Let’s take a look at one player from each of the 10 teams to watch out for in the 16th season of the Indian Premier League(IPL).
MUMBAI INDIANS:
Jofra Archer: The England paceman had a successful comeback from injury, putting on performances that have made him famous, first in the South Africa T20 league and then for England in the T20Is and ODIs against South Africa and Bangladesh. Mumbai Indians will rely heavily on his pace. He previously played for the Rajasthan Royals before being purchased by MI in the February 2022 auction for Rs 8 crore.
KOLKATA KNIGHT RIDERS:
Rinku Singh: In the IPL 2022, the left-handed batter for Uttar Pradesh demonstrated his ability to score quickly and serve as a finisher. At No. 5, an undefeated 42 in 23 balls helped KKR defeat Rajasthan Royals in a nail-biting end, and another 40 in 15 against Lucknow Super Giants nearly sealed victory for his club. He has made some great catches and is a lightning rod on the field. There’s no reason why he can’t play similarly for KKR this year as well.
RAJASTHAN ROYALS:
Yashasvi Jaiswal: A left-handed opener from Mumbai who is gifted and experienced, has already earned a name for herself in the IPL and the domestic season. She consistently performed well in all competitions, including the Ranji Trophy, Vijay Hazare Trophy, Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, and Irani Cup. At the top, he and skipper Jos Buttler make an excellent pair, and strong showings in this year’s IPL may put him in the running for more significant roles.
DELHI CAPITALS:
Sarfaraz Khan: The 25-year-old middle-order batsman has been persistently knocking on the doors of the national squad while consistently scoring highly in the domestic circuit. He was recently unable to join the RestofIndia squad for the IraniCup due to a hairline fracture on his finger. Because of the kind of influence he can have, he has been found to be healthy and is the best candidate to take Rishabh Pant’s place. Khan has played in the IPL for eight years, but he has not been reliable. He was considered a finisher and moved up and down the order. Sarfaraz would have more time to shoot his unconventional shots and speed up the scoring if he had a permanent position in the top order. He may be just as dangerous as anyone if he gets rolling.
LUCKNOW SUPER GIANTS:
Quinton de Kock: The South African left-handed opening batsman will enter this year’s IPL having just recorded his maiden T20I century against the West Indies on Sunday. De Kock created the groundwork for South Africa’s successful pursuit of the 259-run goal, and the match set a new world record for the highest match aggregate (517). De Kock is no stranger to Indian conditions, having shown a preference for the pitches while traveling with his national side. He is one of the major figures in LSG’s fortunes this IPL.
CHENNAI SUPER KINGS
Ben Stokes: The England all-rounder is a unique kind of cricketer who must be maintained. His ability to rise to the occasion in important games is what sparked a bidding war among IPL franchises for him in the December auction. The fact that CSK spent Rs 16.25 million on him demonstrates how crucial he is to the team’s overall strategy. Stokes’ ability to alter the course of a game with a few huge hits or to make crucial breakthroughs will be closely watched in the 2017 IPL.
SUNRISERS HYDERABAD
Harry Brook: The Englishman created a name for himself as the No. 5 T20I batsman, striking at more than 140.97 runs per 100 deliveries. Yet, it was his extraordinary consistency in Test cricket that drew the world’s attention. In 10 Test innings, he has seven 50-plus scores, including four hundred, for an amazing average of 80.90. It was no surprise that he was acquired for Rs 13.25 crore, making him the second most expensive player in SRH history behind Kane Williamson (Rs 14 crore). Keep an eye out for the 24-year-old Yorkshireman during his first IPL season.
GUJARAT TITANS
Shubman Gill: The right-handed opening batsman was instrumental in last year’s victory, scoring 483 runs at 34.50 with a strike rate of 132.32. Since the last IPL, he has only gained in stature, scoring a century in each of the three forms for the country. With his current form, the 23-year-old will be in contention for the Orange Cap, and winning it will come as no surprise.
ROYAL CHALLENGERS BANGALORE
Virat Kohli: Can you see past Kohli while he’s in the team? Kohli, one of the few players who have remained loyal to an IPL side since the league’s inception, has been in a different league, or “happy headspace,” as he describes it, in the year or so since ceding captaincy. He broke the curse of a long-awaited international century by scoring five in the last six months, including his first T20I century. It’s anyone’s guess whether he can lead RCB to their maiden IPL title. But one thing is certain: Kohli will give it his all with continuous high runs. As he has done over the past several years.
PUNJAB KINGS:
Shikhar Dhawan has been in the IPL since its inception, appearing for five different clubs. With 318 T20 appearances, Dhawan, along with Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, is the most experienced Indian T20 player triumvirate. Last year, he led the PBKS hitting charts with 460 runs at an average of 38.33. Dhawan may have fallen out of favor with Indian selectors, but he has experience as a stand-in captain leading India to victory in white ball cricket. If PBKS is to make a contest and not just make up the numbers in this year’s IPL, all of his expertise will count.
