IPL 2020: 5 players who are not going be regular fixtures for their franchises

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) recently revealed the schedule for the league stages of the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League 2020. The excitement is at the all-time high as fans are preparing to support their favourite teams and get into the IPL frenzy.

The schedule gives us a longer IPL 2020 thanks to only a handful of double-headers taking place this time. The opening match of the tournament will be played on March 29 with defending champions Mumbai Indians taking on last year’s finalist Chennai Super Kings at the iconic Wankhede stadium in Mumbai. The same venue will also host the finals on May 24.

Some of the franchises have started preparations with a number of players joining the preparation camp of their respective teams. Most of the big-name stars will be available just before the start of the tournament, given their commitments to their national teams.

The player everyone is curious to see how he shapes up ahead of the IPL, Mahendra Singh Dhoni reached Chennai yesterday to get himself ready for the upcoming IPL season. He has been out of action and has ruled himself out of selection for the Indian team in LOIs ever since the team's exit from the World Cup in the semis. The curiosity to see him return to action leading CSK would be high for his fans and the general cricket fan, as the IPL is less of an event without the presence of MSD.

However, some of the players may miss either a handful of matches at the start of the IPL 2020, or at the end of the tournament as well, thanks to injuries or them having to represent their respective national sides.

Here are five such players who might miss a part of the IPL 2020 due to variety of reasons and won't be regular fixtures for their franchises:

#5 Ben Stokes | Rajasthan Royals

Rajasthan Royals bought Ben Stokes in the auction for IPL 2018 for INR 12.5 crores and have retained him ever since. Stokes has proved to be a game-changer for them on numerous occasions with either the bat or the ball and hence is invaluable for them.

Stokes is also coming off the miraculous year of 2019, where he could do no wrong and won the 50-over World Cup for England and then had a superlative Ashes series. In 2020, he started off well with a brilliant performance against South Africa including a century in the Test series and provided many valuable contributions in England’s T20I series win.

Stokes is a valued and unmissable member of the England team and the vice-captain of the Test side as well. He has been named in the England squad for the Sri Lanka tour and most likely will be named for the West Indies series at home as well. So him leaving the IPL 2020 mid-way or at the fag end of the league stages is a high possibility.

#Note: All statistics are as of March 2, 2020

#4 Jofra Archer | Rajasthan Royals

Jofra Archer’s dream 2019 year, in which he made an impactful debut in ODIs and Tests for England, where he won the World Cup and gave memorable performances in Ashes, turned to nightmare in 2020. Archer failed to have an impact against New Zealand in Tests and then suffered an injury on the tour of South Africa.

He picked up a fifer in the Centurion Test match, but since then, a troublesome elbow injury has kept him off the field and was ruled out of the Sri Lanka series and potentially the IPL 2020 as well. However, the Rajasthan Royals (RR) have backed Archer to get fit in time for the IPL and have not named any replacement as of now. He picked 15 and 11 wickets respectively for RR in two IPL seasons and was one of the big reasons for them making it into the playoffs in 2018, his debut year.

#3 Sam Curran | Chennai Super Kings

England all-rounder Sam Curran was a good performer for Kings XI Punjab in the IPL 2019, where he performed admirably with the bat and with the ball. He also picked a hat-trick after being picked for more than INR 7.20 crores. The KXIP released him before the 2020 auction and this time Chennai Super Kings bought him for INR 5.5 crores.

Curran has been in good form with both the bat and ball for his national side England and has been named in the squad for the Sri Lanka series which begins from March 19-31. There is also a chance that he will be included in the team for the series against the West Indies which begins on June 4.

This means Curran might miss a handful of matches at the start of the IPL and may also not play in the playoffs, if CSK makes it to the top, as England may call up their players early for a camp before the Windies tour.

#2 Jos Buttler | Rajasthan Royals

Jos Buttler

There is a possibility that the Rajasthan Royals may be given a triple blow with not only Stokes and Archer missing a part, or the whole of tournament, but along with them, Jos Buttler, their opener-keeper may also be absent for a couple of games at the start and towards the end of the IPL 2020.

The biggest reason for this is similar to Stokes and Sam Curran. Buttler is in the squad for the tour to Sri Lanka which was named some time ago by the ECB, which ends on March 31. The West Indies tour then begins from June 4, while the IPL concludes on May 24. There is a possibility that Buttler might go back to England for a camp to prepare for the Windies series.

Glenn Maxwell | Kings XI Punjab

Glenn Maxwell was ruled out of the Australia tour to South Africa for the limited-overs tour, thanks to an elbow injury he suffered during the fag end of the Big Bash League (BBL). Maxwell, who led the Melbourne Stars to the finals of the tournament, had to undergo surgery to correct the issue. He was in terrific hitting form during the T20 tournament, something which makes him an exciting watch in upcoming IPL as well.

He has been advised rest for 6-8 weeks to heal the injury and most likely will take some more time to get back into the hitting shape he wants to be before such a big tournament. Maxwell had missed the previous season in order to try to make a case for Australia Test team. However, his former franchise, who he has captained as well previously KXIP, bought him for INR 10.75 crores in the auction in December 2019.

Glenn Maxwell or 'The Big Show' is most likely to join the KXIP camp before the tournament begins but may need few games to get used to the challenges IPL can provide especially with him coming out of an injury break.