IPL 2018: Benchwarmers XI

All-rounders

#6 Carlos Brathwaite (Sunrisers Hyderabad)

Carlos Brathwaite is one surprising name to have been excluded from the playing XI by the Sunrisers team management. While the likes of Billy Stanlake, Mohammed Nabi and Chris Jordan have at least gotten games under their belt, it's surprising that the West Indies skipper has been completely frozen out.

Carlos has always been a prime contributor for his team in both departments of the game but unfortunately, has not fit into the scheme of things for the Orange Army. With Hyderabad settling on a fixed playing XI now heading into the playoffs, it's highly unlikely that Brathwaite would be able to break into the team.

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#7 Bipul Sharma (Sunrisers Hyderabad)

Bipul Sharma played a crucial role during Sunrisers Hyderabad's victorious 2016 campaign. The all-rounder played a crucial hand to support David Warner in a match-winning partnership in Qualifier 2. In a tense final, Bipul picked up the massive wicket of AB de Villiers, one of the wickets that tilted the game in Hyderabad's favor.

He was retained by them last year and played another 7 games for the Orange Army. He was bought back by them in the auctions this year but the presence of Rashid Khan and Shakib al Hasan has meant that Bipul is yet to get a game this year. Having made it to the playoffs, Hyderabad are unlikely to tinker with their line-up which will make it difficult for him to get into the eleven.

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#8 Chris Jordan (Sunrisers Hyderabad)

Over the past few years, Chris Jordan has developed into one of the better death bowlers in T20 cricket. After a stint with Royal Challengers Bangalore, the Englishman was picked up by Sunrisers Hyderabad at the auctions this year. SRH have an army of extremely skillful Indian pace bowlers and the team have therefore relied on them to fulfill the fast bowling duties, instead of picking an overseas fast bowler.

Chris Jordan played one match in Billy Stanlake's absence and despite performing well, he hasn't been given another opportunity post that game. Had Jordan been selected by either RCB or KKR, he might have surely gotten an extended run in the eleven.

Alternative: Adam Milne (Mumbai Indians)

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#9 Jayant Yadav (Delhi Daredevils)

The forgotten man of Indian cricket. Jayant Yadav scored a series-defining maiden hundred against England in just his third Test match after getting to his maiden fifty in the second Test match of the series. The off-spinning all-rounder, who looked convincing with the bat in the England series, played only further Test for India, a game in which his side were embarrassed by Australia. Since then he hasn't made an entry back into the Indian team, a sad story for a career that started so brightly.

His IPL career isn't much to boast of either. He was picked by Delhi Daredevils in the auction this year. However, the presence of Amit Mishra, Rahul Tewatia and Shahbaz Nadeem in the squad has meant that Yadav bafflingly hasn't received a single opportunity to showcase his skills.

Alternative: Rahul Chahar (Mumbai Indians)