5 possible replacements for Rising Pune Supergiants' injured duo

IPL 2016 hasn't really gone according to plan for the Rising Pune Supergiants. After victory in the opening, they lost four successive games and were sinking like a stone. Just when it looked as though a lifeline had been thrown their way with the win over Sunrisers Hyderabad, disaster has struck yet again.

First Kevin Pietersen was ruled out of the tournament and now South African T20 captain Faf du Plessis has been as well and just like that Pune will be without two of their best batsmen for the rest of the tournament.

Perhaps the only saving grace for Pune is that they can sign a replacement for both players. But who will they sign? What are the options? Tamim Iqbal is playing in the Dhaka Premier League and captaining his side too, which rules him out. Mahela Jayawardene and Tillakaratne Dilshan are unlikely to be considered as they haven't made a huge impact in the IPL.

So who else is out there?Let us take a look at 5 possible replacements for Rising Pune Supergiants injured duo.

Marlon Samuels

Marlon Samuels might be 35 and at times might provoke more frustration than delight but if there is one thing that he has that cannot be doubted is the talent and the ability to deliver when it matters the most. It is after all not for nothing that he has two Man of the Match awards from two World T20 finals that West Indies have won.

Although he may come across as abrasive, his talent is undeniable it is just his ability to hit big and deliver that Pune need at the moment. With time running out on their season, they need someone who can deliver under pressure and when it counts, if all those are taken into consideration, there are few better prospects than Samuels.

Although it is unlikely that RPSG are going to go form mainly due to the fact that he is another right-hander in a batting order filled with right-handers, he is in form and a gamble that might just pay off.

Rilee Rossouw

Although both players that are injured bat in the top three and Rilee Rossouw has predominantly occupied a middle-order berth for South Africa, the truth is that he is in fact a top-order batsman. With the ability to bludgen the ball to all corners of the stadium, Rossouw might just be the kind of hard-hitting, aggressive batsman they have lacked at the top of the order.

With the southpaw, it also not as if he doesn't have an experience of playing in the IPL. In fact, just two years ago, he was snapped up by the Royal Challengers Bangalore. While he didn't end up playing a lot for them thanks to their star-studded squad, it is not like the 26-year-old has no experience of playing under pressure at a big stage.

If RPSG decide to go for him, not only will they strengthen the top order but also allow them the flexibility of possibly even making use of his big-hitting in the middle-order.

Hashim Amla

Some players have it easy in T20s. They have the power to hit any bowler out of the attack or the sheer ability to create doubt in the minds of the bowler. Unfortunately, in Hashim Amla's case, neither are true and the only thing he has going for him is the unfortunate truth he is much better than what perceive of him in the shortest format.

One of the main reasons why Amla has never played in the IPL is because of public perception and the fact that Amla has had to battle against that almost throughout his career. While he might not be fashionable, the fact that he averages nearly 30 and has a strike rate in excess of 120, it highlights that while he might be able to win a match single-handedly like AB de Villiers, he can still be an integral part of a winning side.

Another reason why he might have gone unsold in the auction was his price of 1 crore. With that no longer an issue and the South African in sublime form with the bat, it would be silly if RPSG choose to not even explore this avenue.

Mike Hussey

Mike Hussey may not be the first name that comes to mind when you think of successful T20 openers but one look at the record books and you will know that his records, not only in the format but in the IPL as well, is nothing short of exemplary.

Despite only playing 75 matches, the 40-year-old has over 2,500 IPL runs to his name at an average just under 40 and a strike rate of over 120. For an opener, those numbers are simply staggering considering the amount of consistency that is required to maintain an average close to 40. Another thing that he might have going for him is his association with Stephen Fleming and MS Dhoni from his time with Chennai Super Kings.

While age mightnot be everything as far as T20 is concerned, the fact that even at 40, Hussey is fighting fit speaks volumes about his desire. With Hussey being a known quantity and MS Dhoni's preference of going for players whose role he understands, it wouldn't be a surprise if RPSG picked him.

Usman Khawaja

Caption

The 29-year-old from Pakistan, who plays for Australia, may not have even been considered as a possibility if it weren't for the past year that he has had with the bat. As far as his ability to score runs go, that has never really been in doubt, but what has been, is his temperament and his ability to adapt and play in the shortest format of the game.

But all those doubts were quashed away when he walked out to bat for the Sydney Thunder earlier in the year. Even though he was just coming back from injury, such was the form that he was in that he finished the tournament with mind-boggling numbers. Not only had he scored 345 runs in four matches but that also included two hundreds and they were scored at a strike rate in excess of 160 and an average of just over 170.

He carried his form over to the World T20, where he was one of Australia's few shining lights. His ability to score quickly while still playing convrntional cricket if something that will excite RPSG. If he can continue his impressive form then there will be no stopping him and that is precisely why he is Pune's No.1 target, ever since KP got injured.