IPL 2019: One match-winner in each side

The IPL season is just around the corner, and there already is a buzz about the team composition for each side, and who are the favourites going into the tournament. Its been 11 years since the inception of the Indian Premier League, but it has never lost its sheen over the years, in fact, it has gotten only better with each passing year. It will be no different this year too when the tournament begins its 12th season in the coming summer.

We all know that this year's IPL will commence amidst a packed calendar in international cricket which includes ICC Cricket World Cup, set to happen in England and Wales. So the BCCI has decided to prepone the IPL from its usual slot of April to March so as to give enough rest for the World Cup-bound players before the marquee event.

The reason for the success of the IPL, and its superiority over the other leagues is its longevity and seldom does the audience gets bored of the tournament. This is because of the presence of stars from all over the globe.

We will look at the match-winners from each side who can make a difference.

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#8 Delhi Capitals - Rishabh Pant

Rishabh Pant has been consistent for India.

Rishabh Pant has already created quite an impact in his short career and even has an outside chance to represent India at the World Cup after being a regular across formats for India.

Pant was the Emerging Player of the Tournament last season where he ended up as the 2nd highest run-getter with a tally of 684 runs, with just Kane Williamson scoring more runs than him.

He was the sole contributor on a regular basis for the Delhi Capitals last time around. But this time, there are plenty of Indian players supporting him in the middle order and a collective team performance can earn Delhi their first ever IPL title. For that to happen, Pant needs to come good.

#7 Rajasthan Royals - Jos Buttler

Joss Buttler

While Jos Buttler may not be available for the entire course of the tournament as he may have to join the England national team midway to prepare for the fast-approaching World Cup. But before he heads to England, he will be looked upon by the Rajasthan Royals to be as effective as he was in the last season. He single-handedly won the matches for the team with his batting heroics at the top of the order.

Buttler since then has been in tremendous form and RR will hope that he continues the purple patch this season too. Yes, the team will be boosted by the presence of Steven Smith but still, no other player can make a similar impact for a team as Buttler can do when he is in his full flow.

Buttler has so far scored more than 1000 runs at a strike rate of over 150 in 37 matches in his IPL career.

#6 Kings XI Punjab - David Miller

David Miller

Who can ever forget his maiden IPL hundred against the Royal Challengers Bangalore at Chinnaswamy Stadium at Bangalore? When all seemed lost for Punjab, he single-handedly took them past the winning lane and that announced his arrival at the world stage.

David Miller since then has been a regular fixture in the Proteas team set up and this innings was influential in him being retained by the franchise year after year despite leaving out some of the other stalwarts who have played for them.

The former skipper of the Punjab side will certainly have a crucial role to play in this season too. His form in recent times has been great which will be of a major boost for the side when the 12th edition of the IPL starts.

Miller has featured in 69 IPL games scoring over 1600 runs at an average of 140 with a solitary century to his name.

#5 Royal Challengers Bangalore - Shimron Hetmeyer

Shimron Hetmeyer

Shimron Hetmyer is a young talent from the Guyanese island in the Carribean. He has impressed each and everyone with his fearless approach to any situation and attacking strokeplay. He had a good CPL where he was third highest run-getter, and within no time he had played for the Windies in all formats of the game.

Hetmyer can be a player who can be viewed as a game-changer with the bat in the middle overs and can take the game away from the opposition in a jiffy with his attacking instincts. It is evident from his strike rate even in Test cricket.

The 21-year-old has what it takes to join the list of players from the Carribean who have shone in the IPL. His debut year will provide his best opportunity to deliver at the big stage. He is the kind of player whom the Challengers would like to have in the middle order to up the ante.

#4 SunRisers Hyderabad - Rashid Khan

Rashid Khan

Rashid Khan is just 20 years old but he has already become a sought out player around the globe and is a superstar in the limited overs format of the game. He is a renowned player all over the world and is viewed as a potential game-changer with the ball in hand.

At a relatively young age, Rashid Khan has become a go-to bowler for any side and more often than not, he delivers when the team needs the most.

Rashid is a mature player for his age and has improved leaps and bounds as a player in a short period. He has also worked on his batting skills and has finished games for his side in the recent Afghanistan Premier League. He has so far taken 38 wickets in 31 games at a decent economy rate of 6.6.

#3 Kolkata Knight Riders - Sunil Narine

Sunil Narine

Kolkata Knight Riders is one of the sides that has some of the world's best all-rounders in the shortest form of the game at the moment with them. The likes of Sunil Narine, Andre Russell, and the new recruits Joe Denly, and Carlos Braithwaite add firepower to any side they play in a T20 game. This makes one of the strong contenders to lift the title in the 12th edition of the IPL.

Narine came into the limelight as a mystery spinner and has quickly become an important part of the KKR team in a very short span of time. He won games for the team and was seen as a threat at any point of time in a batting inning.

His bowling action came into scrutiny, but the KKR team management backed him to a maximum possible extent and retained him despite not being as effective as before. He soon transformed into an all-rounder by opening the innings for KKR and has won matches with the bat alone.

Narine will definitely be a match winner for the KKR, and one to watch out for.

#2 Mumbai Indians - Hardik Pandya

Hardik Pandya

Hardik Pandya is one of the best Indian all-rounders going around and is a typical player who everyone wants in their T20 teams. But he has not been able to be as consistent as, say, Andre Russell. Despite that, he is still a dangerous player and Mumbai Indians will hope for their fortunes to change. For that, Hardik needs to be in top form.

Pandya is in the World Cup scheme of things at this moment and he may be given rest for a few league games. Even then, his performances when he is available will be valuable for the team's cause. Pandya has been in good form of late after coming from the suspension and that might have even made him a better player.

Every Mumbai Indian fan and the entire nation for that matter will hope that he gets into his destructive best in the IPL which will help India in the World Cup to reclaim the trophy.

#1 Chennai Super Kings - Suresh Raina

Suresh Raina needs to deliver if CSK is to retain the trophy.

There is no need to look beyond Mr IPL, Suresh Raina, for the Chennai Super Kings. He is one of the players along with Mahendra Singh Dhoni to have played every season for the team since the inception of the IPL.

Raina is the leading run-getter in the history of the Indian Premier League and is on the verge of crossing 5000 runs mark in the 12-year-old tournament. While he may have lost his place in the Indian team, a good showing in the IPL which hasn't been the case for the last few years by his own standards, he may make a comeback.

With Dhoni not getting any younger, Raina will have to take the brunt of the responsibility this season and be a match winner like he was in his prime.

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