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

#3 Kings XI Punjab - Chris Gayle and KL Rahul

Gayle and Rahul have excellent chemistry on and off the field

Chris Gayle and KL Rahul have played together for both RCB and KXIP, and they have excellent understanding that has been built over the course of many years.

There was a lot of criticism levelled at Gayle, with experts claiming that he is past his prime, but he put all the doubts to rest with his performances in IPL 2019.

Rahul, on the other hand, is now the KXIP captain, and he will have the experience and leadership of the big West Indian to fall back on. The Karnataka lad has been in excellent form in white-ball cricket in the recent past, and it is likely that the responsibility of captaincy will elevate his game to the next level.

The Gayle-Rahul partnership is definitely one to keep an eye on in IPL 2020.

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#2 Mumbai Indians - Quinton de Kock and Rohit Sharma

Rohit and De Kock make up one of the best opening combinations in the world, let alone the IPL

Quinton de Kock and Rohit Sharma were one of the best opening combinations in IPL 2020, but the acquisition of the hard-hitting Chris Lynn has now raised questions over who will open the innings with the South Africa.

Lynn has struggled against spin, with the most recent example of this worrying trend being the recently concluded Caribbean Premier League. This might prompt MI to go with Nathan Coutler-Nile as their final overseas option (with Kieron Pollard, Trent Boult and De Kock being the other three) due to the all-rounder's prowess in both departments.

De Kock and Rohit are one of the best opening combinations that can be assembled in all of world cricket, but they still don't top the pair that is #1 on this list.

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#1 Sunrisers Hyderabad - David Warner and Jonny Bairstow

Warner and Bairstow are currently engaged in an international battle

The SRH duo of David Warner and Jonny Bairstow set IPL 2019 ablaze with their performances, and they are the deserved holders of #1 on this list.

Captain Warner is the leading run-scorer among overseas players in IPL history, while the Englishman had an excellent debut season last year. Warner and Bairstow are currently duelling in an ODI series between their respective countries, but they will be unstoppable when they team up in IPL 2020.