3 IPL 2023 teams that are overly dependent on a single player

The 2023 Indian Premier League (IPL) auction has come and gone, and all 10 franchises will be well aware of the fact that the showpiece tournament is only a few months away.

The likes of Ben Stokes, Sam Curran, Harry Brook and Cameron Green fetched mammoth sums at the auction, which was held on December 23 in Kochi. These players will be crucial to their respective teams' fortunes, but they arguably aren't important enough to their plans to make or break their seasons.

Some names, on the other hand, are the rocks around which the squads have been constructed. Here are three IPL 2023 teams that are overly dependent on a single player.

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#3 Delhi Capitals - Rishabh Pant

New Zealand v India - 3rd ODI

Delhi Capitals fans, please look away! Members of the side's support staff have confirmed that Rishabh Pant will miss IPL 2023, with the keeper-batter having suffered a horrific car crash recently. In his absence, DC are in a heap of trouble.

Apart from being the captain, Pant was the only specialist Indian wicket-keeper on the roster. Sarfaraz Khan's part-time keeping is perhaps the only way out for DC right now, with Phil Salt's inclusion likely to majorly mess with the overseas combination. Unless the Capitals sign a quality unsold gloveman as a replacement, they may be stuck with two sub-par options.

DC's problems don't end there. The middle order is short of not only reliable batters but also left-handers, and promoting Axar Patel might be the only solution available. Delhi's roster construction was heavily reliant on Pant having a prolific season with the bat, and all their plans have been thrown into misery.

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#2 Mumbai Indians - Jasprit Bumrah

India v Australia - T20 International Series: Game 2

In a threadbare Mumbai Indians pace attack, Jasprit Bumrah scalped 15 wickets in IPL 2022 at an economy rate of 7.18. He will have Jofra Archer for company this time around, but the Indian fast-bowling group looks even thinner than it did last year.

After releasing Jaydev Unadkat and Basil Thampi, MI made no real effort to boost their domestic pace stocks. As of now, they only have Mohammad Arshad Khan and Akash Madhwal as specialist Indian fast bowlers, while Ramandeep Singh and Arjun Tendulkar are the all-round options.

What will MI do without Bumrah? The spearhead has been dealing with a troublesome back injury, and his action seems to be catching up to him. If he isn't at his fittest during the IPL, he shouldn't be risked with tournaments like the ODI World Cup on the horizon.

The five-time champions are half the side without Bumrah, not just because of concerns regarding his replacement options but also because of how much value the quick adds to the side.

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#1 Gujarat Titans - Hardik Pandya

New Zealand v India - 3rd T20

The Gujarat Titans were admirably led by Hardik Pandya last year in their maiden IPL campaign. The all-rounder skippered the franchise to the title on the back of a stellar individual season with both bat and ball.

Few can play the role Pandya plays for GT. He bats in the top four and bowls the tough overs while also assuming the leadership mantle. Without many all-rounders in the country coming close to what the 29-year-old offers, the Titans opted to hold on to Vijay Shankar despite the all-rounder's poor performances.

But he would be a massive downgrade on Pandya, who is one of the best T20 all-rounders in the world. He is GT's life and soul, and they rely on him greatly for their success.

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