IPL 2019: One foreign player each team should buy

Foreign players are integral to the success of any IPL team. Under the new rules, each team is allowed to buy eight foreign players in their squad and can play a maximum of four in the playing XI at a time.

Since there are so many of them available at the auction, the IPL teams need to be choosy when it comes to picking their foreign players and make sure they have got the right man for the job.

Also, the teams are not so worried about losing the foreign players of their preference at the auction since they are plenty in supply and it is easy to find their replacements.

Going into the IPL 2019 Auction, most teams have retained a majority of the foreign players that they picked last season and need to pick only a few more to strike the perfect balance of their squads.

In this article, let us take a look at one foreign player that each team should buy considering his suitability in the team.

Note: Since the Chennai Super Kings have filled all of their 8 foreign slots, they cannot buy any more foreigner players. Hence, they have not been mentioned in this article.

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Kolkata Knight Riders - Carlos Brathwaite

The Kolkata Knight Riders have as many as five foreign slots unfilled for which they have to find candidates. One option they could consider is the tall, muscular West Indian T20 skipper Carlos Brathwaite.

Carlos Brathwaite can be a great backup for Andre Russell as the two cricketers have almost identical attributes. He hits the ball as cleanly as anyone and is a good bowler in the middle overs.

Also, Brathwaite has great memories playing the ICC World T20 final of 2016 at the Eden Gardens and would love to make Kolkata his IPL home.

Delhi Daredevils - Aaron Finch

Aaron Finch has played for several IPL teams in the past with Delhi Daredevils being one of them. This time around, his return is something that could boost the Daredevils in terms of experience.

The Delhi Daredevils have a strong core of Indian youth but they lack someone to guide them. All things considered, Aaron Finch perfectly fits in their scheme of things and would fit into the Delhi puzzle perfectly.

Finch is at the peak of his career after receiving maiden Test call-up and being appointed as the limited-overs skipper of Australia in the absence of Steve Smith. Hence, it would be advisable for the Daredevils to include FInch in their team.

Rajasthan Royals - Dale Steyn

The Rajasthan Royals have retained Steve Smith, Jos Buttler, Ben Stokes, Jofra Archer and Ish Sodhi as their foreign players ahead of the IPL Auction 2019. The team is short on experience in the fast-bowling department.

Considering this, Dale Steyn could be the perfect guy to strengthen their fast bowling attack. As the Royals have Jofra Archer as the only foreign fast bowler, it is imperative for them to look for another one and Steyn could be the best bet.

Steyn is back to form after a prolonged period of injury and is ready to go all guns blazing.

Sunrisers Hyderabad - Brendon McCullum

The Sunrisers Hyderabad suffered a huge blow when their star opener Shikhar Dhawan opted to leave the team. The men in orange are now in search of Dhawan's ideal replacement at the top.

In such circumstances, Brendon McCullum could be the perfect man to partner David Warner and form a destructive left-right hand combination. Also, McCullum doesn't play international cricket and is available throughout the season.

McCullum adds a lot of value to the table. He is tailor-made for the Sunrisers Hyderabad role in the IPL 2019.

Kings XI Punjab - Oshane Thomas

The big, stockily-built fast bowler received a lot of attention when he was with the West Indian team on their tour of India this October. Cricket experts compared Thomas with the West Indian fast bowlers of the 1970s and demanded the attention of the IPL franchises.

The current Kings XI Punjab squad is facing a dearth of quality fast bowlers and Thomas fits perfectly into their picture. Their current lot is full of pacers within the 130-135 kph range and lack someone who can hurry the batsmen.

Thomas showed lively pace clicking over 140 kph and pushed Indians on the back foot in the recently-concluded ODI series. Hence, KXIP should seriously consider going after Oshane Thomas.

Royal Challengers Bangalore - Morne Morkel

The Royal Challengers Bangalore have always been a mediocre bowling side and their wait for the maiden title will not end until that area is strengthened. Their fast bowlers are known to leak runs over the years and undo the batsmen's good work.

To propel their fast bowling, Morne Morkel is a name they could consider. A tall fast bowler who hits the deck hard could be a useful asset to the RCB. Since Morkel has called it a day on his international career, the RCB would not have to worry about his unavailability.

Mumbai Indians - Glenn Maxwell

The Mumbai Indians have one foreign slot left to be filled after retaining seven foreign players. The squad is pretty much complete in all aspects and needs only finishing touches. One player they would be going after at the auction is Glenn Maxwell.

The composition of Mumbai Indians' foreign contingent consists of two openers (Evin Lewis and Quinton de Kock), two fast-bowling all-rounders (Kieron Pollard and Ben Cutting) and three genuine fast bowlers (Mitchell McClenaghan, Jason Behrendorff and Adam Milne).

Glenn Maxwell adds balance to the squad with his lusty hitting and useful part-time off-spin. He has played for the MI before in 2013 and knows the Mumbai conditions well.