IPL 2021: Predicting and ranking the death-bowling pairs of all 8 teams

#4 CSK - Shardul Thakur and Lungi Ngidi

CSK's Shardul Thakur

Lungi Ngidi's spot in the CSK playing XI is touch-and-go at the moment, but the team will probably go with a pacy option on tracks that aren't expected to assist spin often. With Shardul Thakur, he forms a highly promising death-bowling pair.

Thakur wouldn't have inspired confidence even last year, but his game has improved markedly while playing for India. Both bowlers have a number of variations up their sleeve, and have been able to execute their plans well in the recent past.

More tellingly, Thakur and Ngidi come into IPL 2021 with games under their belt in international cricket. CSK seem to have the death-bowling department covered.

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#3 DC - Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje

DC's Kagiso Rabada

DC's leading wicket-takers from IPL 2020, Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje, will spearhead the pace attack once again and bowl at the death for the franchise.

The South African duo was outstanding in the previous campaign, and there's no reason why they can't continue the same this year.

Rabada and Nortje constantly attack with their express pace, and can hit the yorker frequently as well. DC have a reliable death-bowling partnership on their hands for IPL 2021.

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#2 SRH - Bhuvneshwar Kumar and T Natarajan

SRH's Bhuvneshwar Kumar

Not much needs to be said about SRH's predicted death-bowling pair. Bhuvneshwar Kumar and T Natarajan, two bowlers who can nail the yorker at will and have a number of other variations at their disposal, will be tasked with containing the opposition batsmen at the death in IPL 2021.

Perhaps the only concern for SRH with regards to the duo is their frequent injury concerns. While Bhuvneshwar seemed to have recovered completely in the white-ball leg of England's tour of India, Natarajan has been plagued by the odd niggle.

If they keep fit, though, SRH will be absolutely unplayable at the death.

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#1 MI - Jasprit Bumrah and Trent Boult

MI's Jasprit Bumrah

Another list, another entry from MI at the #1 position. Is there any department Rohit Sharma's side have a notable weakness in?

Jasprit Bumrah, newly married and well rested, forms one half of MI's death-bowling pair in IPL 2021. Trent Boult, who finished as the team's second-highest wicket-taker last year behind only his partner, makes up the other half.

Bumrah and Boult are an outrageously potent, reliable partnership at the death. MI undoubtedly have the best pairing in IPL 2021.