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With IPL 2021 not too far away, players and teams have taken to the ground to start their training, while others are undergoing their mandatory quarantine ahead of the tournament.
In this IPL season, just like in the previous edition, teams need to consider many factors into account. With no team playing at home and a scattered schedule spread over six venues, teams will have a lot to consider when selecting their playing XIs and making plans for specific opponents.
With as many as four Super Overs (five if you count the KXIP-MI clash) last season, teams would have their Super Over combinations figured out by now.
On that note, let's take a look at the best IPL Super Over combinations for each of the eight teams.
#1 IPL 2021 Team: Chennai Super Kings
Batsmen: Ravindra Jadeja and MS Dhoni (openers), Sam Curran/ Faf Du Plessis (No. 3).
Bowler(s): DJ Bravo/ Shardul Thakur.
Chennai Super Kings are among the teams with limited experience in featuring in Super Overs, but they seem to have an affinity for close finishes. Nevertheless, CSK do have the resources to emerge victorious if matches go to Super Overs.
MS Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja, with their explosive batting prowess and lightning-quick running between the wickets, seem to be an ideal pairing to open the batting for CSK. Sam Curran's quick-fire cameos and his recent innings against India hold him in good stead, and he could walk in at the fall of a wicket. The more experienced Faf du Plessis is another option to consider.
The lack of a proper death bowler hurt CSK dearly last season. While DJ Bravo is fully fit for this season, the question remains whether he has done enough in recent times to be in CSK's first-choice playing XI.
Shardul Thakur is the other alternative. He has done pretty well for the national side and has picked up crucial wickets while holding his nerve at critical junctures.
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#2 Delhi Capitals
Batsmen: Rishabh Pant and Marcus Stoinis (openers), Prithvi Shaw/ Shikhar Dhawan (No. 3).
Bowler(s): Kagiso Rabada.
With Shreyas Iyer all but ruled out of IPL 2021, the belligerent Marcus Stoinis should join new captain Rishabh Pant as the opener in a Super Over situation.
Shikhar Dhawan and Prithvi Shaw are the two candidates for the number three spot, as Shimron Hetmyer might not play, with Steve Smith likely to take up Shreyas Iyer' spot in the side.
DC's Super Over bowling option is much easier to select, with death bowling ace Kagiso Rabada likely to take up that role once again. He has contained the likes of Andre Russell, Nicholas Pooran and Rahul in the past and is an easy choice for the role.
#3 Kolkata Knight Riders
Batsmen: Andre Russell and Eoin Morgan (Openers), Shubman Gill/ Dinesh Karthik (No. 3).
Bowler(s): Varun Chakravarthy or Pat Cummins.
Andre Russell and captain Eoin Morgan should stride out to bat for the Knight Riders in case of a Super Over. Dinesh Karthik batted ahead of Russell when the West Indian was injured last season. But this time around, it could be a toss-up between Karthik and Shubman Gill for the no. 3 position.
Lockie Ferguson was the hero in KKR's Super Over triumph last season. Nut since he's not likely to get regular game-time, it's Pat Cummins and Varun Chakravarthy who're likely to bowl in a Super Over. The former didn't perform well in the death overs last season, but KKR fans would hope that he has improved that facet of his game.
#4 Mumbai Indians
Batsmen: Hardik Pandya and Kieron Pollard (openers), Rohit Sharma/ Quinton De Kock (No. 3).
Bowler(s): Jasprit Bumrah.
MI are one of those teams who can afford to send out two or three different batting combinations for a Super Over, as they are brimming with firepower in their batting lineup.
However, they should stick to opening with the powerful Hardik Pandya and Kieron Pollard, with captain Rohit Sharma likely to walk out at three. They can afford to tinker with that composition, considering that QDK, Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav and Krunal Pandya are all equally capable of wielding the willow.
With the ball, only one choice comes to mind. Jasprit Bumrah is certain to bowl the Super Over for the Mumbai Indians, with no other player nearly as good as him in the death-bowling department.
#5 Punjab Kings
Batsmen: KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal (Openers), Chris Gayle/ Dawid Malan (No. 3).
Bowler(s): Mohammed Shami or Jhye Richardson.
The newly christened Punjab Kings had their fair share of Super Overs last season and should have a more settled combination this time around.
Mayank Agarwal should walk out to bat with captain KL Rahul, with one of Chris Gayle and Dawid Malan (whoever plays) to follow. Nicholas Pooran, while he's a deadly striker of the ball, didn't show the required composure when walking out to bat in two Super Overs last season and is unlikely to be relied upon this season.
Meanwhile, Mohammed Shami's heroics against MI means he's likely to be PBKS' first-choice bowler in a Super Over situation. New recruit Jhye Richardson is another option to consider.
#6 Rajasthan Royals
Batsmen: Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler, Sanju Samson (No. 3).
Bowler(s): Chris Morris or Jofra Archer.
The Rajasthan Royals have some exceptional talent to call upon in a Super Over situation. Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler should open the batting, with the left-right combination likely to add more pressure to the fielding team. Captain Sanju Samson should walk in at number three.
Jofra Archer would've been the Royals' first choice Super Over bowler. But new signing Chris Morris is likely to assume that position in the former's absence due to injury.
#7 Royal Challengers Bangalore
Batsmen: Virat Kohli and AB De Villiers (Openers), Glenn Maxwell (No. 3).
Bowlers: Navdeep Saini or Kyle Jamieson.
Captain Virat Kohli should walk out with AB De Villiers in a Super Over situation. Glenn Maxwell is likely to slot in as the third batsman.
Navdeep Saini bowled brilliantly to Kieron Pollard and Hardik Pandya in the Super Over last season. So he should be the side's first-choice bowler. Kyle Jamieson and Yuzvendra Chahal could be alternate options.
#8 Sunrisers Hyderabad
Batsmen: David Warner and Jonny Bairstow (Openers), Abdul Samad/ Manish Pandey (No. 3).
Bowlers: Bhuvneshwar Kumar or Rashid Khan.
David Warner and Jonny Bairstow are likely to join forces back at the top for SRH and should walk out to bat during a Super Over. Manish Pandey could get a look-in at no. 3, although young Abdul Samad's six-hitting prowess should see him in the fray as well.
Sunrisers Hyderabad have two elite bowling options to choose from as their Super Over bowler. Rashid Khan took up the responsibility when Bhuvneshwar Kumar was injured last season. But the latter is likely to be the first-choice option, now that he's fully fit for this upcoming campaign.
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