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The upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) will return to its original home-and-away format for the first time since the 2019 season, bringing an end to its COVID-19 restrictions.
IPL 2020 and the second half of IPL 2021 took place in the UAE, while the 2022 season was played in Maharashtra. The playoffs and IPL 2022 final, however, took place in Kolkata and Ahmedabad.
The teams will play seven home and as many away games as the cash-rich league will be played in 12 different venues across India.
"The 16th season of the IPL will revert to the home-and-away format, where all the teams will play seven home games and seven away games respectively in the league stage," the BCCI said in a statement. "A total of 70 league stage matches will be played across 12 venues over the course of 52 days."
The return of the original format will benefit a few sides who rely heavily on home conditions. On that note, let's take a look at the three teams that will benefit from returning to their home venue for IPL 2023.
#1 Chennai Super Kings
Chennai Super Kings (CSK), led by MS Dhoni, have relied on spin-friendly tracks at the MA Chidambaram Stadium over the years. The likes of Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja bullied the batters with their smart bowling at Chepauk.
CSK were the most affected side in the last three seasons while the IPL was not played in a home-and-away format. They had to rejig their plans, which took a toll on team combinations. But with the tournament returning to its original format, the Super Kings will be massively benefitted.
#2 Punjab Kings
Punjab Kings (PBKS) have depended heavily on fast bowlers over the years in the IPL. The Punjab Cricket Association IS Bindra Stadium in Mohali has augured PBKS' strategy of building a pace-heavy squad well.
However, the last few years have been difficult for them, given that they were not playing in their home conditions. With the tournament returning to its original format, the new management and skipper Shikhar Dhawan would be extremely delighted.
Punjab also have the likes of Kagiso Rabada, Arshdeep Singh, and Nathan Ellis, among others, to exploit the conditions.
#3 Kolkata Knight Riders
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) love playing at their fortress Eden Gardens. They are a dominant force whenever they play in Kolkata, with slow and turning tracks on offer.
This year as well, the Knight Riders have gone spin-heavy with Sunil Narine, Varun Chakravarthy, Shakib Al Hasan, Anukul Roy, and mystery spinner Suyash Sharma.
Kolkata will be extremely happy with the IPL's return to its original home-and-away format as they can reap the maximum out of the slow and turning tracks at Eden Gardens.
