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Just a few months ago, the Mumbai Indians cruised to their 5th IPL crown when they methodically dismantled the Delhi Capitals in the final. Thus, at that juncture, despite the COVID-19 pandemic wreaking havoc across the globe, plenty felt that normal service had resumed.
Not just because the Mumbai Indians had triumphed again, but also because they had been significantly better than each outfit. Prior to it though, there were plenty of surprises, which seems a tad paradoxical considering the dominance MI exerted during IPL 2020.
To put things into perspective, Chennai Super Kings, for the first time ever, missed out on the top four, whereas the Sunrisers Hyderabad notched up another play-off appearance.
The Delhi Capitals, meanwhile, continued their resurgence post their rechristening, coming within touching distance of a maiden title. Royal Challengers Bangalore, on the other hand, overcame their wretched 2018 and 2019 IPL spell to reach the knockout stages.
Thus, with most of the aforementioned teams strengthening themselves during the IPL 2021 auction, newer storylines are expected to blossom come the start of the upcoming IPL edition.
Consequently, with only a handful of days remaining, the time seems ripe to start deciphering where the teams might end up, post the end of the IPL group stages.
While the aforementioned is a task filled with peril, considering the annual twists and turns the IPL provides, it is certainly something one can indulge in.
Without further ado, let’s take a look at how the league table could shape up during the round-robin phases.
IPL 2021 Predictions
#8 Rajasthan Royals
In 2020, Rajasthan Royals began like a runaway train as they blitzed past the Chennai Super Kings and the Kings XI Punjab (Punjab Kings now) at Sharjah. However, akin to expectations, the Royals wilted when they shifted base from Sharjah. Unsurprisingly, they nosedived and the only reason they found themselves in the hunt for a play-off spot was due to their exploits in Sharjah.
Thus, with most Indian venues offering a vastly different proposition in IPL 2021, the Royals could find it tough to replicate the belligerence that had become synonymous at Sharjah.
Additionally, there is uncertainty over Jofra Archer’s availability, with the fast bowler recently undergoing surgery. Even if he recovers from the hand injury, there is a cloud around his right elbow – a knock that has troubled him for a while now.
Essentially, the above means that the bowling burden has fallen solely on Chris Morris, who was acquired by the Royals to partner Archer, rather than being the leader himself. Now, though, along with relatively erratic bowlers of the ilk of Jaydev Unadkat, Kartik Tyagi, Rahul Tewatia and Shreyas Gopal, he will simply have to find a solution.
The batting looks a lot more solid, considering the presence of Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler, both of whom could be unleashed in tandem at the top. Sanju Samson is also a match-winner in the middle order, even if consistency hasn’t been his greatest friend.
However, slightly lower down, they might have a few problems. While Rahul Tewatia captured the imagination in IPL 2020, it would be naïve to expect him to be the Royals’ middle order dasher for the entirety of the season.
Similarly, Manan Vohra, Riyan Parag and Shivam Dube are capable of brilliance. Yet, each seems to lack the pedigree to do so frequently.
The other major worry for the Royals is the inexperience of Sanju Samson – the captain. Post the release of Steve Smith, the Jaipur-based franchise opted against naming either of Buttler or Stokes as captain, meaning that Samson has the responsibility of ending the Royals’ IPL drought.
While he might have the talent (much like his batting) to come through unscathed a few times, it would seem far-fetched to envision him leading the Rajasthan Royals to a play-off spot.
#7 Kolkata Knight Riders
Last season, the Kolkata Knight Riders rummaged through a couple of captains before eventually zeroing in on Eoin Morgan. That it came after Dinesh Karthik had again failed to prove his worth as a skipper, only highlighted KKR’s cluttered approach.
This time though, they have installed Morgan at the helm from the outset, hoping that the Englishman can sprinkle a bit of gold dust. In fact, plenty are eagerly waiting for KKR to play a brand of cricket that is similar to England’s white ball teams, which are led by Morgan.
Yet, to expect it to materialize, that too in conditions that aren’t as conducive to stroke-making, might just be beyond them.
To place things into context, KKR will play eight games in Ahmedabad (five) and Chennai (three). Both venues have, previously, shown a tendency to be a tad sluggish, with six-hitting not coming to the fore as often.
Additionally, on such surfaces, the bowling attack grows in importance. Not just because it becomes a potentially defining tilting scale, but also because it relieves pressure off the batsmen.
To that end, KKR might find themselves in a curry, with each of Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Prasidh Krishna and Shivam Mavi having a propensity to leak runs. Kuldeep Yadav and Sunil Narine, too, have fallen off a cliff recently, meaning that KKR’s fortunes could hinge singularly on Pat Cummins’ fortunes.
Furthermore, Varun Chakravarthy’s fitness has been called into question lately, with him missing out on an international debut. While some bounce back from such set-backs excellently, it remains a venture into the unknown, for he hasn’t endured such heartbreak before.
Having said that, KKR still boast the likes of Andre Russell, Shubman Gill and of course, Morgan, thereby casting them as a side that can blow any IPL opposition out of the water.
If they can do it for an entire season, is another matter altogether.
#6 Punjab Kings
Akin to every IPL season in recent memory, the Punjab Kings decided to shuffle their pack prior to the IPL 2021 Auction. Glenn Maxwell and Sheldon Cottrell were shown the door, while Dawid Malan (the No.1 ranked T20I batsman), Jhye Richardson, Riley Meredith and Shahrukh Khan came into the fold.
Despite the annual influx of new faces though, there seems to be something missing, as far as the Punjab Kings are concerned. And, on finer introspection, one feels that they might find it tough to stumble upon their ideal playing eleven.
At the moment, Punjab Kings are stacked with top-order options. In IPL 2020, Chris Gayle batted at No.3, with KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal opening the batting. Since then, the West Indian has also batted in the middle order for his country. However, with the Universe Boss not being utilized at the top, a layer of productivity is scalped from his batting.
Apart from the above, Punjab Kings might also have to solve the Dawid Malan quandary. Though the Englishman has surged to the top of the T20I batting rankings, there still exists skepticism around his methods. And, with Malan and Rahul playing similar roles, the Punjab Kings might not be able to accommodate both in the same team.
The bowling department is another grey area for the franchise. While they have brought Meredith and Richardson on board for IPL 2021, one reckons they might not be the cure to their bowling ailments. To put things into perspective, neither has experience of playing in the IPL.
Additionally, the Punjab Kings might’ve missed a trick by not signing a top-drawer Indian pacer (read Umesh Yadav) to act as a foil to Mohammed Shami. In the absence of the former, the latter, who himself arrives on the back of an injury lay-off, might find it tough to contain opposition batsmen.
More importantly, though, the Punjab Kings would have to fight their inherent characteristic of fiddling at the drop of the hat – something that was laid bare for everyone to witness in IPL 2020. And, with even more alternatives in 2021, Anil Kumble and KL Rahul would have their work cut out.
Thus, much like previous editions, the Punjab Kings, owing to the talent in their side, seem quite decent on paper. However, as has been the norm, they might find it difficult to fit these components together.
Subsequently, it won’t be a surprise if they string a few victories together but ultimately fail to crack the play-off code.
#5 Royal Challengers Bangalore
For much of IPL 2020, there was genuine optimism that the Royal Challengers Bangalore had tided over their bowling woes. In fact, one might not be wrong to suggest that the bowlers powered the Bengaluru-based outfit into the IPL playoffs. Yet, just as one suit began increasing in stature, the other (batting) came crashing down.
Hence, when the IPL 2021 Auction came around, RCB decided to add even more firepower to their batting unit.
Glenn Maxwell, who has often flattered to deceive, was procured for an eye-watering sum, whereas an astronomical amount was also shelled out for Kyle Jamieson. Daniel Christian came in through the RCB revolving door as well, meaning that in the aforementioned troika, RCB have enough batting might to take the pressure off AB de Villiers and Virat Kohli.
However, in their pursuit of achieving batting excellence, they might have just left themselves woefully short on the bowling front.
For a chunk of IPL 2020, Chris Morris became RCB’s leading bowler. The South African bowled with the new ball and also held his own during the final stages of the innings.
However, with the pacer no longer around, that mantle has transferred to Kane Richardson, Kyle Jamieson, Mohammed Siraj, Navdeep Saini and to an extent, Daniel Christian. While each has impressed in patches in the IPL, each has also been guilty of being lackadaisical, especially in clutch situations.
Moreover, the spinners, namely Washington Sundar and Yuzvendra Chahal, come into IPL 2021 low on confidence. The pair was carted all over the park by English batsmen in the recently concluded white-ball series and alarmingly, seemed bereft of ideas.
And, with RCB playing seven matches (four in Ahmedabad and three in Chennai) on comparatively spin-friendly surfaces, they might struggle to keep the opposition batsmen in check. Additionally, it would also test the batting abilities of Daniel Christian, Finn Allen, Glenn Maxwell and Kyle Jamieson to the hilt.
Thus, with a relatively threadbare bowling closet and conditions that might not suit their batsmen as much, one feels RCB might struggle to repeat their IPL 2020 heroics, despite Virat Kohli opening the batting.
Though the latter could put them in better situations to win matches, the former might just come back to haunt them. Déjà vu?
#4 Chennai Super Kings
During the Chennai Super Kings’ last match in IPL 2020, MS Dhoni sent the world into a frenzy with a couple of words: “Definitely not”. Ever since, there has been incredible excitement around Dhoni's return to competitive cricket, which begins against the Delhi Capitals on 10th April. “Last Dance” saloon, eh?
Even the staunchest of CSK fans would admit that the Yellow Army has an almighty mountain to scale in IPL 2021. Not just because quite a few players are past their prime, but also because catastrophic chinks were exposed in their armor, last time out.
Firstly, their archaic approach of building an innings before exploding was woefully exposed on tracks that aided stroke-making. And, with pitches in Bengaluru (three games) and Mumbai (five games) primed to follow similar traits, CSK might have to drastically change their modus operandi.
To that end, perhaps the inclusion of Moeen Ali and Robin Uthappa might help, although that may have to come at Faf du Plessis’ expense. Ruturaj Gaikwad, meanwhile, will be looking to build on the solid platform he set during IPL 2020.
Ambati Rayudu and Suresh Raina might have enormous roles to play, considering their prowess against spin in the middle overs. However, with neither having a lot of competitive cricket under their belt, the teething phase could stand out like a sore thumb.
And then, of course, there is the matter of MS Dhoni dusting off his ring-rust before IPL 2021. Five months ago in the UAE, the wicket-keeper looked out of sorts. Not only did he fail to get going, his decision-making also smacked of indecisiveness – something that simply isn’t associated with Dhoni.
Yet, with a fairly adept auction under the belt, the Yellow Army would hope that MS Dhoni regains his mojo, for no single individual personifies a team as much as Dhoni does with CSK. In blunter terms, CSK do well when Dhoni does, and vice versa.
Furthermore, in Moeen Ali, Krishnappa Gowtham, Ravindra Jadeja, Sam Curran and Shardul Thakur, they might have all-rounders capable of turning IPL games on their head, across a variety of conditions.
In addition, Deepak Chahar would be wanting to remind the world of his abilities, while Dwayne Bravo would be chomping at the bit to reclaim his status as one of T20 cricket’s premier bowlers.
Thus, on paper, it seems that CSK, despite the odds being racked up against them, might just have enough to ensure that MS Dhoni attains the “Last Dance” he craves. After all, it rarely happens that the wicket-keeper doesn’t accomplish what he sets out to achieve.
And, for a cricketer that has shed blood, sweat, tears and the occasional bout of emotion for the franchise, that might perhaps be fitting too.
#3 Mumbai Indians
Over the past couple of years, the Mumbai Indians have been head and shoulders above the rest of the pack in the IPL. Inevitably, they’ve adorned that particular journey with a brace of titles, which rather remarkably, has taken their tally to five.
Thus, it might be prudent to pencil down MI as potential winners for the third successive season. However, this is perhaps where things get interesting, for there exists something called the law of averages.
According to that theory, the Mumbai Indians are on the cusp of a collapse because they’ve been so supreme in the last two editions of the IPL. There is, however, a bit of cricketing logic to support the aforementioned narrative too.
MI usually play their home games at the Wankhede Stadium – an arena that is quite high-scoring. This time though, they play none of their games at their fortress, while they also have to tackle a combined total of nine games in Chennai (five) and Delhi (four).
For the uninitiated, Chennai and Delhi generally offer strips that are a tad slow, meaning that their usual bellicose proclivities might have to take a back seat. And, even though MI have a superb record against CSK, that could be attributed to the mental block that has engulfed the Chennai-based franchise.
Moreover, their spin bowling quartet, which comprises of Jayant Yadav, Krunal Pandya, Piyush Chawla and Rahul Chahar would be cast under a massive scanner, for they might have to do the heavy lifting.
Having said that though, there is enough quality in MI’s ranks to offset all the aforementioned contingencies and reach the play-offs again.
Rohit Sharma and Quinton de Kock are as explosive a pair as any in white-ball cricket, whereas Ishan Kishan and Suryakumar Yadav would be looking to strengthen their T20I credentials via the IPL.
Lower down the order, Hardik Pandya and Kieron Pollard form a fearsome pair. Hence, even if their top order fails, they might have enough in the tank to post above-par totals, even against high-quality IPL bowling attacks.
To add to it, they can call upon Jasprit Bumrah and Trent Boult. In fact, the duo comes into the tournament after taking a break from cricket, meaning that both would be raring to go come the IPL.
While one can still expect MI to perhaps make the final and even win the competition altogether, they might just drop off during the group stages, before peaking at the right time.
Despite the prospective lull in the round-robin phase though, they still remain the team to beat in IPL 2021.
#2 Sunrisers Hyderabad
Since their inception in 2012, the Sunrisers Hyderabad have been one of the more consistent teams in the IPL. To put things into perspective, they’ve made the IPL play-offs for five consecutive seasons – a run which stretches back to their maiden IPL triumph in 2016.
Throughout that tenure, David Warner has become indispensable, while he has found able allies in Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Kane Williamson and more recently, Jonny Bairstow and Rashid Khan.
Thus, as things stand, SRH seem to have all bases covered for IPL 2021, not just because of the variety in their bowling attack, but also because of the ammunition in the batting department – something that is often overlooked.
For IPL 2021, SRH have at least four different opening combinations, with each seeming just as dangerous as the other. If they wish to rekindle their 2019 formula, they might rely on Bairstow and Warner, while they could also use Warner and Williamson at the top.
Additionally, Wriddhiman Saha has thrived when entrusted with opening duties, whereas another novel alternative, in the form of Jason Roy, has also surfaced, prior to the 2021 edition. And, from what has transpired recently, Messrs. Jason Roy and Jonny Bairstow, in full flight, aren’t too shabby, are they?
More importantly, they seem to have found a power-packed middle order – an area that has long been their achilles heel.
To that end, perhaps Jonny Bairstow could be utilized at No.4, with the Englishman fulfilling a similar role for the Three Lions. Jason Holder, Manish Pandey and Mohammed Nabi, meanwhile, could also be used to fill that void. Though each has been in the scheme of things previously, one feels they might have a lot more to prove this season.
Speaking of Manish Pandey, players like Kedar Jadhav and Vijay Shankar find themselves in a similar predicament. Both were part of India’s 2019 Cricket World Cup squad but flew home with their tails between their legs.
Since then, Vijay Shankar has not played a lot, owing to injuries, whereas Jadhav’s reputation took a massive hit during IPL 2020. Thus, if any Indian player has a point to make, it is perhaps the aforementioned pair.
The bowling unit, on the other hand, effectively select themselves. The potential partnership of Bhuvneshwar Kumar and T Natarajan is pretty mouth-watering, while Sandeep Sharma offers them the ideal fail-safe avenue. Rashid Khan, meanwhile, stands tall as the best spinner in T20 cricket, meaning that SRH have arguably the most well-rounded bowling attack in the IPL.
Also, SRH play nine of their fixtures in Chennai (five matches) and Delhi (four matches) – something that aids the bowling resources at their disposal. And, as far as them enrolling their name in the top four is concerned, well, they’ve made a habit of it already, haven’t they?
#1 Delhi Capitals
Prior to IPL 2021, the Delhi Capitals were dealt a severe blow when Shreyas Iyer was ruled out for the entirety of the season. Immediately, the attention has shifted towards Rishabh Pant, who despite setting the international cricketing landscape ablaze, remains a captaincy greenhorn.
However, as the days have ticked by, there has been growing evidence that Rishabh Pant could be the right man for the job. Not just because he has several experienced heads to show him the ropes, but also because Pant and Ricky Ponting seems a match made in heaven.
Also Read: Buckle up, Rishabh Pant the captain is upon us
Furthermore, in Shreyas’ absence, the acquisition of Steve Smith seems an inspirational decision, considering the latter can seamlessly slot in at No.3 and drop anchor, if required.
Apart from the Australian, Sam Billings and Umesh Yadav, both of whom were signed in the IPL 2021 auction, provide excellent options. The latter would, in all likelihood, complement the likes of Anrich Nortje and Kagiso Rabada expertly. The former, meanwhile, can morph into an adroit finisher, alongside Marcus Stoinis.
Chris Woakes, on the other hand, could be used in a variety of roles, considering his versatility and his ability to contribute as a three-dimensional cricketer.
Most tellingly though, much like SRH, the Delhi Capitals have several players waiting to change narratives.
Ravichandran Ashwin, post a magnificent red-ball series against England, might just have put himself into the white-ball reckoning too. However, at this moment, that seems contingent to his performances in IPL 2021. Axar Patel, too, might look to further his case for the T20 World Cup, once he recovers from COVID-19.
Additionally, Prithvi Shaw and Shikhar Dhawan, both of whom have been maligned for different reasons, would be wanting to show India what they’ve been missing.
To put things into context, the Mumbaikar notched up a record-breaking season in the Vijay Hazare Trophy recently – something that has pushed his previous troubles into the periphery.
As for the left-handed batsman, well, he just seems to come alive when people have written him off. And, make no mistake, he has fallen down the T20I pecking order extraordinarily. Another Shikhar Dhawan redemption act in the IPL then, eh?
Moreover, DC play eight of their 14 encounters in IPL 2021 in Kolkata (five games) and Mumbai (three games). For the uninitiated, both venues offer good pace and bounce for batting, whereas those aspects could also be used as a weapon by tearaway quicks such as Nortje, Rabada and Umesh.
Hence, it might be difficult to look past the Delhi Capitals as table toppers. Not just because of the undeniable quality they have in their ranks, but also because the incentive a major chunk of their players have.
Though Rishabh Pant’s captaincy might be put under a gruelling grind in the IPL play-offs, one can expect it to hold up pretty decently prior to it.
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