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We’re just a few days away from the re-start of IPL. The stage is all set for a mouth-watering opening contest between the 2 best franchises in the history of the tournament. MI vs CSK is the El-Clasico of the IPL & we expect nothing less when the 2 sides face each other on the 19th of September. Due to the Covid-19 situation in India the BCCI had to move the remainder of the tournament to UAE which is also set to host the T20 World Cup 2021.
Let’s have a look at where all teams stand in the Points Table currently:
As we inch closer to the start of Phase 2 let’s glance through the strengths and weaknesses of each team and predict how they will perform during the tournament:
1. Delhi Capitals (DC): Currently ranked 1 on the points table DC must win 2 out of their remaining 6 matches to confirm a spot in the playoffs. Shreyas Iyer who was out of action during Phase 1 of the IPL will also be back, but will not be captaining his side as the Delhi Capitals management has decided to continue with Rishabh Pant as their captain for this season. With almost a full-strength squad at their disposal DC would be aiming for a Top 2 finish in the league phase.
2. Chennai Super Kings (CSK): 2nd on the Points Table CSK walk into the tournament as one of the favorites to lift the trophy. With a lot of impact players in their squad CSK should be able to dominate proceedings once again. Fans would be eager to see Raina and Dhoni together on the field (maybe for one last time) before the latter joins Team India as a Mentor for the T20 World Cup later this year.
3. Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB): With a star-studded batting line up, RCB has been able to live up to expectations this season. The over reliance on AB De Villiers & Virat Kohli has ended as Glenn Maxwell stepped up in IPL 2021. The dangerous trio will be looking to pick up from where they left off in Phase 1 and take RCB to its first ever title. Eyes will also be on how the currently under pressure Yuzvendra Chahal performs after his exclusion from India’s WC Squad & Virat Kohli who recently decided to quit captaincy in the shortest format after the T20 World Cup.
4. Mumbai Indians (MI): The 5-time IPL champions are placed 4th on the points table, pretty much where they are during this period of each season. They are known to be slow starters who pick up momentum during the middle phase & usually dominate during the business end of the season. But with a long break between the 2 phases, it will be interesting to see how the defending champions start. The addition of Sachin Tendulkar as a mentor only adds to the strength of their playing XI which is so strong that it can even outperform a few elite level international teams.
5. Rajasthan Royals (RR): A lot of their first-choice players backed out for the 2nd phase, but RR were able to get hold of equally good replacements if not better. The destructive duo of David Miller and Liam Livingstone will be a threat to all other teams in the death overs. RR need their skipper Sanju Samson to score on a consistent basis if they are to make the playoffs. In the All-Rounders department Chris Morris was quite effective in the first half and RR would want the same from their star player.
6. Punjab Kings (PBKS): Change in name did not change fortunes for PBKS as they are found in the 2nd half of the table which sadly is the case for them each season. If they want to make the playoffs, they will need their captain KL Rahul to have an outstanding second half with an even better strike rate. Mohammed Shami and KL Rahul are important for both PBKS and Indian hopes this T20 season.
7. Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR): KKR have blown hot and cold this season & haven’t quite fired in unison. What the King Khan owned franchise needs is a reliable batsman to hold the innings together while the other batsmen bat around him. They trusted Shubman Gill with that roll, but it did not pay any dividends. Their captain Eoin Morgan has also been out of form off late. Despite many problems eyes will be on the Caribbean superstar Andre Russell and UK’s most loved commentator of the summer Dinesh Karthik.
8. Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH): Sunrisers Hyderabad have managed to win only 1 out of the 7 games that they played. David Warner was sacked as their captain mid-season hoping for change of fortunes. Now with Jonny Bairstow opting out of the remainder of the IPL David Warner would make a comeback at the top of the order hoping to get into groove before the all-important World Cup. SRH need to win each game from here to guarantee themselves a spot in the playoffs or else wait for other results to go their way.
We hope that this IPL makes for a thrilling viewing experience. We will certainly be back with another IPL blog until then make sure to read other sensational posts on our website. Also let us know your thoughts about this blog in the comments section below.
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