One of the most consistent franchises in recent IPL history, expect no different this year around.
Except they have more options, fitter players, and a schedule that suits their style of play. Add the intelligent buy of Kedar Jadhav, and all pieces are slowly falling into place. Here is my SRH preview.
All-Rounders: Abdul Samad, Abhishek Sharma, Vijay Shankar, Jagadeesha Suchith
Spinners: Shahbaz Nadeem
Fast Medium: T Natarajan, Khaleel Ahmed, Basil Thampi, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Siddarth Kaul, Sandeep Sharma
Overseas: David Warner*, Jonny Bairstow, Jason Holder, Mohammad Nabi, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Rashid Khan, Jason Roy, Kane Williamson
Withdrawn Mitchell Marsh
Predicted SRH XI
David Warner (C),2. Wriddhiman Saha (WK), 3. Manish Pandey, 4. Kane Williamson/Jonny Bairstow, 5. Vijay Shankar/Kedar Jadhav, 6. Priyam Garg/Abdul Samad, 7. Rashid Khan, 8. Jason Holder/Mohammad Nabi/ Mujeeb-Ur-Rahman, 9. Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 10. T Natarajan, 11. Sandeep Sharma
Watch Out For
Horses-for-courses strategy.
Given their first 5 games are at Chennai (and 7 more at Delhi/Kolkata), expect SRH to deploy their spin regime. They have the Afghan trio Rashid Khan-Mohammad Nabi-Mujeeb Ur Rahman along with Shahbaz Nadeem & part-timers Abhishek Sharma/Kedar Jadhav.
The other option is to go top heavy with Warner-Roy-Williamson-Bairstow. Droolworthy batting order.
If the pitch demands pace, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Natarajan, Sandeep Sharma, Khaleel Ahmed, Thampi, & Kaul will be key with all-rounders in Jason Holder & Vijay Shankar readily available.
Where Can Things Go Wrong For the Sunrisers?
With multiple options, come multiple warnings. Do not give enough chances or confidence to the players and instability can creep in. With staff of VVS Laxman, Muralitharan and co, this should not be the case.
There used to be a time when frugal IPL auction buys and uncapped Indian players was the norm for RR. Now it is the complete opposite. They are overdependent on foreign players.
If Buttler has a great season, they make the top 4. Otherwise, same old story. Here is the preview.
8th. Except for Jofra Archer maiden overs, Ben Stokes opening century, Riyan Parag’s Bihu dance celebration, & a glimpse into Kartik Tyagi’s potential, not much to write home about.
Injury & COVID-19 News
Jofra Archer is bound to miss at least 4 matches due to a hand injury. Given that the T20I World Cup is England’s focus right now, it is unlikely that Archer will be risked much.
Rumors suggest that England captain Eoin Morgan has inside information from rival camp of Rajasthan Royals. Maybe a Buttler-Stokes opening partnership to better help England prepare for the upcoming World Cup?
I would still start out with Jaiswal as an opener. (But then I am no captain of the best limited overs side in the world).
Will David Miller get another season on the bench? (Or one game before a 0 (0) run out benches him for the rest of the season).
Watch Out For
Chris Morris. Has been sold for plenty at the auction, but some signs he is getting back to his best. Since his breakthrough season with Delhi a few years ago, he has not made a huge mark on the IPL. Is this the year?
Sanju Samson went from India’s #4 in the Australia tour to out of the squad. With an extended 23 men squad available for the T20I world cup, can he impress the selectors once again?
Buttler-Stokes in the top order.
Where Can Things Go Wrong For the Royals?
Lack of pace. The Fizz, Tye, Unadkat, & even Morris are arguably the world’s best off cutter bowling combination in the world. Without Jofra Archer though, they might fail to defend scores in Mumbai, Kolkata, & Bangalore.
Only so many Tewatia specials can save the Royals.
Venues & Fixtures
Venues
Mumbai- 5, Delhi – 4, Kolkata – 3, Bangalore – 2
Fixtures
12 April: RR vs PBKS (Mumbai)
15 April: RR vs DC (Mumbai)
19 April: CSK vs RR (Mumbai)
22 April: RCB vs RR (Mumbai)
24 April: RR vs KKR (Mumbai)
29 April: MI vs RR (Delhi)
2 May: RR vs SRH (Delhi)
5 May: RR vs CSK (Delhi)
8 May: RR vs MI (Delhi)
11 May: DC vs RR (Kolkata)
13 May: SRH vs RR (Kolkata)
16 May: RR vs RCB (Kolkata)
18 May: KKR vs RR (Bangalore)
22 May: PBKS vs RR (Bangalore)
25 May: Qualifier 1 (Ahmedabad)
26 May: Eliminator (Ahmedabad)
28 May: Qualifier 2 (Ahmedabad)
30 May: Final (Ahmedabad)
Prediction
Prediction
7th
Most Runs
Jos Buttler
Most Wickets
Mustafizur Rahman
Emerging Player
Mr. Liam Livingstone, I presume?
Surprise Package
Shivam Dube
X Factor
Jos Buttler
Broken Cricket Dream
David Miller
Rajasthan Royals Preview Predictions
What do you think of the Rajasthan Royals Preview? Your First XI? Will they make the IPL 2021 qualifiers?
Virat Kohli has had a rough time converting his 50s to three figures recently, but his T20I form is still stellar, receiving the Player of the Series award in the India Vs England T20I series.
The real question is when will Kohli-ABD convert the semi-finals & finals into IPL trophies? I think 2021 is RCB’s year. Keep on reading this preview.
4th. Probably an accurate reflection. When RCB edged out KKR & KXIP narrowly for the fourth spot, not many complained. When RCB crashed out at the hands of Kane Williamson, nobody complained either.
Yuzvendra Chahal was the pick of the bowlers, picking up 21 wickets.
Devdutt Padikkal did not seem like the ‘new kid on the block.’ Scored 473 runs as an opener and played some mature knocks.
The S factor – Mohammad Siraj, Navdeep Saini, Washington Sundar might not have had the best IPL 2020, but in Australia, they formed the bowling core of the 3rd and 4th Tests. Their maturity was brilliant to watch.
Devdutt Padikkal has tested postive for coronavirus. He might not make the first two games due to quarantine protocols. Big blow for RCB, and not the only one.
Josh Philippe has withdrawn days before the IPL for personal reasons. The only good news is that Finn Allen, who just scored a whirlwind 71(29) against Bangladesh in a T20I, is recruited as a replacement.
All-Rounders: Pavan Deshpande, Harshal Patel, Shahbaz Ahmed
Fast Medium: Mohammed Siraj, Navdeep Saini, Washington Sundar
Spinners: Yuzvendra Chahal
Overseas: Finn Allen, Dan Christian, AB de Villiers, Kyle Jamieson, Glenn Maxwell, Kane Richardson, Daniel Sams, Adam Zampa
Withdrawn: Josh Philippe
Predicted RCB XI
The Padikkal absence and Kohli’s insistence of Kohli-Sharma T20I opening partnership can change things up for RCB. One option is a Kohli-Azharuddeen partnership at the top. Alternatively, pair Finn Allen up at the top, drop everyone one spot, and replace one of Christian or Jamieson.
1. Mohammed Azharuddeen, 2.*Virat Kohli (C), 3. AB de Villiers(WK), 4. Glenn Maxwell, 5.Daniel Christian, 6. Washington Sundar, 7.Kyle Jamieson/Daniel Sams/Adam Zampa, 8. Shahbaz Ahmed/Harshal Patel, 9. Mohammed Siraj, 10. Navdeep Saini, 11. Yuzvendra Chahal
*Devdutt Padikkal slots in at 2 whenever he recovers with everyone moving down a slot.
Watch Out For
Virat Kohli, the opener. 2016 season all over again? Maybe a little change is all Virat needs to get back in top gear.
Mohammed Azharuddeen lit up the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy with a 37-ball 100 and ended up as the third highest run scorer in the tournament. If Azharuddeen-Padikkal can form a solid opening partnership at the top, the middle order can be really destructive.
Jamieson has seen lots of highs & lows recently with the IPL auction & the Australia T20I series, but the one to really watch out would be Dan Christian. A veteran and winner of almost all T20 championships, he is the fix that RCB never had. Overdependence on Kohli-ABD no more. With Maxwell, Dan Christan, and insurance policy of Sundar and Jamieson below, RCB finally have the consistent finishing.
Where Can Things Go Wrong For the Challengers?
All good, except they no longer play in Bangalore. With 8 games combined in Chennai & Kolkata, the likes of Maxwell & Christian might struggle. However, the spin duo of Sundar-Chahal might come to the rescue.
No other major flaws as long as Saini-Siraj can keep their economy rates in check.
Venues & Fixtures
Venues
Kolkata- 5, Ahmedabad- 4, Chennai- 3, Mumbai- 2
Fixtures
9 April: MI vs RCB (Chennai)
14 April: SRH vs RCB (Chennai)
18 April: RCB vs KKR (Chennai)
22 April: RCB vs RR (Mumbai)
25 April: CSK vs RCB (Mumbai)
27 April: DC vs RCB (Ahmedabad)
30 April: PBKS vs RCB (Ahmedabad)
3 May: KKR vs RCB (Ahmedabad)
6 May: RCB vs PBKS (Ahmedabad)
9 May: RCB vs SRH (Kolkata)
14 May: RCB vs DC (Kolkata)
16 May: RR vs RCB (Kolkata)
20 May: RCB vs MI (Kolkata)
23 May: RCB vs CSK (Kolkata)
25 May: Qualifier 1 (Ahmedabad)
26 May: Eliminator (Ahmedabad)
28 May: Qualifier 2 (Ahmedabad)
30 May: Final (Ahmedabad)
Prediction
Prediction
1st
Most Runs
Virat Kohli
Most Wickets
Washington Sundar
Emerging Player
Mohammad Azharuddeen
Surprise Package
Finn Allen
X Factor
Dan Christian/ AB De Villiers
Broken Cricket Dream
Glenn Maxwell. Less of a broken dream, more of a warning. If Maxwell fails again, he would be the next Aaron Finch. Not to be picked in future auctions.
Royal Challengers Bangalore Preview Predictions
What do you think of the Royal Challengers Bangalore Preview? Your First XI? Will they make the IPL 2021 qualifiers?
6th. Results do not convey the whole story however.
Mayank Agarwal was the highlight for the first half with KL Rahul getting the Orange Cap (although his SR was in question).
Nicholas Pooran’s catch. Just watch it again. Best fielding side by a mile. Of course, with Jonty Rhodes as fielding coach, expectations are very high.
Super Overs, Double Super Overs. On the receiving end of some bad luck, but had themselves to blame.
Injury & COVID-19 News
One of the only teams to not receive any bad news as of yet. Hopefully things go as planned for PBKS.
Overseas: Fabian Allen, Chris Gayle, Moises Henriques, Chris Jordan, Dawid Malan, Riley Meredith, Nicholas Pooran, Jhye Richardson
*Captain
Predicted PBKS XI
KL Rahul (C/WK), 2. Mayank Agarwal, 3. Dawid Malan/Chris Gayle, 4. Nicholas Pooran, 5. Deepak Hooda, 6. Shahrukh Khan, 7. Fabian Allen/ Moises Henriques, 8. Arshdeep Singh, 9. Chris Jordan/ Jhye Richardson, 10. Mohammad Shami, 11. Ravi Bishnoi
Watch Out For
Chris Gayle. Yes the same one. He is targeting a 3rd World T20I title and might even play till the age of 45. Gayle, KL Rahul, & Mayank Agarwal back in Bangalore. PBKS are scheduled to play their last 5 games at Bangalore. Carnage from the home boys?
From the bottom of my heart, I believe Nicholas Pooran is the next big star of world cricket. This has to be his year either in the IPL or the World T20I. Hopefully both. If you have not read his story, read it below. Truly inspirational stuff.
Going back to the Chinnaswamy is good news…for the batsmen. Not so much for the death bowling. Chris Jordan is one of the world’s best exponent of the yorker, but his England form has been off color in 2020-21. Arshdeep was impressive, but this bowling unit does not give me confidence.
Venues & Fixtures
Venues
Bangalore- 5, Ahmedabad- 4, Mumbai- 3, Chennai- 2
Fixtures
12 April: RR vs PBKS (Mumbai)
16 April: PBKS vs CSK (Mumbai)
18 April: DC vs PBKS (Mumbai)
21 April: PBKS vs SRH (Chennai)
23 April: PBKS vs MI (Chennai)
26 April: PBKS vs KKR (Ahmedabad)
30 April: PBKs vs RCB (Ahmedabad)
2 May: PBKS vs DC (Ahmedabad)
6 May: RCB vs PBKS (Ahmedabad)
9 May: CSK vs PBKS (Bangalore)
13 May: MI vs PBKS (Bangalore)
15 May: KKR vs PBKS (Bangalore)
19 May: SRH vs PBKS (Bangalore)
22 May: PBKS vs RR (Bangalore)
25 May: Qualifier 1 (Ahmedabad)
26 May: Eliminator (Ahmedabad)
28 May: Qualifier 2 (Ahmedabad)
30 May: Final (Ahmedabad)
Prediction
The good news? Punjab play 4 games in Ahmedabad before they head to Bangalore. So if they make it to the qualifiers, they will have good experience of the conditions under their belt.
If they can win their Super Overs this time around, PBKS will be the team to watch out for.
Prediction
2nd
Most Runs
Nicholas Pooran
Most Wickets
Ravi Bishnoi
Emerging Player
Shahrukh Khan, the finisher
Surprise Package
Fabian Allen
X Factor
Chris Gayle
Broken Cricket Dream
Dawid Malan, the No. 1 T20I batsman of 2020, has had some questions around his place recently. With Gayle breathing down his neck, can Malan come on his own in the IPL?
Punjab Kings Preview Predictions
What do you think of the Punjab Kings Preview? Your First XI? Will they make the IPL 2021 qualifiers?
1st. The same old story. Champions for a 5th time. Another wonderful campaign. Here are some of the highlights.
Suryakumar Yadav & Ishan Kishan storm into national spotlight after consistent performances. Add Quinton de Kock’s blazing starts & a certain Rohit Sharma and that was an enviable top order.
The better the finishers, the more consistent a T20 side. Finishing prowess of Kieron Pollard & Hardik Pandya justifies this claim.
James Pattinson, Jasprit Bumrah, & Trent Boult provided the firepower that the fast bowling bowling needed in sluggish UAE pitches.
Injury & COVID-19 News
No major injury or COVID-19 news for the Mumbai Indians as of yet, but cases in Mumbai are rising rapidly. The Road Safety Series in Mumbai has several former cricketers in quarantine. Fingers crossed, but keep checking your news if any local Mumbai players join the MI squad.
How can an already dangerous line-up become even more dangerous? Instead of adding another foreign pace bowler, maybe Jimmy Neesham can slot in at #8. The Pollard-Pandyas-Neesham finishing line up can be quite something.
Watch Out For
Adam Milne, the New Zealand speedstar of 2015 World Cup fame, went missing for a couple of years due to injuries. He has slowly made a comeback in the New Zealand squad through the Big Bash, but can he light up the IPL?
With 11 games in Chennai-Delhi-Kolkata combined, spin will be very handy. Expect Rahul Chahar to be among the wickets. Since Krunal Pandya is more of a batting-allrounder, we may see a bit of Piyush Chawla and Jayant Yadav. Before the final that is.
Where Can Things Go Wrong For the Indians?
Mumbai play first 5 matches at Chennai. While familiarity can be a good thing, let us look at the opposition—strong RCB & Punjab sides and games against spin giants SRH (Rashid, Mujeeb, Nabi), DC (Ashwin, Axar, Amit Mishra), & KKR (Shakib, Varun, Harbhajan, Kuldeep, Pawan Negi).
I am betting against Mumbai Indians for their ‘home’ venues.
Venues & Fixtures
Venues
Chennai- 5, Delhi- 4, Bangalore- 3, Kolkata- 2
Fixtures
9 April: MI vs RCB (Chennai)
13 April: KKR vs MI (Chennai)
17 April: MI vs SRH (Chennai)
20 April: DC vs MI (Chennai)
23 April: PBKS vs MI (Chennai)
29 April: MI vs RR (Delhi)
1 May: MI vs CSK (Delhi)
4 May: SRH vs MI (Delhi)
8 May: RR vs MI (Delhi)
10 May: MI vs KKR (Bangalore)
13 May: MI vs PBKS (Bangalore)
16 May: CSK vs MI (Bangalore)
20 May: RCB vs MI (Kolkata)
23 May: MI vs DC (Kolkata)
25 May: Qualifier 1 (Ahmedabad)
26 May: Eliminator (Ahmedabad)
28 May: Qualifier 2 (Ahmedabad)
30 May: Final (Ahmedabad)
Prediction
Mumbai Indians always seem to bounce back after rough campaign starts. Given the schedule in IPL 2021, I think if they lose 3 or more of the first five, I do not think they can bounce back.
For a change, I am going for a different IPL winner this time around. They will probably win again, but for the fun of it, I have them winning from the reverse order this time.
Prediction
8th
Most Runs
Suryakumar Yadav
Most Wickets
Rahul Chahar
Emerging Player
Marco Jansen
Surprise Package
Jimmy Neesham
X Factor
Kieron Pollard, the leader
Broken Cricket Dream
Third Time…Is Not the Charm. May not win this time
Also, Chris Lynn. Someone of his calibre might have to warm the benches two seasons in a row.
Mumbai Indians Preview Predictions
What do you think of the Mumbai Indians Preview? Your First XI? Will they make the IPL 2021 qualifiers?
