IPL 2020: 5 benchwarmers who could play key roles later in the tournament

#3 Sandeep Lamichhane (DC)

Lamichhane has not played yet in IPL 2020

DC are perhaps the only team in IPL 2020 who are currently operating without a wrist-spinner in their first-choice XI, and they don't have much of a choice given that Amit Mishra was ruled out of the tournament. However, they have an excellent option on the bench in the form of Sandeep Lamichhane.

DC can afford to play an extra overseas player due to the depth of their Indian contingent and Lamichhane - along with Ravichandran Ashwin and Axar Patel - could form a deadly spin trio. The Nepal leggie was in splendid form in the Caribbean Premier League before IPL 2020, and would be a valuable addition to a bowling attack that has already struck fear in opposition batting lineups.

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#2 Kuldeep Yadav (KKR)

Yadav is clearly low on confidence

Kuldeep Yadav played only 3 games in IPL 2020 before being moved to the bench in favour of Varun Chakravarthy, and the Tamil Nadu mystery spinner has made a spot in the KKR playing XI his own. However, with Sunil Narine having been reported for a suspect action and Chris Green failing to impress in his only game of this season, the left-arm wrist-spinner could force his way back into the side.

Yadav is clearly low on confidence, and his erstwhile captain Dinesh Karthik didn't seem to have much faith in him either. But with Eoin Morgan now taking over the reins at KKR, the Indian spinner could be given a new lease of life.

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#1 Imran Tahir (CSK)

Imran Tahir has to be the best player on the bench in IPL 2020

Perhaps the best T20 player who hasn't played a game yet in IPL 2020, Imran Tahir has been frozen out of the CSK side, who are currently fielding two leg-spinners in Piyush Chawla and Karn Sharma. The South African picked up 26 wickets last year en route to the Purple Cap, but finds himself stuck on the bench in this tournament.

Both Chawla and Karn have impressed in flashes, but Tahir is in a class of his own. The 41-year-old is an out-and-out wicket-taking threat, and given MS Dhoni's propensity to play 3 (or even 4) spinners on slow tracks, we could see him make an impact on IPL 2020 at the business end.

It remains to be seen who he'll replace in the CSK playing XI given that they have 4 overseas players who've performed well, but surely space can be made for a bowler of Tahir's calibre.