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RR IPL 2021 Auction Analysis: How did they perform?

Sarthak Karkhanis
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RR IPL 2021 Auction Analysis: How did they perform?

RR IPL 2021 Auction Analysis: How did they perform? | Analysis of the performance of Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2021 Auction

Retained players: Sanju Samson, Ben Stokes, Jofra Archer, Jos Buttler, Mahipal Lomror, Manan Vohra, Mayank Markande, Rahul Tewatia, Riyan Parag, Shreyas Gopal, Jaydev Unadkat, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Anuj Rawat, Kartik Tyagi, David Miller, Andrew Tye

Players bought: Chris Morris (INR 16.25 crore), Shivam Dube (INR 4.4 crore), Chetan Sakariya (INR 1.2 crore), Mustafizur Rahman (INR 1 crore), Liam Livingstone (INR 75 lakh), Akash Singh (INR 20 lakh), KC Cariappa (INR 20 lakh), Kuldip Yadav (INR 20 lakh)

Purse remaining: INR 13.65 crore

Best Probable XI: Ben Stokes, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Jos Buttler, Sanju Samson, Riyan Parag, Shivam Dube, Rahul Tewatia, Jofra Archer, Chris Morris, Karthik Tyagi, Shreyas Gopal

Alternate XI: Ben Stokes, Manan Vohra, Jos Buttler, Sanju Samson, Riyan Parag, Shivam Dube, Rahul Tewatia, Jofra Archer, Chris Morris, Karthik Tyagi, Shreyas Gopal

The Royals made the biggest release prior to the auction as Steve Smith was let go by the franchise. That move freed up 12.5 crores from the purse, and without Smith the team had a better chance of assembling a balanced XI.

Rajasthan Royals set their sights on having a death bowler to complement Archer and bagged the services of the best option in Chris Morris. The Protea was the costliest buy in the history of the IPL auction as he broke the record, previously held by Yuvraj Singh, after he was signed for a staggering amount of 16.25 crores.

Also, Shivam Dube was bought for 4.4 crores and will be used in the lower middle-order where the franchise lacked an all-rounder in the previous season. These moves have allowed the Royals to put together a much more balanced squad, which is something they have lacked in recent seasons.

RR IPL 2021 Auction Analysis: RR did well.

Speaking to CricBlog’s Charbel Coorey, Kumar Sangakkara, Director of Cricket for the Rajasthan Royals, was quite excited about Dube’s addition to the Royals’ squad.

“I think Shivam’s great strength is his ability to bat through that middle order; not exactly at the death, but slightly earlier than that. He’s very good against spin.”

“Dube was a very good buy for us and I think he’s exciting,” said Sangakkara.

The franchise also bagged great backups as availed players like Mustafizur Rahman and Chetan Sakariya. Mustafizur Rahman in particular can offer great depth, particularly if Chris Morris goes down with an injury as pointed out by many fans and pundits.

“Morris’ numbers when he’s been fit and strong has been some of the best in all IPLs. Especially at the death, he’s probably at number one. His ability in that sense is very crucial for us, and frees us up to think of how to use Archer in other ways,” said Sangakkara.

“We also have AJ Tye in our line up, Mustafizur and then we of course have the young Indian quicks to support that. It gives us a few more combinations that we can play.”

The 2008 champions were spot on with their buys and have no major weaknesses in the squad. They look quite covered in all departments, especially when you add the batting prowess the team possesses in the form of Jos Buttler, Ben Stokes and Sanju Samson. Also, if Rahul Tewatia can have a similar impact this season, RR will be a team hard to stop.

IPL 2021 Prediction

The Rajasthan Royals have assembled the best squad of the tournament alongside the Mumbai Indians. They will be one of the title contenders if the key players stay injury free through the course of the tournament, which is a welcome change from being the “nearly men” over the past few years.

Written by Sarthak Karkhanis. Follow Sarthak on Twitter today.

PSL 2021 Match 1: KAR vs QUE Dream11 Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report

Shekhar Singh
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PSL 2021 Match 1: KAR vs QUE Dream11 Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report

PSL 2021 Match 1: KAR vs QUE Dream11 Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | KAR vs QUE Dream11 Prediction Today | Karachi Kings vs Quetta Gladiators Key Players | Karachi Pitch Report

PSL 2021 will get underway on February 20th when last year’s Champions Karachi Kings will face Quetta Gladiators, the most consistent team in the PSL having played 3 finals and title winners of 2019. The most-watched T20 league in Pakistan will witness top players Chris Gayle, Babar Azam, Faf du Plessis and Colin Ingram in action on Day 1.

Kings have made some significant changes coming into PSL 2021 by trading Alex Hales who is one of the hottest T20 Properties in the world right now and have also released Mohammad Rizwan and Iftikhar Ahmed. A series T20 Winner in Daniel Christain, alongside Mohammad Nabi, have also joined them and would be putting their best foot forward in defending the Title.

On the other hand, Gladiators have availed the services of Universe Boss for the first three matches before he heads back to the Caribbean and they also have the likes of Tom Banton who would be keen to make a mark after opting out of the IPL auction.

Karachi Kings Skipper Wasim would be hoping for back-to-back title win and on the contrary, his former skipper and the present skipper of Gladiators Sarfaraz is eyeing a spot back on the national side and will be keen to use PSL 2021 as a ladder.

Also read: PSL 2021 – Complete squad lists, venues and details

PSL 2021 Match 1: KAR vs QUE Dream11 Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | KAR vs QUE Dream11 Prediction Today | Karachi Kings vs Quetta Gladiators Key Players | Karachi Pitch Report
PSL 2021 Match 1: KAR vs QUE Dream11 Prediction: Babar to hit top form?

Key Players to Watch/Key Stats

Quetta Gladiators

  • Chris Gayle – No matter how many players come and go, Universe Boss will remain the undisputed King of T20 format.  Gayle also has the good habit of performing against his former team, i.e. the way he has destroyed KKR and RCB in the past. He will be playing against his former side Karachi and would be keen to perform and start the tournament on a win.
  • Sarfaraz Ahmed – Reports in Pakistani Media suggest that the former skipper might promote himself up the order in this season of PSL and is working hard to put up a solid performance. Ahmed has played 10 games against Karachi and scored 152 runs at an average of 50.67 which includes the best of 56 not out.
  • Ben Cutting – The Aussie all-rounder must be high on confidence after getting a lucrative offer and getting back to the IPL. He looked in good touch in the Big Bash and will be keen to start the tournament on a high. Playing for the Thunder, Cutting struck 280 runs in 15 matches at an average of 40 and strike rate of 156.42.
  • Azam Khan – The hard-hitting wicket-keeping batsman has been grabbing eye-balls of late, thanks to heroics in LPL and the recently concluded T10 league. He would like to continue the show and find himself a spot on the national side. He also scored 46 runs off 30 balls in last year’s PSL.
  • Anwar Ali – The Pakistani All-Rounder will be playing on his home ground and has got good numbers against Karachi so we can expect some good performance from him. In fact, he has the most wickets in Kings-Gladiators matches (9).

Karachi Kings

  • Babar Azam –  Azam is one of the most consistent and dependable batsmen in this format of the game.  He was the highest run-scorer in last year PSL and Kings will hope for the same performance from him if they want to defend the title. Azam has scored 257 runs from 9 matches at an average of 28.56.
  • Colin Ingram – Kings have gambled Ingram for Hales and the Proteas batsmen would be keen to prove his worth. He also scored a century against Quetta in the 2019 season. He will be a good pick in Grand Leagues.
  • Imad Wasim – Kings Skipper will surely want to lead from the front and get this team to a winning start. Quetta has got plenty right handers in the Top 5 and that makes Imad a valuable pick.
  • Mohammad Amir – One of the best bowlers in Pakistan has been in news for all the wrong reasons. He would like to keep that aside and start fresh from this season and then decide on his future for playing for Pakistan.

Stats & Facts

  • Avg 1st innings score in Karachi last season was 159.
  • 8 of the 11 PSL 2020 matches in Karachi were won by the team batting second.
  • Babar Azam is the second-highest run-scorer in PSL history.
  • Sarfaraz will be leading Quetta for the sixth straight time.

Possible Playing 11

The New PSL rule says that there will be two emerging players in every squad and one has to play every game.

Karachi Kings: 1. Sharjeel Khan, 2. Babar Azam (c), 3. Zeeshan Malik, 4. Colin Ingram, 5. Chadwick Walton (wk), 6. Danish Aziz, 7. Daniel Christian, 8. Imad Wasim (c), 9. Mohammad Amir, 10. Arshad Iqbal/Umaid Asif, 11. Qasim Akram/Waqas Maqsood

Quetta Gladiators: 1. Chris Gayle, 2. Tom Banton, 3. Cameron Delport, 4. Sarfaraz Ahmed (c & wk), 5. Azam Khan, 6. Ben Cutting, 7. Mohammad Nawaz, 8. Mohammad Hasnain, 9. Naseem Shah, 10. Usman Shinwari, 11. Zahid Mehmood

National Stadium Karachi Pitch Report and Weather

National Stadium Karachi usually offers a competitive track and either side will want to chase upon winning the toss with 160-170 being a decent score at this venue.

Temperatures will reduce to the mid-teens by the night after a hot day. No rain is forecast.

Dream11 Prediction

Leagues to Play

Through out the BBL, I have been played around -250-350 contest by keeping a sample size of 20 contest per league to find out which leagues give the good profit on an average, will share leagues going forward 🙂

During the start of the tourney, it is always advisable to play safe leagues as the think tank can make changes in the batting order or use a different strategy while bowling first/second.

This INR 120 small league is somewhat good, its offers 4X of your investment if you come first and at the same time, you go safe as well when 50% of the folks get their investment back.

Option 1:

PSL 2021 Match 1: KAR vs QUE Dream11 Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | KAR vs QUE Dream11 Prediction Today | Karachi Kings vs Quetta Gladiators Key Players | Karachi Pitch Report
PSL 2021 Match 1: KAR vs QUE Dream11 Prediction

Option 2:

PSL 2021 Match 1: KAR vs QUE Dream11 Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | KAR vs QUE Dream11 Prediction Today | Karachi Kings vs Quetta Gladiators Key Players | Karachi Pitch Report
PSL 2021 Match 1: KAR vs QUE Dream11 Prediction

Thanks for reading!

Written by Shekhar Singh. Follow Shekhar on Twitter today.

RCB IPL 2021 Auction Analysis: How did they perform?

Sarthak Karkhanis
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RCB IPL 2021 Auction Analysis: How did they perform?

RCB IPL 2021 Auction Analysis: How did they perform? | Analysis of the performance of Royal Challengers Bangalore in IPL 2021 Auction

Retained Players: Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers, Devdutt Padikkal, Md. Siraj, Navdeep Saini, Washington Sundar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Joshua Phillipe, Pavan Deshpande, Shahbaz Ahmed, Adam Zampa, Kane Richardson.

Players bought: Kyle Jamieson (INR 15 crore), Glenn Maxwell (INR 14.25 crore), Dan Christian (INR 4.8 crore), Sachin Baby (INR 20 lakh), Rajat Patidar (INR 20 lakh), Mohammed Azharuddeen (INR 20 lakh), Suyash Prabhudesai (INR 20 lakh), KS Bharat (INR 20 lakh).

Money Left: INR 0.35 crores

Potential XI: Devdutt Padikkal, Mohammed Azharudden, Virat Kohli, Glenn Maxwell, AB De Villiers, Sachin Baby, Washington Sundar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kyle Jamieson, Kane Richardson, Navdeep Saini

Alternate XI: Josh Phillipe, Devdutt Padikkal, Virat Kohli, Glenn Maxwell, AB De Villiers, Sachin Baby/Suyash Prabhudesai, Washington Sundar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kyle Jamieson, Mohammad Siraj, Navdeep Saini

Analysis:

Ahead of the upcoming IPL, there are a couple of things which will strike the most about RCB.

The charasterical issue of lack of death bowlers might persist as they couldn’t get their hands on the pacers which could have been the best bets; Chris Morris or Jhye Richardson. They opted to stay out of the race for Nathan Coulter-Nile and Adam Milne and had to go big for Kyle Jamieson as a result. Mike Hesson spent high bucks on the Kiwi pacer as they roped him for 15 crores as they entered a bidding war with the Punjab Kings. Kyle Jamieson hasn’t proved himself on sub-continent tracks and hence, playing him as one of the prime death bowlers might backfire the franchise.

Also, this move is rife with question marks after releasing Chris Morris. Morris, who had a good (but interrupted) IPL 2020 campaign was released with the hope that RCB could buy him back at a cheaper price. But, all hope went out the window as bidding went past 10cr, as Mumbai Indians and Punjab Kings were fighting hard to land Morris. Now, RCB have paid 5cr more for a bowler with fewer T20 credentials, particularly at the death.

Glenn Maxwell hasn’t really set the stage on fire in the lucrative T20 league other than 2014 IPL. He was bought for a massive 14.25 crores and the team management has taken a punt on him as he will have the responsibility to take the burden off AB De Villiers’ shoulders in the middle-order. So, how RCB get the best out of Maxwell will be key.

Mohammad Azharuddeen was the Indian wicket-keeper the franchise bought and towards the end, the Virat Kohli-led side also bought Dan Christian as someone who could tonk the ball out of the park in the death overs, as well as bowl key overs with the ball.

However, this year the team doesn’t inspire confidence as one of the best on paper which is quite uncharacteristic to how RCB has been over the years as it has been one of the star-studded teams. At first glance, it does look like the team lacks balance, with four players on huge sums.

RCB IPL 2021 Prediction:

As mentioned earlier, the lack of death bowlers will be a major problem for the franchise. Looking at the overall squad and the balance, they will hope that Glenn Maxwell and Kyle Jamieson fire but it’s too much to ask for and hence a playoff finish will mean that the 3-time runners-up have punched above their weight.

Also read: Rajasthan Royals IPL 2021 Auction Analysis

Written by Sarthak Karkhanis. Follow Sarthak on Twitter today.

Twitter reactions to huge sums for Maxwell & Morris

Charbel Coorey
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Twitter reactions to huge sums for Maxwell & Morris

Twitter reactions to huge sums for Maxwell & Morris | Maxwell & Morris sold to RCB and RR for a massive 14.25cr and 16.25cr respectively.

Two things are certain. First, Twitter will go into meltdown during the exciting IPL Auctions. Second, Glenn Maxwell is a big winner.

Maxwell, a star T20 player for Australia, has surprisingly struggled over the years in IPL cricket. In fact, in IPL 2020, Maxwell failed to hit a single six. However, franchises simply can’t ignore his potential on a year-by-year basis, with the bidding war reaching incredible heights on Thursday afternoon in Chennai.

Starting with a base price of 2cr, Maxwell’s price continued to skyrocket by the second, with a prolonged battle finally ending at a huge price of 14.75cr (US$1.96m), forked out by Royal Challengers Bangalore. Maxwell’s past in the IPL, as well as RCB’s talented but likely heavily-relied on trio of Kohli, de Villiers, and Maxwell were some of the many talking points as Maxwell once again had an outing to remember at an IPL Auction.

Chris Morris was also a huge winner early in the auction. Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bangalore, the franchise who released Morris last season, became the most expensive signing in IPL history, snapped up for a massive 16.25cr (US$2.23m) by Rajasthan Royals. His injury record was of key focus for fans, but his prowess at the death can’t be taken lightly.

Here are some of the Twitter reactions, with some absolutely hilarious tweets.

Glenn Maxwell

Chris Morris

3 Indian domestic players who can break the bank at IPL Auction

Sarthak Karkhanis
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0
3 Indian domestic players who can break the bank at IPL Auction

3 domestic players who can break the bank at IPL Auction | 3 Indian domestic players who can land a contract at the IPL 2021 Auction

Every year, there is a feel good story at the end of the IPl auctions as some or the other domestic player bags an IPL contract. This year as well, several domestic talents will be going under the hammer as the players who impressed in the recently-concluded Syed Mushtaq Ali trophy will be eagerly waiting to see whether they are picked by any team on the auction table.

Here is a glance through, who can bag an IPL contract at the auction in Chennai.

Shahrukh Khan

Unarguably, the first name on the list is of Tamil Nadu’s finisher Shahrukh Khan. He was a vital cog in TN’s run as they became the champions of the T20 tourney for the first time since 2007.

The ‘finisher’ who has the ability to accelerate at the death by playing a plethora of shots, hasn’t yet plied his trade for any team in the IPL. He played a fabulous knock in the quarter-finals of the Syed Mushtaq Ali trophy when TN were reeling at 66 for 5 in 13 overs, chasing a tricky total of 135. Along with Aparajith, Khan made sure that TN went through to the semi-final. He was fantastic in the group stages as well as the final and this display of consistent performances ameliorated his chances of bagging an IPL contract.

Given the fact that ‘SRK’ is a domestic player who is a power-hitter in the death overs, his rare skill set will make him a costlier buy at the auction with teams like Royal Challengers Bangalore, Kings XI Punjab and Rajasthan Royals looking to get similar type of players.

Jalaj Saxena

If any fan follows the Indian domestic scene, then Jalaj Saxena’s name isn’t something which is unheard of. The spin-bowling all-rounder has plied his trade for a few IPL teams in the past but hasn’t got game time. He was released by the Delhi Capitals ahead of the upcoming edition of the player auction. He picked 10 wickets in 5 matches in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy for Kerala and once again proved his skills in the shortest format of the game.

With teams like Chennai Super Kings looking for an off-spinner and many teams looking for a spinner, there is a chance that Jalaj Saxena will bag an IPL contract.

M Azharuddeen

3 Indian domestic players who can break the bank at IPL Auction: Sparkling form for M Azharuddeen

Azharuddeen became a trending talk on social media as he scored 54-ball 137, which included 9 boundaries and 11 maximums. He scored the highest score by an Indian in a chase and has been touted as one of the players to watch out for ahead of the IPL auctions.

The highlight of Azharuddeen’s innings was the ease with which he cleared the boundary rope against the Mumbai team with a couple of bowlers, Dhawal Kulkarni and Tushar Deshpande, who played the IPL last season.

He has the intent to attack from the word go and with teams looking for a powerplay big-hitter, Azhar might be playing for the Kolkata Knight Riders or the Royal Challengers as they are looking for players in the same bracket.

There are other players like Kedar Devdhar, Lukman Meriwala, Chetan Sakariya who might bag an IPL contract on the back of an impressive showing in the domestic circuit.

It will be interesting to see which domestic players have bagged an IPL contract and do follow Cricblog for all the post-auction analysis.

Written by Sarthak Karkhanis. Follow Sarthak on Twitter today.

Why did RCB release Chris Morris and who can replace him?

Sarthak Karkhanis
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Why did RCB release Chris Morris and who can replace him?

Why did RCB release Chris Morris and who can replace him? | IPL 2021 Auctions: RCB released Chris Morris despite a good campaign in 2020

Over the years, the Royal Challengers Bangalore have been below-par in players auctions and retention. The decisions they have taken have backfired on numerous occasions and the players released by the franchise have done well for the teams they eventually play for. The Red outfit has failed to back talent and historically, that has been the major concern for the 3-time runners-up.

Ahead of the upcoming ‘mini’ auction, the Virat Kohli-led side has released their big buy from last year’s auction, Chris Morris. Morris was bought for a whopping price of 10 crores as he possesses the rare skill of being a death bowler and also someone who can be great with his batting skill as he can tonk a few pacers out of the park, like he has in the Indian Premier League.

Let’s analyse the RCB management’s decision to release the Protea all-rounder and let’s have a look at a few alternatives who replace him at the franchise.

Also read: 5 players RCB might look to buy in the IPL 2021 Auction

What was RCB’s thinking?

Team director Mike Hesson did mention that lack of game time in the past few months, injury issues and price tag were the major reasons why the franchise released the pacer. Morris had played only 9 out of the 16 games for RCB and since then has been having fitness issues as he hasn’t played any competitive cricket post the IPL 2020.

On a player on whom the team management has spent 12.5% of the allotted purse, his gametime should certainly be more. But a fit Morris was certainly doing wonders for the team. He bowled at an economy rate of 7.7 in the death overs and had a strike rate of 162 while batting at the death. He excelled in two departments which are to succeed in and hence the decision to release him is baffling.

Is there a better player available in the auction?

Why did RCB release Chris Morris and who can replace him? | IPL 2021 Auctions: RCB released Chris Morris despite a good campaign in 2020
Do RCB try replace Chris Morris with Jhye Richardson?

As mentioned earlier, Morris is a rare commodity and the dynamics of the auction make it difficult for teams to get a player of his skill set and quality for a cheap price. As the scheduled auction is a ‘mini’ auction, there are a few death bowlers available. One of them is Jhye Richardson. The pacer was the leading wicket-taker of the recently-concluded BBL with 29 wickets to his name and led the Perth Scorchers to the final. He picked 13 wickets in the death overs, which was the most by any bowler in that phase in the tournament.

Other than that, Nathan Coulter-Nile will be another player available in the auction pool. The pacer was released by the Mumbai Indians as he was bought for an inflated price of 8 crores. He will be another player who can be an alternative to replace the Protea.

Hesson-Katich and co. will be eyeing to buy back Morris at a cheaper price and if that happens, the gamble to release Morris might pay off for the franchise.

Given that, there are fewer options available and with teams like Rajasthan Royals, Kings XI Punjab and Mumbai Indians also aiming to buy an overseas pacer, it will be difficult for RCB to buy a death bowler under 10 crores.

Also read: 5 players RCB might look to buy in the IPL 2021 Auction

Written by Sarthak Karkhanis. Follow Sarthak on Twitter today.

IPL 2021 Auction: 5 players KKR can target for IPL 2021

Charbel Coorey
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IPL 2021 Auction: 5 players KKR can target for IPL 2021

IPL 2021 Auction: 5 players KKR can target for IPL 2021 | Which players will KKR buy in the upcoming IPL 2021 Auction?

Kolkata Knight Riders, two-time IPL champion and one of the most decorated T20 franchises in the world, have had endured two sub-par seasons in a row. Despite boasting some of the biggest names and power-hitters in the world, KKR have endured poor form in their last two campaigns, which resulted in them missing the playoffs on both occasions.

So, heading into IPL 2021, KKR will be looking to plug some key holes to return to the playoffs and challenge for the Title once again. Led by Eoin Morgan, they have just 10.75cr remaining, so will need to play strategically in this mini-auction. Here are five players they can target to have a better season this time around:

Also read: This article is part of CricBlog’s IPL series. Check out 5 players other IPL teams could buy in 2021:

1. Alex Hales

IPL 2021 Auction: 5 players KKR can target for IPL 2021 | Which players will KKR buy in the upcoming IPL 2021 Auction? Indian Premier League
IPL 2021 Auction: 5 players KKR can target for IPL 2021: Alex Hales has been in fine touch.

One area that KKR struggled in IPL 2020 was the opening position. Sunil Narine’s poor run of form didn’t help, and KKR tried other options such as Rahul Tripathi and Nitish Rana without too much success.

One player they can look to target is Alex Hales. On the road to redemption after issues with England’s management over the past few years, Hales enjoyed a rich vein of form in the recently-concluded BBL. He top-scored, thumping 543 runs in 15 matches at an average of 38.78 and strike rate of 161.60.

With Hales going hard at one end, this will allow the classy Shubman Gill to go about his work and build a strong foundation for KKR’s powerful middle order.

2. Avi Barot

If KKR would like to have a domestic opener, then Avi Barot can be a good option. The 28-year old has been in sparkling form, smashing scores of 93 (44) and 122 (53) in consecutive matches last month in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.

In 20 T20 matches, Barot boasts a strike rate of 146.62. By joining a lineup with such a star-studded middle order, Barot can play with freedom at the top of the order, which will serve both he and KKR well.

3. Kedar Devdhar

Another opening option KKR could go for is Kedar Devdhar. The opening batsman, who plays for Baroda, was recently the second-highest run-scorer in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. Devdhar scored 349 runs in eight matches at an average 68.9, which has caught the attention of the Knight Riders.

His strike rate of 113 in the recent tournament is one area to improve. However, like Barot, Devdhar can really benefit by playing for KKR, as the potential for an excellent opening partnership is there.

4. Krishnappa Gowtham

IPL 2021 Auction: 5 players KKR can target for IPL 2021 | Which players will KKR buy in the upcoming IPL 2021 Auction? Indian Premier League
IPL 2021 Auction: 5 players KKR can target for IPL 2021: Gowtham can offer depth for KKR.

Another area KKR had an issue with is their number seven all-rounder spot. Krishnappa Gowtham could be a handy, value-for-money purchase for the franchise, as he has shown some promising signs in the IPL before.

Despite having a poor 2020 season for Kings XI Punjab, Gowtham still boasts an excellent batting strike rate of 169.09 in 24 IPL matches. Also, his 13 wickets shows he can fill in with important overs that can support the likes of Varun Chakravarthy and Kuldeep Yadav throughout the season.

5. Ben Cutting

IPL 2021 Auction: 5 players KKR can target for IPL 2021 | Which players will KKR buy in the upcoming IPL 2021 Auction? Indian Premier League
IPL 2021 Auction: 5 players KKR can target for IPL 2021: Cutting played well in BBL 10.

If KKR are after a backup option for the injury-prone Andre Russell, then Ben Cutting can be a mighty fine pick. Cutting, who can be the value-for-money purchase that the Knight Riders need, is coming off a good BBL season.

Playing for the Thunder, Cutting struck 280 runs in 15 matches at an average of 40 and strike rate of 156.42. He also looked good with the ball, and Eoin Morgan can look to use him more than the Sydney Thunder did. He can certainly send the ball a long way as a finisher, which can be very handy for KKR throughout the season should Russell be unavailable.

Also read: This article is part of CricBlog’s IPL series. Check out 5 players other IPL teams could buy in 2021:

IPL 2021 Auction: 5 players MI can target for IPL 2021

Charbel Coorey
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IPL 2021 Auction: 5 players MI can target for IPL 2021

IPL 2021 Auction: 5 players MI can target for IPL 2021 | Which players will Mumbai Indians purchase in the IPL 2021 Auction?

Mumbai Indians (MI) are so settled that most of the players they purchase in the auction go on to be backup/reserve players. In their successful Title defence in 2020, MI used the least number of players, with their consistency and continuity a key factor to their triumph.

This season, however, MI could look at a number of pace bowling options after releasing a few seamers. As a result, the seamers they purchase could go on to play a number of matches throughout the tournament. This, in addition to batting cover, could form a crucial part of their Auction strategy, as they have seven slots to fill out of their squad of 25.

Here are five players MI could target in the upcoming auction.

Also read: This article is part of CricBlog’s IPL series. Check out 5 players other IPL teams could buy in 2021:

5. Arjun Tendulkar

IPL 2021 Auction: 5 players MI can target for IPL 2021 | Which players will Mumbai Indians purchase in the IPL 2021 Auction?
IPL 2021 Auction: 5 players MI can target for IPL 2021: Could MI go after Arjun Tendulkar?

How great would it be for a Tendulkar to join the Mumbai Indians? 21-year old Arjun, son of the great Sachin, has been in outstanding form for the MIG Cricket Club. Just a week before the auction, Tendulkar slammed a 31-ball 77, which included five sixes in an over, and also took three wickets in a massive 194-run win for his team.

Given the strength of MI, the youngster will have to bide his time to get any chance to play for the first XI. However, the chance to be in the squad and learn from some of the greatest T20 players in history is a great opportunity for both Tendulkar and the Mumbai Indians.

4. Shivam Dube

IPL 2021 Auction: 5 players MI can target for IPL 2021 | Which players will Mumbai Indians purchase in the IPL 2021 Auction?
IPL 2021 Auction: 5 players MI can target for IPL 2021: Shivam Dube could be a handy pick.

A key asset of MI is the strength of their all-rounder department. However, should Hardik, Krunal or Kieron Pollard be unavailable, Shivam Dube is a player who could be a handy backup option. This allows MI to play four overseas players in other key positions if one of their Indian all-rounders is ruled out.

Dube, who has represented India 13 times in T20Is, can send the ball a long way. Also, he can chip in with handy overs, which will allow Rohit Sharma to rotate his bowlers. Joining such a high-performing environment and culture could bring the best out of Dube.

3. Krishnappa Gowtham

IPL 2021 Auction: 5 players MI can target for IPL 2021 | Which players will Mumbai Indians purchase in the IPL 2021 Auction?
IPL 2021 Auction: 5 players MI can target for IPL 2021: MI could go after Gowtham.

Mumbai Indians could look at bolstering their spin stocks for IPL 2021, and Krishnappa Gowtham would be a handy option. In 2018, Gowtham produced decent performances, with 11 dismissals in 15 matches at an economy rate of 7.80. He had also scored 126 runs at a strike rate of 196.87.

Unlike the 2020 edition of IPL, the 2021 version will be played on more spinning tracks, i.e. Chennai. So, a backup off-spinner who can bat can be a very handy pickup for the defending champions.

2. Jhye Richardson

IPL 2021 Auction: 5 players MI can target for IPL 2021 | Which players will Mumbai Indians purchase in the IPL 2021 Auction?
IPL 2021 Auction: 5 players MI can target for IPL 2021: Jhye Richardson to MI?

Mumbai Indians released Nathan Coulter-Nile, James Pattinson and Mitchell McClenaghan, and will be without Lasith Malinga. So, they will look to bulk up their pace stocks to partner the superb duo of Jasprit Bumrah and Trent Boult.

One bowler they can look at is the impressive Jhye Richardson, who is coming off a good BBL 10 campaign. The Aussie speedster finished with the most wickets (29) at a fine strike rate (12.7) and economy rate (7.69) given he bowled overs in the powerplay and death periods.

1. Chris Morris

IPL 2021 Auction: 5 players MI can target for IPL 2021 | Which players will Mumbai Indians purchase in the IPL 2021 Auction?
IPL 2021 Auction: 5 players MI can target for IPL 2021: Morris can be a handy pick for MI.

Given Chris Morris’ injury history, any franchise would be taking a risk going after him. However, with the depth MI have, Morris could make them even stronger, given his ability to bowl in the death overs. He and Jasprit Bumrah in the final overs is a tantalising prospect for Rohit Sharma and his men, as it could prove very difficult for the opposition to finish strongly.

Morris was quite impressive for RCB in 2020, especially in the first few matches of his campaign. Overall, he took 11 wickets in nine games at an economy rate of 6.63, which is a fantastic record given he bowled many of his overs in the crunch stages.

Also read: This article is part of CricBlog’s IPL series. Check out 5 players other IPL teams could buy in 2021:

Chennai Pitch: Divided opinion on Twitter during Test

Charbel Coorey
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Chennai Pitch: Divided opinion on Twitter during Test

Chennai Pitch: Divided opinion on Twitter during Test | Is the Chennai pitch for the 2nd Test suitable for Test cricket? Twitter reactions

As India roar back in their ongoing four-match battle with England, another battle took place on social media. With Ashwin wheeling away in true, brilliant Ashwin fashion, opinion was divided on Twitter regarding the 22 yards where the action takes place.

Former cricketers Mark Waugh and Michael Vaughan led the way in the view that the Chennai pitch isn’t suitable for Test cricket. Both pointed to the fact that any pitch that “explodes” on days one and two doesn’t make for a fair contest between bat and ball, and places too much emphasis on the toss. Many pundits and fans also shared the same view, which will be highlighted in this article.

On the other side of the coin, pundits, fans and former cricketers also were in favour of the Chennai surface, emphasising that Test cricket is a test of ability in all kinds of conditions. In fact, India preparing such a pitch is actually a risk when 1-0 down, as it brings the two teams closer together Also, comparisons were made to green pitches, and why they are widely accepted compared to sharp turners that are often found in the subcontinent.

One argument made is that green pitches often settle down and allow for a good battle between bat and ball. Sharp turners, however, continue to get worse as the Test goes on. Here is a snapshot of the discussion, with both sides presenting their cases with a great deal of vigour.

Which side are you on?

Argument 1: Chennai pitch not suitable

Kevin Pietersen also chimed in, claiming the toss was very crucial in the second Test.

Argument 2: Chennai pitch is fine

Shane Warne led the way in saying that the toss in the first Test was more important than this one. England, who bowled India out for 319, didn’t bowl well enough to restrict India to the 220-230 mark.

As compared to the one-sided second Test, the action on Twitter was intense. It will be interesting to see the ICC’s verdict on this surface, and how the pitches will play in the remainder of the series.

IPL Auction 2021: 5 uncapped Indian players to keep eye on

Tarkesh Jha
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IPL Auction 2021: 5 uncapped Indian players to keep eye on

IPL Auction 2021: 5 uncapped Indian players who could be bought | IPL Auction 2021: 5 uncapped Indian players to keep eye on in Auction

No Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise can succeed without sufficient contribution from its domestic players. International stars prove to be the decisive factor, but it’s the seven Indian players who formulate the base upon which a side’s success is built.

Indian internationals are already few in numbers and picked up aplenty by teams upfront. This time, the auction might arguably see minimal spending with the mega auction set to take place ahead of IPL 2022. Hence, uncapped players, especially the Indian ones who have made heads turn in domestic competitions recently, might be on the radar of certain teams. Here, we take a look and elaborate of five such cricketers.

Also read: 5 international stars who could land an IPL 2021 contract

1. Krishnappa Gowtham

IPL Auction 2021: 5 uncapped Indian players who could be bought | IPL Auction 2021: 5 uncapped Indian players to keep eye on in Auction
IPL Auction 2021: 5 uncapped Indian players to keep eye on: Gowtham could be a handy pick.

Krishnappa Gowtham was quite impressive for the Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2018. The off-spinning all-rounder had scalped 11 dismissals in 15 matches at an economy rate of 7.80. He had also scored 126 runs at a strike rate of 196.87. Thereafter, Gowtham excelled in the Karnataka Premier League (KPL), especially due to his swashbuckling, attacking batting approach. However, his skillsets with the willow is a bit susceptible against express pace bowling that one often comes along in the IPL.

However, it is needless to say that he is more than useful to score quick runs with the bat and possesses requisite abilities to bowl well in T20s too. Gowtham can be used to restrict the flow of runs in the field restriction overs and can be handy with the bat at number six or seven. Impactful Indian all-rounders are hard to come by in the IPL. With Gowtham arguably being one, he should attract quite a few suitors next week. 

2. Vishnu Solanki

Vishnu Solanki is a right-handed batsman from Baroda who had recently impressed the audience with his performances in the recently concluded Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. Solanki had scored 267 runs in eight innings at an average of 53.40 with two half-centuries to his name. He had notched 21 boundaries and 12 sixes and had a strike rate of 128.36. The 28-year-old has the ability to bag runs aplenty, which is highlighted with his overall average of 35.71 in 41 domestic T20 matches.

Solanki briskly notches runs and might suits the requirements of teams that need some good domestic players to add some quality squad depth. Moreover, the batsman has grinded it out in the domestic circuit over the years and also stepped up to the stage by becoming the fifth highest run-scorer in SMAT 2021. His form came into fore in a tournament that was closely followed by teams preparing their auction strategy. There will be clarity over whether his performances caught the attention of any of teams in the coming week.

3. Mohammed Azharuddeen

IPL Auction 2021: 5 uncapped Indian players who could be bought | IPL Auction 2021: 5 uncapped Indian players to keep eye on in Auction
IPL Auction 2021: 5 uncapped Indian players to keep eye on: Mohammed Azharuddeen can send the ball miles.

Kerala’s new 26-year-old star Mohammed Azharuddeen had shot into limelight through his blitzkrieg century against Mumbai in SMAT 2021. On 13th January, Azhaduddeen scored a century in 37 deliveries against the 41 time Ranji champions. He bagged 137 runs off 54 deliveries and suddenly the entire domestic circuit was talking about this new lad from the southern state. It was not merely his daddy hundred that made people take notice of him.

It was the fact that his innings came against one of the most prominent domestic sides, which perhaps showcases that Azharuddeen can perform similarly well in higher levels of the sport too. Now, the player might be anticipating one of the IPL teams to pick him up too. Speaking to Indian Express, the batsman quipped, “Pressure is there even when we play on the paddy fields. It’s always there. But that century (against Mumbai) gave me more confidence. It made me more responsible.” Moreover, the batsman scored runs at a strike rate of 194.54 too, a trait that several teams will look to add in their setup.

4. Tushar Deshpande

IPL Auction 2021: 5 uncapped Indian players who could be bought | IPL Auction 2021: 5 uncapped Indian players to keep eye on in Auction
IPL Auction 2021: 5 uncapped Indian players to keep eye on: Deshpande has something about him.

Tushar Deshpande played five matches for the Delhi Capitals last year and his statistics might not appear too hunky-dory. However, the lad appeared to have immense skin in the game. He seemed to touch 140 kmph regularly and has a very good yorker up his sleeves. Moreover, Deshpande plays Ranji Trophy regularly too and hence he is aware of working well with the new ball initially too.

Additionally, Deshpande has developed a few knuckle-deliveries that makes him quite a handy customer with the ball. Overall, the 25-year-old can move the ball upfront, consistently deliver balls in the block hole in the end and can be called up in the middle stages to hit the hard lengths too. Numbers do not tend to display the entire potential of a player on occasions and merely having observed Deshpande ply his trade in IPL 2020 can indicate that he will surely be sought by at least a few teams in the upcoming auction.

5. Avi Barot

SMAT 2021 might have happened at an appropriate time for many young Indian players. Avi Barot, fourth-highest run-scorer in the tournament, might just be one of them. Playing for Saurashtra, Barot amassed 283 runs in five innings at an average of 56.6 that included a century and half-century too. However, more impressively, he scored these runs at a strike rate of 184.96. He notched 32 fours (second-highest) and 12 sixes in those games and certainly carved an impact that must have been keenly followed by several teams.

Obviously, most sides have their batting units fixed and it is generally difficult for any new domestic player to be suddenly inducted in the playing XI. However, the likes of Barot can gain invaluable experience merely by spending time with the coaching staff of any franchise. Moreover, players do tend to receive opportunities through their associations with teams over time and then it is only a matter of who manages to make the most of those chances.

The likes of Barot, Azharudeen and Solanki have certainly done their job a month ahead of the auctions. Now, it is upon the franchises to invest in these lads and even groom them over time to regularly attain game-time in the future.

Written by Tarkesh Jha. Follow Tarkesh on Twitter today.

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