IPL 2018: 5 star batsmen who could come in as replacements

Modern day cricket is about a jam-packed cricketing calendar. There is competitive cricket all the year round and players hardly get any free time to rest and work on their fitness and skills. In such a crazy schedule, injuries are bound to happen since the workload eventually starts taking its toll on the body. Hence the players have to unwillingly miss big tournaments and giving their teams a body blow.

As the IPL is approaching, there is a chance that some players may be ruled out of the season and the franchises will have to look around seeking the best possible replacements. There are already few big names whose participation in the IPL is under scrutiny because of injuries.

Here are 5-star batsmen who could fill in the shoes of the injured and complete the franchises' puzzle.

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#5 Alex Hales

Despite of having a superb T20I record, Hales has never played in the IPL

The England opener has been a stalwart batsman for England at the top of the order in T20I cricket for the past few years. A quintessential T20 batter, Hales relies more on power than on technique. Surprisingly despite showing his potential at international level, Hales has not played a single game in the IPL yet.

He was a part of the Mumbai Indians in 2015 as a replacement player. After the MI let him go, he did not find any team in the IPL and is not a part of the league this time around as well.

However, he is a prime candidate on the list of potential replacements for the 2018 season.

#4 Kusal Perera

Kusal Perera showed his batting prowess in the recently concluded Nidahas Trophy.

The Sri Lankan southpaw showed glimpses of the brute force he possesses in the recently concluded India vs Sri Lanka series and the Nidahas trophy. He was the only one in the Sri Lankan batting line up who had the audacity to take the attack to the opposition irrespective of the game situation.

He spent an odd season with the Rajasthan Royals in 2013. Kusal found no bidders for him this time around. However, he is an ideal foil to fit in any IPL team since he possesses all the vital ingredients of a devastating T20 batsman. He will be on the radar should any of the franchises starting hunting for an ideal replacement for an injured batter.

#3 Eoin Morgan

Eoin Morgan is known to play innovative shots like reverse sweep and paddle scoop.

England's ODI and T20I skipper surprisingly went unsold during the IPL auction 2018. Morgan comes from the rare breed of 360-degree players who can play all around the park with extreme ease. He is a big striker of the ball as well.

In the past, Morgan has played for the Kolkata Knight Riders, Sunrisers Hyderabad and the Kings XI Punjab. Since he is not a part of England's test setup, he will be available for the entire season if he is picked as a replacement.

Morgan's inclusion can boost the batting strength of any side by multiple times since he is a crafty player with a wealth of experience.

#2 Martin Guptill

Guptill was ignored at the IPL auction, again!

Despite being supremely talented, the Blackcaps opener manages to get ignored at the IPL auction every year. This time around, it was nothing different! Being one of only 5 players to score a double hundred in ODI cricket, Guptill was roped in as a replacement for injured Lendl Simmons by the Mumbai Indians in his only edition of the IPL so far in 2016.

He is an attacking batsman who is known to give brisk starts and also very athletic in the field as well. His heroics in the shortest format keep pushing his case to be a part of the IPL as a replacement and should get an entry if someone suddenly becomes unavailable for the 2018 season.

#1 Hashim Amla

Hashim Amla's record in T20 cricket has been phenomenal.

The mighty Hash going unsold was the most shocking exclusion at the IPL auction 2018. He had a glorious season for the Kings XI Punjab in 2017 scoring 420 runs in 10 matches at an average of 60 and strike rate of 146 including 2 centuries. These numbers are good enough to shame any great T20 batsman.

Amla is known for playing the role of sheet anchor, holding the innings together from one end and allowing big hitters to launch an assault from the other. He is not a part of the IPL this time around, but he could come in as a replacement any day should any of the players get injured. His addition will certainly add a lot of value to the side.