IPL 2019: Best Finisher for Each Team

The novelty and thrill which the shortest format of the game brings are the reasons as to why the IPL has thrived. Smaller boundaries, 360 degree vision, and fearless execution have become necessary for being a quality T20 batsman. Be it the huge, bludgeoned sixes from the likes of Chris Gayle, MS Dhoni, and Andre Russell or the well-timed, elegant ones from KL Rahul, Virat Kohli or Suresh Raina - sixes and quick runs have become synonymous with IPL matches.

Chasing has become a fashion and none of the teams who won the toss last season opted to bat first. All of them placed their faith in their bowlers to restrict the opposition to a total which they could chase down. Whether this happened or not, the victories continued to come for the side fielding first and this was because of the composure of the finishers.

The finishers may be big hitters, innovators or players who are well versed with technique but these are the ones who ensure that the team makes it across the line. Forced to play the attacking game more often, they also build innings when a collapse occurs and every team surely has their share of finishers.

That being said, let's take a look at the best finisher for each team.

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#1 Chennai Super Kings- MS Dhoni or Kedar Jadhav

Dhoni and Jadhav will want to ensure that CSK chases down any target posted on the scoreboard

This is a no-brainer. One of the best finishers in modern-day cricket, MS Dhoni's big hitting abilities may have toned down a fraction but the runs keep on coming. Dhoni, who is a crowd favorite, is known for his strong wrists and towering strikes.

Just when we thought that his stronghold in T20 cricket was going to be over, he pulled off a memorable show in IPL 2018 and showed that his skills were as sound as ever. With Kedar Jadhav's return to the side, Dhoni might bat further up the order and give Jadhav the lions share of responsibility to finish with a flourish.

Jadhav has been brilliant for India in the ODI format and apart from his innovative batting, his bowling is a major asset. He' a very hard-working batsman and his efforts to finish off the 1st match last season was praiseworthy. Dwayne Bravo can also play his part when needed.

#2 Delhi Capitals- Rishabh Pant or Chris Morris

Rishabh Pant pulls off an audacious shot

The biggest strengths for the Delhi Capitals this season will be their strong overseas pace attack and of course, their brilliant top order. Shikhar Dhawan, Prithvi Shaw, Colin Ingram, Shreyas Iyer, and Colin Munro will bat within the top 4 and this might force someone like Rishabh Pant to bat at No.5 and don the all-important role of a finisher.

The Delhi keeper-batsman has taken huge strides forward in international cricket and the results will surely be seen this season. Pant showed signs of maturity in the T20I series in New Zealand and is starting to learn the art of finishing. Another player who can help Pant in his endeavors will be Proteas all-rounder Chris Morris.

Apart from his accurate and quick bowling, Morris is known for his slogs and great strike-rates and has played many handy cameos towards the end of the innings. It remains to be seen if Delhi will play Rutherford so Pant and Morris seem to be the ideal finishers for the side.

#3 Kings XI Punjab- David Miller or Sam Curran

David Miller

The overseas duo of Sam Curran and David Miller should be KXIP's best finishers. The side made a couple of good signings at the auction Curran is one of them. The all-rounder made a name for himself with his performance against India in the 2018 Test series and proved his worth in limited-overs cricket as well. Primarily a fast bowler, Curran is an attack-minded middle order batsman and has played many great innings in limited-overs cricket.

David Miller is one of the best strikers of the ball and is the best finisher for KXIP. With Nicholas Pooran expected to either open the innings or slot in at No.4, Miller can easily fit in the middle order. He is in great form playing for his country and one of the main reasons why KXIP had trouble in the middle order because they under-utilized Miller.

#4 Kolkata Knight Riders- Dinesh Karthik or Andre Russell

Andre Russell and Dinesh Karthik got the job done many a time for the KKR

This is undoubtedly the easiest pick. Dinesh Karthik and Andre Russell formed a deadly middle order combination and when one was taking time to settle, the other used to go after the bowlers and keep the runs coming. Karthik, who was the captain of KKR last season, was able to shift gears at the blink of an eye and adapted himself well according to the situation.

He's now in the thick of the action for India and is in contention for a World Cup spot. With ample experience and a wide range of shots, Karthik is one player who the bowlers can't take lightly.

Andre Russell needn't middle the ball for it to go for a six but has can just muscle the ball for a six. One of the most brutal and devastating strikers of the ball, Russell's power and strong wrists enable him to smash bowlers all around the park as soon as he gets in the groove. CSK, KXIP and SRH were among those who were at the receiving end of a hiding from him and he will be extremely vital to finish off games for KKR in this season as well.

#5 Mumbai Indians- Hardik or Krunal Pandya

The Pandya brothers celebrate after finishing off a match

While few people would want Kieron Pollard's name on this list, his numbers show that he's far from his prime and he has to earn his place in the team.

Despite this, the Mumbai Indians have one of the best middle orders in the league and that's thanks to Hardik and Krunal Pandya. The Pandya brothers have formed a great batting and bowling partnership at Mumbai and have finished off many games for the team in the last couple of years.

Krunal is usually sent ahead of his younger brother, Hardik, and is a more calculative player but even he can excel with the slog shots if needed. Hardik, on the other hand, loves muscling the ball and is really deadly against the spinners. Both of them are good readers of the game and aren't scared of big totals on the board. The fact they both are Indian players gives extra incentive to play them in all games.

#6 Rajasthan Royals- Ashton Turner or Ben Stokes

Ben Stokes

The Rajasthan Royals lacked a proper finisher last season as Jos Buttler wasn't able to thrive in the middle order. The paltry form of the England all-rounder Ben Stokes considerably weakened the middle order for the side. Coming into this auction, they needed to sign finishers and they did sign relatively unknown entities in Ashton Turner and Liam Livingstone.

Buttler is expected to open the innings this season and in the absence of Steve Smith, Turner can make it to the RR middle order as their finisher. The Perth Scorchers' batting all-rounder possesses a decent bowling arm and bowls useful off-spin.

He has plenty of T20 experience and has finished off many games for his side. Ben Stokes too will be instrumental while chasing but he needs good partners for him to unleash his destructive side. Krishnappa Gowtham can strike the ball well and will feature in their plans as well.

#7 Royal Challengers Bangalore- Shimron Hetmyer, Marcus Stoinis or Shivam Dubey

Shimron Hetmyer

The Royal Challengers Bangalore possess a potent middle order who have the ability to go ballistic whenever required. The Virat Kohli led side focused on strengthening their middle order at the auction and made 2 quality signings in the form of Shivam Dubey, the hard-hitting Mumbai all-rounder, and Shimron Hetmyer, the latest of the big hitters from the West Indies.

Hetmyer is expected to slot in after AB De Villiers at No.4 or No.5 depending on who's opening the batting. His ball striking abilities are well known and his performance against India in the subcontinent is a testimony to his prowess.

Marcus Stoinis has been in top form for both club and country and has shined bright both with the bat and the ball. Primarily a middle-order batsman, he briefly opened the batting for the Melbourne Stars and RCB shouldn't shy from trying that out. He's a good timer of the ball and has finished off many games in the past.

Dubey's exploits in the domestic circuit clearly show that he can put the ball into the stands at will and who knows, this season could be the making of another quality all rounder.

#8 Sunrisers Hyderabad- Deepak Hooda, Yusuf Pathan or Vijay Shankar

Yusuf Pathan and Deepak Hooda embrace after carrying their team past the finish line.

The Sunrisers Hyderabad have a lot of talented players in their middle order but they failed to deliver last season and that was their one particular area of concern. Following the recruitment of Vijay Shankar and Abhishek Sharma, even that seems settled for the SRH side.

They have a strong top order with big names like David Warner, Kane Williamson and Jonny Bairstow, with star batsman Manish Pandey is expected to follow. Shakib Al Hasan, their all-rounder, has had fitness issues and remains a doubt for this season.

Nevertheless, they have good finishers in the form of Shankar, who has made it big in the Indian team, in addition to Yusuf Pathan and Deepak Hooda. The latter failed to click last season and will hope to turn their fortunes around this season. They also have young Abhishek Sharma who impressed in the chances he got last season.

Afghan leggie Rashid Khan can bat and he can help them out with some quick runs in tight situations.