IPL 2020: Predicting and ranking the opening combinations of all 8 teams

#6 Rajasthan Royals - Jos Buttler and Yashasvi Jaiswal

Buttler has evolved into one of the best white-ball batsmen in the world

Jos Buttler has been a revelation at the top of the order in white-ball cricket, and his IPL form for RR has been nothing short of world-class. The Englishman has many players who could walk out to the middle with him, such as Robin Uthappa and Sanju Samson.

However, the player who is most likely to open the batting alongside Buttler for RR is young southpaw Yashasvi Jaiswal. The 2020 U-19 World Cup's leading run-scorer could become the next entrant on the long line of upcoming cricketers RR have produced.

Jaiswal's inexperience at the IPL level and in domestic cricket is the reason behind RR being placed at #6 on this list.

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#5 Royal Challengers Bangalore - Aaron Finch and Devdutt Padikkal

Devdutt Padikkal has been in incredible form in the Indian domestic circuit

It might be a bold call to put Aaron Finch and Devdutt Padikkal so high on this list, given the former's abysmal IPL record in recent years and the latter's lack of experience in the cash-rich league.

However, Finch is in superb form for Australia in the limited-overs formats, and there's no reason why he can't finally set his IPL record straight. Padikkal, on the other hand, finished the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and the Vijay Hazare Trophy as the leading run-scorer, and is likely to be preferred ahead of Parthiv Patel with AB de Villiers expected to don the gloves.

RCB could have a splendid opening combination on their hands.

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#4 Delhi Capitals - Shikhar Dhawan and Prithvi Shaw

Dhawan and Shaw might keep Ajinkya Rahane out of the DC XI in IPL 2020

Shikhar Dhawan and Prithvi Shaw are both tested at the IPL and international levels, and have shown that they have what it takes to be named among the best openers in the world on their day.

This right-left opening combination is so formidable that it might even keep former Rajasthan Royals captain Ajinkya Rahane out of the side. Shreyas Iyer's DC are genuine favourites to bag the IPL title, and the Dhawan-Shaw partnership will certainly go a long way in helping them achieve that objective.

The fact that this combination is placed at #4 is a testament to the quality of the following three.

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