“IPL 2021 will be the most competitive edition” – Deep Dasgupta

Ahead of the start of the 14th season of the Indian Premier League (IPL), Deep Dasgupta has predicted that IPL 2021 could be the most competitive edition in the competition's history.

The former India wicketkeeper opined that all the teams look well-balanced after making smart picks in the February mini-auction.

Deep Dasgupta believes that five-time champions Mumbai Indians (MI) look like the strongest team in the tournament. He said in this regard during an interaction with Sports Today:

“Mumbai Indians again would be the team to beat this year. Who’s going to challenge them? Personally, I think this is going to be the most competitive IPL we have ever seen. I thought all the teams were very well balanced, but after the auction, even more, because all of them have strengthened. Some have strengthened their bench like MI; some of them have actually strengthened their playing XI.

Any team could beat the Mumbai Indians in IPL 2021: Deep Dasgupta

Deep Dasgupta has opined that all the teams in IPL 2021 have strong rosters and are capable of upsetting the applecart of the defending champions, saying:

“So I think this is going to be an extremely competitive tournament, and if you have to pick a team who can beat MI, I think on their day, any team can beat them because all the squads are that good".

After losing to the Chennai Super Kings in their first IPL final in 2010, Mumbai Indians have won the competition on a record five occasions. Under the leadership of Rohit Sharma, they triumphed in 2015, 2017, 2019 and 2020 to become the most successful team in IPL history.

Mumbai Indians open their campaign for an unprecedented three-peat by taking on the Royal Challengers Bangalore in Chennai on Friday.

Hello and welcome to Match 1 of #VIVOIPL 2021.@ImRo45's #MumbaiIndians will take on @imVkohli led #RCB. Who do you reckon will take this home tonight ?#MIvRCB pic.twitter.com/cC47XfP8ZO

— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 9, 2021

Despite the IPL returning to India for the first time in two years, all teams will play at neutral venues without any spectators, owing to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

All the matches will be played in only six venues – Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata. The playoffs and the final will be played in Ahmedabad on May 30.