • Much depends on Sophie Devine. It was a wicketless outing (0/22) to go with 17 (22) in the first T20I. Can she improve on her batting average of 21 vs Australia?
  • Amelia Kerr has performed well vs Australia before. She couldn’t quite get going in the first T20I (20 off 29 balls), but time at the crease (plus a wicket with the ball) can work wonders.
  • Jess Kerr was New Zealand’s most successful bowler in the opening T20I (2/17).

Australia:

  • Ashleigh Gardner is enjoying playing New Zealand. She was player of the series against them last year, and is coming off 73* off 48 balls in the first T20I.
  • Ellyse Perry, recognised as one of the top cricketers in the past five years, didn’t bowl in the opening match as she is still easing back to the bowling crease. However, she looked in decent touch with the bat (23* off 16 balls).
  • Meg Lanning has the most runs for Australia against NZ (588, avg. 22.62). She is coming off a run-a-ball 28 that she will be looking to build on here.
  • Rachael Haynes had a low score in the first T20I (3). However, she is coming off a superb WCNL campaign, where she struck scores of 60, 15, 109, 69, 139 and 21.
  • Jess Jonassen continues to take wickets consistently. The superb left-arm spinner is coming off 3/26 in the first T20I, after taking 19 wickets in 14 T20Is in 2020 (avg. 15.00, econ. 5.58).
  • Georgia Wareham has 12 wickets in nine matches vs New Zealand. Megan Schutt has 23 scalps in 19 games.

Stats and Facts

  • Head-to-head: Matches 45, New Zealand 20, Australia 24, 1 match abandoned.
  • Australia have won eight of their past nine matches against New Zealand.
  • Incredibly, both Alyssa Healy and Beth Mooney have poor records vs NZ. Healy has 440 runs in 30 innings at an average of 16.92. Mooney has struck just 187 runs in 14 innings at 15.58.

Possible Playing 11

New Zealand: 1. Sophie Devine (c), 2. Hayley Jensen, 3. Amy Satterthwaite, 4. Amelia Kerr, 5. Katey Martin (wk), 6. Maddy Green, 7. Frances Mackay, 8. Brooke Halliday, 9. Hannah Rowe, 10. Jess Kerr, 11. Rosemary Mair

Australia: 1. Alyssa Healy (wk), 2. Beth Mooney, 3. Meg Lanning (c), 4. Rachael Haynes, 5. Ashleigh Gardner, 6. Ellyse Perry, 7. Jess Jonassen, 8. Nicola Carey, 9. Georgia Wareham, 10. Tayla Vlaeminck, 11. Megan Schutt

McLean Park Napier Pitch Report and Conditions

There have been big scores in the last two men’s T20Is on this ground (241 by England 2019, 173 by New Zealand 2020). Expect an easy-paced surface here, where the batters can get in and score runs.

Occasional showers are forecast throughout the afternoon in Napier. So, it could be an interrupted match where the captain who wins the toss may choose to chase.

Dream11 Prediction

Option 1:

NZ-W vs AUS-W 2nd T20I Dream11 Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | NZ-W vs AUS-W 2nd T20 Dream11 Prediction Today | NZ vs Australia Key Players | Napier Pitch Report
NZ-W vs AUS-W 2nd T20I Dream11 Prediction

Option 2:

NZ-W vs AUS-W 2nd T20I Dream11 Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | NZ-W vs AUS-W 2nd T20 Dream11 Prediction Today | NZ vs Australia Key Players | Napier Pitch Report
NZ-W vs AUS-W 2nd T20I Dream11 Prediction

Match Prediction

The Australian juggernaut continues to roll on. It’s hard to see it stopping here. Australia to win courtesy of their incredible depth.

Thanks for reading!

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