IPL 2021: Ranking all-rounders of all 8 teams

#2 Kolkata Knight Riders

Andre Russell (Image Credits - KKR)

The battle for the top 2 was always going to be a tough one, and KKR's all-rounders find themselves ranked 2nd best in our rankings.

Andre Russell is undoubtedly one of the best all-rounders in the modern-day game. Although he had a relatively quiet IPL 2020, there are no questions of his ability. The all-rounder can turn the game on its head and is exactly the kind of player a team looks for in a T20 side. KKR fans will be itching to see Russell unleash his best as he did in IPL 2019.

Sunil Narine had a forgettable IPL 2020 in the UAE but there will be high expectations from the West Indian in 2021. Meanwhile, Shakib Al Hasan has been reunited with KKR and is a fantastic overseas option for the Shahrukh Khan-owned franchise. It is highly likely that Hasan will get a start ahead of Narine considering the recent form of the two players.

The Mamba King in his element! 🐍@SunilPNarine74 #KKRHaiTaiyaar #IPL2021 pic.twitter.com/4CCAxZYum5

— KolkataKnightRiders (@KKRiders) April 7, 2021

Ben Cutting, who was also added during the 2021 IPL auction, has loads of experience in T20s and will be a fantastic backup all-rounder for Russell. KKR will hope that Pat Cummins can provide some valuable runs towards the end of the innings. The speedster has shown his ability with the bat in recent times.

Shivam Mavi, Pawan Negi and Venkatesh Iyer are the three Indian all-rounder options in the squad.

All-in-all, KKR have some of the biggest international stars in the all-rounders' department. Even if a couple of them click in IPL 2021, it could prove to be a game-changer for the two-time champions.

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#1 Rajasthan Royals

Ben Stokes (Image Credits - RR)

Rajasthan Royals got the wooden spoon in IPL 2020. A whole lot will depend on the form of Rajasthan's all-rounders in IPL 2021. The good news for RR fans is that they have the best of them.

Grabbing all the headlines at this year's auction was Chris Morris, who was picked up by the Royals for an extravagant sum of INR 16.25 crore. The lanky South African player became the most expensive buy in IPL auction history.

Morris was extremely effective with the ball for RCB last season as he clinched 11 wickets in 9 matches at a fantastic economy rate of 6.63. He can also prove to be destructive with the bat. This will be Morris' second stint with the Royals (he also featured for the side in 2015) and fans will hope the partnership will be a sweet one.

Ben Stokes, the high-profile all-rounder in the RR set-up, is in phenomenal form. Whether it is for Stokes' fearless strokes with the bat or his knack of picking up wickets with the ball, the Englishman is loved dearly by RR fans. His outrageous 99 off 52 balls with 10 sixes and 4 fours against India in the second ODI in the recent bilateral tournament speaks volumes about the kind of ability he has. Add to that his phenomenal fielding, and we have the most feared all-rounder in the IPL ready.

Rahul: Who are we playing first?Us: @PunjabKingsIPLRahul: pic.twitter.com/dVsYpI718j

— Rajasthan Royals (@rajasthanroyals) April 2, 2021

RR also showed great faith in Rahul Tewatia last season and it paid off and how! The 27-year-old scored 255 runs in 14 matches at an average of 42.50 and a strike rate of 139.34. He was highly effective with the ball as he took 10 wickets and was also economical.

Jofra Archer's immaculate death bowling and ability to hit sixes towards the end of the innings will also come into the picture for the Royals, albeit during the second half of the season as he is set to miss the first half after undergoing surgery on his finger.

Shreyas Gopal, Shivam Dube, and the youngster Riyan Parag have each shown promise in the past and will look to break through in IPL 2021. The three all-rounders do the job well in their secondary departments.

Overall, Rajasthan Royals have the best bunch of all-rounders and it will be interesting to see if they can finally help break the frustrating deadlock of the first-ever IPL champions.