'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/4AAQSkZJRgABAQAAAQABAAD/2wCEAAMDAwMDAwQEBAQFBQUFBQcHBgYHBwsICQgJCAsRCwwLCwwLEQ8SDw4PEg8bFRMTFRsfGhkaHyYiIiYwLTA+PlQBAwMDAwMDBAQEBAUFBQUFBwcGBgcHCwgJCAkICxELDAsLDAsRDxIPDg8SDxsVExMVGx8aGRofJiIiJjAtMD4+VP/AABEIAAUACgMBIgACEQEDEQH/xABiAAEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABggQAAICAgAHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAECAwQABQYHERITMUEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMRAQABBAIDAAAAAAAAAAAAAAECAwQFEQASBhSB/9oADAMBAAIRAxEAPwDPWh4Z152OvrPFB2WKtaYtHEEZVaaSNlBJPvx9QfmX78t6yuwN4kgkEiBBjGD5/cVcdmIRtUpFSEmQRNbHXCx1xU9OkPV12NsRfqm3n//Z'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
We are halfway through the group stage of IPL 2023. The points table shows that the league has been extremely competitive. All 10 teams have opened their accounts - even the worst performing teams have registered at least two wins out of seven.
T20 is a game of margins. You can assemble the best squad on paper and still end up losing close games. However, squad construction is an extremely integral part of the success of a lot of teams.
A 10-team competition has certainly diluted the quality of several teams. However, certain teams did not perform too well at the auction in December 2022 as well as in the mega auction the same year in February. We take a look at three teams that have started badly due to a poor auction.
#1 Kolkata Knight Riders
Kolkata Knight Riders are currently ranked 8th in the points table with just 2 wins in 7 games. They also have a poor net run rate (-0.186). KKR are on a 4 match losing streak in IPL 2023. There are several flaws in KKR's team construction.
KKR lack quality Indian batters on their roster. The injury to their skipper Shreyas Iyer has significantly weakened their batting lineup. They also let go of the likes of Shubman Gill and Rahul Tripathi - players who have done well after being released by the franchise.
Andre Russell, one of KKR's most valuable players of all time, has also failed to step up this season. Their pace bowling lineup has been poor this season - not a single pacer has picked up more than 3 wickets in these 7 matches.
#2 Mumbai Indians
Mumbai Indians have been one of the worst performing teams in the IPL since the mega auction before IPL 2022. They have won 3 matches out of 7 this season and are ranked 7 in the points table with a net run rate of -0.620.
MI essentially lost most of their core in the mega auction - the Pandya brothers, Trent Boult and Rahul Chahar. Even Kieron Pollard retired last season. Jasprit Bumrah has been ruled out of the IPL this season due to a back injury.
MI's auction strategy has been highly questionable. They are spending approximately ₹50 crores on just 3 players - Rohit Sharma, Ishan Kishan and Cameron Green. This leaves very little amount to spend on the rest of the squad. Their bowling lineup has seen a significant decline from their title-winning team in IPL 2020.
#3 Delhi Capitals
Delhi Capitals have arguably been the worst team in the competition this season. They are currently ranked 10th in the points table, with only 2 wins in 7 games. Their net run rate is also the lowest (-0.961) among all teams in the competition. Both their wins also happened to be extremely close encounters which could have gone either way.
DC's batting lineup is full of top-order batters - David Warner, Prithvi Shaw, Mitchell Marsh, Phil Salt, and Rilee Rossouw. They also failed to sign a proper middle-order batter in the absence of their permanent skipper, Rishabh Pant. The likes of Mansh Pandey and Sarfaraz Khan are batting out of position in their playing 11.
