IPL 2019: Ratings the eight teams on the basis of their starting XI

If you have followed IPL closely, you must have noticed that champion teams like Chennai Super Kings, Kolkata Knight Riders and Sunrisers Hyderabad have rotated their playing eleven the least number of times except in case of injury or have dropped some players for terrible performance.

Mumbai Indians usually prefer having a huge squad but from last five seasons, they too have followed the policy of not substituting the players much until required necessarily. This might have given you an idea that the teams need to have a strong first choice eleven or the core in order to secure their place in the playoffs.

On the other side teams like Delhi Capitals, Kings XI Punjab usually overhaul their squad if the results don't go in their favour and hence end up in the bottom half of the table. Let us rate the possible playing XIs of each IPL teams going into the season.

#8 Rajasthan Royals

Rajasthan Royals

Starting XI: Jos Buttler (WK), Ajinkya Rahane (C), Steven Smith, Sanju Samson, Ben Stokes, Rahul Tripathi, Krishnappa Gowtham, Jofra Archer, Shreyas Gopal, Jaydev Unadkat and Varun Aaron.

The Royals do have a very good starting XI to compete but comparatively, they are far behind others. They are too dependent on few players like Jos Buttler, Ajinkya Rahane, Sanju Samson, Krishnappa Gowtham, Jofra Archer and if they fail to deliver the entire team falls down.

Their bowling department doesn't seem that powerful, hence they have been placed eight in this list. Jos Buttler and Jofra Archer could grab the attention of the fans with their match-winning abilities.

#7 Kings XI Punjab

Starting XI: Lokesh Rahul, Mayank Agarwal, Karun Nair, Nicholas Pooran(WK), Mandeep Singh, Sarfaraz Khan, Sam Curran, Ravichandran Ashwin (C), Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Andrew Tye and Ankit Rajpoot

Punjab look promising on papers with a lot of young players in their ranks but the inexperience of players in their first-choice eleven might cost them a berth in the playoffs. It doesn't mean that they cannot win a game or the trophy but experience comes handy in case of pressure situations and T20s are filled with it excessively.

They have a good blend of Indian batting options along with some foreign firepower and superb bowlers. Lokesh Rahul and Andrew Tye will once again be the players to watch out for in the Punjab camp. They bought in a mystery spinner in form of Varun Chakravarty for huge bucks.

#6 Delhi Capitals

Delhi Capitals

Starting XI: Prithvi Shaw, Shikhar Dhawan, Rishabh Pant (WK), Shreyas Iyer (C), Colin Ingram, Chris Morris, Keemo Paul, Axar Patel, Kagiso Rabada and Amit Mishra

Delhi too has the same story like Kings XI Punjab, young guns with less experience. Last year, Rishabh Pant and Shreyas Iyer stepped forward and gave Delhi fans few moments to cherish for. The foreign players of the capital side contributed the least last season which was very much unpleasing for the management as well as for the fans.

Delhi's batting looks great and could expose any bowling lineup on their day. Except for few bowlers, the bowling unit of the capital side is not that very excellent therefore they will be much more dependent upon their batting capabilities. Pant will again play a crucial role this season.

#5 Mumbai Indians

Starting XI: Quinton de Kock (WK), Evin Lewis, Rohit Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav, Krunal Pandya, Hardik Pandya, Mitchell McClenaghan, Mayank Markande, Lasith Malinga and Jasprit Bumrah

If you look at the Mumbai side which played last season you might wonder how did they fail to qualify for the playoffs? But again however good the team might be on papers its the field performance which determines the fate in sports.

This time they have bought back Lasith Malinga and added Yuvraj Singh and Quinton de Kock to strengthen their team. Mumbai with a squad like this won't settle for anything less than a place in the playoffs. Lewis and de Kock opening combo could defy any bowling attack. Overall, Mumbai has a strong squad with all the bases covered.

#4 Royal Challengers Bangalore

Starting XI: Parthiv Patel (WK), Virat Kohli (C), Ab de Villiers, Shimron Hetmyer, Marcus Stoinis, Shivam Dube, Washington Sundar, Tim Southee, Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and Yuzvendra Chahal

Bangalore when will they bring the cup home is way more than a mystery. RCB, likewise all the previous seasons, have a strong batting but what's new is that they have bought two new skilful all-rounders Shivam Dube and Marcus Stoinis who might help them win their maiden trophy.

Kohli will be eager to include the much awaited IPL trophy in his cabinet with de Villers and Hetmyer in the ranks. RCB does have one of the best bowling lineups this season. The fans will be hoping for improvement compared to last IPL and a top-four finish.

#3 Sunrisers Hyderabad

Starting XI: David Warner, Wridhiman Saha (WK), Kane Williamson, Manish Pandey, Shakib Al Hasan, Vijay Shankar, Yusuf Pathan, Rashid Khan, Bhuvaneswar Kumar, Siddharth Kaul and Khaleel Ahmed

SRH has been the best IPL team in the last three years, they won it in 2016, were fourth in 2017 and runner-ups in 2018.

The Orange Army will want to fulfil their desire of lifting the cup second time which they left incomplete last season. The return of David Warner will be a boon for the SRH's batting. There is no doubt that Hyderabad has the best bowling unit both in the eleven and also in the reserves.

They have a bunch of talented Indian fast bowlers. Vijay Shankar makes a return to his ex-side and could prove to be a valuable as an all-rounder.

#2 Kolkata Knight Riders

Starting XI: Chris Lynn, Sunil Narine, Robin Uthappa, Nitish Rana, Shubman Gill, Dinesh Karthik (C & WK), Andre Russell, Lockie Ferguson, Piyush Chawla, Kuldeep Yadav and Prasidh Krishna

If you ask me to bet my money on one team it will be none other than KKR. the whole team is filled with match winners and hence the risk of losing money is minimal. KKR is the most improved side and has ended two consecutive seasons at third place.

Lynn, Narine, Uthappa, Rana, Gill, DK, Russell, Kuldeep the entire eleven can win you games against any opposition on any day. They provide the most lethal batting unit in the league coupled with an excellent bowling attack too.

They also have a number of brilliant young talents in their camp. KKR will be a difficult side to beat this time and are one of the contenders of winning the league.

#1 Chennai Super Kings

Starting XI: Faf du Plessis, Shane Watson, Suresh Raina, Ambati Rayudu, MS Dhoni (C & WK), Kedar Jadhav, Dwayne Bravo, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Lungi Ngidi and Harbhajan Singh

Super Kings is probably the best team in the league's history. After serving a suspension of two years CSK made a title-winning return last season. CSK do have a squad to retain their trophy this time though it isn't gonna be easy and MS Dhoni and company won't leave a stone unturned in order to do so. With the likes of Watson, Raina, Raydu, Bravo and Thala himself, CSK has the strongest starting XI.

Their main concern again this season will be their bowling whose performance last time was below par which they will definitely look to improve upon.

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