a

3 Unfairly Treated Cricketers Who Have Been Sidelined by the Indian Selectors but Deserve More Chances

By Nitesh Mathur, Broken Cricket Dreams, 5/26/2022

India bowed out of the 2021 T20 World Cup without putting up a proper fight. A lot has changed since then.

Rohit Sharma is now the all-format Indian captain, Rahul Dravid the new coach after Ravi Shastri’s departure, and a new-look India’s T20 tour of South Africa squad is announced.

Arshdeep Singh, Umran Malik, Avesh Khan, Ravi Bishnoi, comeback kid Dinesh Karthik, Deepak Hooda, Kuldeep Yadav, and Hardik Pandya all made deserving entries or returns to the T20 side.

IPL performances have been duly rewarded, selectors have displayed some positive thinking, but is the selection aggressive enough?

Also Read: 54 Contenders for the Indian 2022 T20 World Cup Squad — Do Rohit & Virat Deserve a Spot?

3 Indian Cricketers Who Deserve More Chances in T20I

Despite rests for Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah and injuries to Ravindra Jadeja, Deepak Chahar, and Suryakumar Yadav, three players could not find a spot in the 18-man squad. It is hard for anyone to break into the Indian team these days, but team India is making a huge mistake by not giving them a chance at all.

Also Read: Indian Cricket’s Abundance of Talent: A Blessing or a Curse?

1. Prithvi Shaw

Age: 22

Eight years ago, Prithvi Shaw burst onto the scene by scoring 546 (330) in a school competition. Comparisons to Sachin Tendulkar were inevitable (and even Sehwag & Lara for that matter). He then won the U-19 WC as captain and has produced runs at the domestic circuit and IPL level.

Things looked bright, but he has only played 5 Tests (1 century, 2 50s), 6 ODIs, and a sole T20I (debut golden duck by the way).

History of fitness issues has not helped advance Shaw’s case, and he has often been depicted as ‘careless’ or ‘carefree’ in his batting approach. However, this is exactly the need of the hour for Indian cricket in T20Is.

Shikhar Dhawan, KL Rahul, Rohit Sharma, Shreyas Iyer, Virat Kohli, Mayank Agarwal, and even Ishan Kishan play a similar brand of cricket as openers, but Shaw is a breath of fresh air. This season he has produced knocks of

38 (24) – 2 Sixes/4 Fours, 61 (34) – 2/9, 51 (29) – 7/2, 41 (20) – 7/1, 37 (27) – 1/5

And when he has not gone big, he has knocked singles and made sure the partnership with David Warner flourishes. Prithvi Shaw might not rack up the running charts and stay till the end, but what he provides is worth much more – an impetus to the team from Ball One of the match.

The real question is, will he even get an audition for the T20 WC squad?

IPL 2022: 10 matches, 283 runs, 152.97 SR, 37 fours, 10 sixes, 28.3 average

Embed from Getty Images

2. Rahul Tripathi

Age: 31

Rahul Tripathi was always considered one of those key Indian uncapped players who ‘punches above his weight’ and ‘provides a bit of spark and energy in the field,’ but has always been seen a level below international quality (like a Swapnil Asnodkar, Manvinder Bisla, Nitish Rana, and now Rajat Patidar).

But has Rahul Tripathi been unfairly pigeonholed? He batted with flair this year at SRH (413 Runs, 3 50s, 158.24 SR) and was the catalyst behind KKR’s run to the final last year (397 runs, 2 50s, 140.28 SR). His highest score in each of the last 6 IPLs read

93, 80*, 50, 81, 74*, 76

This means that when he is in the mood, he goes big. But more than the stats, it is Tripathi’s infectious attitude while batting. He starts hitting from ball 1, can float anywhere in the batting lineup, and adapts to any situation. Fast bowlers, spinners, doesn’t matter. 120/2 or 0/1 – he comes in with the same aggression and mindset as a modern day #3 batter should.

Mitchell Marsh, Moeen Ali, Dawid Malan, Mohammad Hafeez, and Devon Conway are the template to bat at #3 these days. Gone are the days of Steve Smith and Virat Kohli steadying the pace.

Tripathi has done all in his power to showcase his ability, but will he ever get a chance?

It is now or maybe never for him.

IPL 2022: 14 matches, 413 runs, 158.23 SR, 40 fours, 20 sixes, 37.54 average

3. Sanju Samson

Age: 27

Sanju Samson has been the most ill-treated of them all. Samson has barely received any chances at the international level since his debut in 2015:

1 T20 Vs Zimbabwe (2015), 1 Vs SL (Jan 2020), 2 Vs NZ (Jan-Feb 2020), 3 Vs Aus (Dec 2020), 3 Vs SL (Jul 2021), 3 Vs SL (Feb 2022).

There is barely any continuity. In his last series in February, he did not bat in the first T20I and scored his personal best – a crucial 39 (25) with 2 fours & 3 sixes at #4. Yet, he has been dropped while the likes of Ishan Kishan & Venkatesh Iyer have been retained despite poor IPL form. What message are the selectors and coach sending?

In Qualifier 1 of IPL 2022, Samson gave an apt reply with the bat.

First ball he faced – SIX! What followed was carnage. His next scoring shots were 4,4,4,6,6. He scored 30 (13) before he even took a single. Now, that is T20 mentality!

That 47 (26) was a more impactful innings than Jos Buttler’s 89 (56).

Sanju Samson and the IPL Inconsistency Myth

He has been on the IPL scene since 2013 but has always carried the perception of ‘inconsistency’, ‘not enough domestic runs’, or ‘throws his wicket away.’

Let us dig a bit deeper. This may have been true from 2013-2016 (where his average hovered between 20.4-26.45 & SR between 112.35-125.15). In each of those years, he would make one or two sparkling fifties and then fall off.

However, from 2017-2022, he has scored 3 hundreds, 12 fifties, striking it between 136.72-150.36 and averaging between 30.07-40.33. Runs in these five years?

386, 441, 342, 375, 484, 421*

His numbers might not be KL Rahul-esque (659, 593, 670, 626, 616) whose SR hovers around 135. Rahul plays an opener/anchor role, while Samson is the middle order intent batter who can keep the game moving and hit spinners out of the attack.

In essence, Sanju Samson has become more consistent, more lethal, and a true match winner.

IPL 2022: 15* matches, 421 runs, 150.35 SR, 40 fours, 24 sixes, 30.07 average

Embed from Getty Images

Why India Need to Select At Least One of Them?

Prithvi Shaw, Rahul Tripathi, and Sanju Samson, literally the only three Indian batters with a modern day T20 batting mindset, were omitted from the South Africa squad list. Although India has about 24 T20Is to try out new players before the 2022 T20 World Cup later this year, their exclusion reveals India’s reluctance to play ultra-aggressive cricket.

Among Indian players, only Dinesh Karthik (187. 28), Rajat Patidar (156.25), Shivam Dube (156.21), Rishabh Pant (151.78) have comparable Strike Rates. Samson, Tripathi, and Shaw have taken the leap of faith with risk & reward. The real question is, will Indian selectors?

Samson’s own words summarizes the Shaw-Tripathi-Samson Paradox beautifully. At Breakfast with Champions, he stated that

“When you’re doing a role like this. In T20s, when you are there to hit sixes…you need to have guts inside yourself, you need to be brave enough to do that role…failures will happen…If I get to play, I play. If I don’t, I don’t.”

“I am not here to score lots and lots of runs…I am here to score a small amount of runs which are very effective for the team.”

India Need to Revive the Memories of 2007

India last won a T20 World Cup way back in 2007. It was the inaugural edition, nobody knew what this beast T20 cricket would come, and the IPL had yet to be announced.

Stalwarts Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, and Sourav Ganguly stepped aside to give youngsters a chance. Robin Uthappa, Rohit Sharma, Piyush Chawla, Sreesanth, Joginder Sharma, RP Singh, and even the timeless Dinesh Karthik would make the squad. The Pathan brothers, Yuvraj Singh, Gautam Gambhir, Harbhajan Singh, and Virender Sehwag were the ‘seniors’ in the side lead under a certain captain MS Dhoni.

And guess what happened? India won—a young team with nothing to lose who just went out there, took risks, and expressed themselves.

Fast forward 15 years and 6 T20 World Cups later, India has yet to win another trophy. What’s worse? They have not even played close to their potential (Virat Kohli dragged into the finals and semi-finals of the 2014 & 2016 editions).

It might be time for a couple of seniors to step aside and give a free reign to players who can go there and play their natural, free-flowing, expressive cricket.

© Copyright @Nitesh Mathur and Broken Cricket Dreams, 2021. Originally published on 05/26/2022. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Broken Cricket Dreams with appropriate and specific direction to the original content (i.e. linked to the exact post/article).

Photo Courtesy: IPLT20.com Indian Premier League Official Website (iplt20.com)

Indian Premier League IPL 2022 Preview – Everything You Need to Know About IPL 15 Quickly

By Nitesh Mathur, Broken Cricket Dreams, 3/24/2022

Time for IPL 2022! Yep, the festival is back—This time with two more teams. That is right! Welcome Gujarat Titans and Lucknow Super Kings!

Lot has changed since last time. A massive auction and an end of an era. No Suresh Raina, Chris Gayle, AB De Villiers and although MS Dhoni & Virat Kohli are still here, they are no longer captains.

Without further ado, here is everything you need to know about IPL 2022 QUICKLY—Squads, Schedule, Latest Injury News, Commentators, History, and Predictions! By the end of this read, you should have all your IPL 2022 questions answered.

Also Read: 5 Takeaways from IPL 2021, RCB All-Time XI – Consistently Inconsistent

IPL 2022 Quick Summary

  • Matches: 74 (10 teams, 14 matches each, 2 Groups, Finals)
  • Dates: March 26th, 2022- 29th May, 2022
  • Venues: All the matches will be played in & around Mumbai:
    • Wankhede Stadium
    • Brabourne Stadium
    • DY Patil Stadium (Navi Mumbai)
    • MCA International Stadium (Pune)

IPL 2022 Groups

GROUP AGROUP B
Mumbai IndiansChennai Super Kings
Kolkata Knight RidersSunrisers Hyderabad
Rajasthan RoyalsRoyal Challengers Bangalore
Delhi CapitalsPunjab Kings
Lucknow Super GiantsGujarat Titans
IPL 2022 Groups

*Note: Unlike previous IPLs, this is not going to be a round-robin tournament. To keep the number of games bearable, each team will play teams from their groups twice (as well as one team from the other group), and the rest of the team once. So that is two games against five teams and one game against the other four for a total of 14 matches.

Detailed team-by-team fixtures are displayed with each team below.

Also Read: Most Beautiful Cricket Stadium in Each of the 12 Countries

IPL 2022 Commentators

The big news in this arena is that Ravi Shastri is back in the commentary box after his coaching tenure with the Indian team came to an end. Also joining him are ex-IPL stars like Mr. IPL – Suresh Raina, Piyush Chawla, and Dhawal Kulkarni

English/Global Broadcast

Harsha Bhogle, Ian Bishop, Alan Wilkins, Pommie Mbangwa, Simon Doull, Sunil Gavaskar, Danny Morrison, Graeme Swann, Scott Styris, Neroli Medows, Anant Tyagi, Laxman Sivaramakrishnan, Murali Karthik, Kevin Pietersen, Matthew Hayden, Deep Dasgupta, Anjum Chopra, Nicholas Knight, WV Raman, Daren Ganga, Morne Morkel, Graeme Smith

Hindi & English

Ravi Shastri, Suresh Raina, Aakash Chopra, Mohammad Kaif, Mayanti Langer Binny, Irfan Pathan, Parthiv Patel, Harbhajan Singh, Piyush Chawla, Dhawal Kulkarni, Janti Sapru, Tanya Purohit, Suren Sundaram

Apart from these two major broad categories, IPL 2022 will be broadcasted in at least seven other regional languages with marquee Indian domestic cricketers as commentators.

Also Read: Top 5 Commentators of All Time

History of the Indian Premier League – Winners & Runner Ups

  1. Mumbai Indians: 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2020 (Winners), 2010 (Runner-Up)
  2. Chennai Super Kings: 2010, 2011, 2018, 2021 (Winners), 2008, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2019 (Runner-Up)
  3. Kolkata Knight Riders: 2012, 2014 (Winners), 2021 (Runner-Up)
  4. Deccan Chargers/Sunrisers Hyderabad: 2009 – DC (Winners), 2016 – SRH (Winners), 2018 (Runner-Up)
  5. Rajasthan Royals: 2008 (Winners)
  6. Royal Challengers Bangalore: 2009, 2011, 2016 (Runner-Up)
  7. Delhi Capitals: 2020 (Runner-Up)
  8. Punjab Kings: 2014 (Runner-Up)

*Note: Rising Pune Supergiant reached the final of the 2017 IPL (Deccan Chargers Gujarat Lions, Sahara Pune Warriors India, Kochi Tuskers Kerela were the other teams to have featured in the IPL – Now defunct. Also, Delhi Daredevils and Kings XI Punjab were the earlier names of Delhi Capitals and Punjab Kings respectively).

2022 Indian Premier League News at A Glance

IPL 2022 Injury/Withdrawn List

  • Jofra Archer was eligible to be in the IPL 2022 auctions. However, he will not be playing this season due to an elbow injury. Watch out for MI in future seasons. Bumrah + Archer will be WOW!
  • Deepak Chahar is set to miss the IPL with a recurring quadriceps injury.
  • Anrich Nortje is suffering from an injury but is back with the squad (might not be available right away).
  • Jason Roy & Alex Hales withdraw due to bio bubble fatigue. Mark Wood is out of the IPL with an elbow injury.
  • Suryakumar Yadav is suffering from a hairline thumb fracture. He will miss the first match and may comeback soon.

Other IPL 2022 Major News

  • MS Dhoni steps down from captaincy. Ravindra Jadeja the new captain for CSK. Dhoni will however play as a player for one (or more) seasons.
  • Moeen Ali gets visa (late) and had to be quarantined. Hence, he will arrive by CSK’s second match.

IPL 2022 Team Availability

Every season, team combinations are impacted by international commitments. Here are the ongoing/future series that might collide with IPL 2022:

  • Bangladesh Tour of South Africa: Dwaine Pretorius (CSK), Kagiso Rabada (PBKS), and Lungi Ngidi & Mustafizur Rahman (both DC). However, they may only miss one or two matches since CSA has granted leave for Rabada, Ngidi, Jansen, Markram, and Rassie van der Dussen at the expense of the Test series. Read Firdose Moonda’s article explaining Money Matters.
  • Australia tour of Pakistan: Australian players are not granted a leave till April 6th, which means they will be unavailable for 4-5 matches for their respective teams. This includes Pat Cummins, Aaron Finch (KKR), Sean Abbott (SRH), Hazlewood/Behrendorff (RCB), Marcus Stoinis (LSG), and David Warner (first two matches). Oh and Glenn Maxwell is getting married, so let us leave him alone for a couple of weeks.
  • England tour of West Indies: Jonny Bairstow (PBKS), Alzarri Joseph (LSG) – Misses first two matches due to the Test series
  • NZ Tour of England: Starts in June but if their IPL teams qualify for the playoffs, Tim Southee (KKR) & Jonny Bairstow (PBKS) might miss out.

*Note: Netherlands tour of NZ series is also ongoing but NZ have released all their IPL bound players, so there is no conflict.

IPL 2022 Squads, Possible XIs, and Fixtures

1. Chennai Super Kings (CSK)

Predicted XI

  1. Ruturaj Gaikwad, 2. Devon Conway, 3. Robin Uthappa/Moeen Ali, 4. Ambati Rayudu, 5. Ravindra Jadeja (C), 6. MS Dhoni (WK), 7. Dwayne Bravo, 8. Shivam Dube/Rajvardhan Hangragrekar, 9. Adam Milne, 10. Mahesh Theekshana/Prashant Solanki, 11. Tushar Deshpande

Strengths

CSK’s strength lies in their all-rounders and bench strength. Moeen Ali, Jadeja, and Bravo make up the core but even if they sit out, Santner, Chris Jordan, Pretorius, and Dube are adequate replacements.

Weaknesses

Out and out pace bowling. Without Chahar, Adam Milne is the lone spearhead of their fast bowling attack but Deshpande/Asif are a bit inexperienced.

X Factor

Watch out for Devon Conway, or as he is known in CSK circuits—Mike Hussey 2.0.

Chennai Super Kings IPL 2022 Squad List

Batters

  • Ruturaj Gaikwad
  • Ambati Rayudu
  • Robin Uthappa (WK)
  • MS Dhoni (C/WK)
  • Hari Nishaanth
  • Narayan Jagadeesan
  • Subhranshu Senapati

_________________________

Overseas

  • Devon Conway (WK)

All Rounders

  • Ravindra Jadeja
  • Shivam Dube
  • Rajvardhan Hangragekar
  • Bhagat Verma

___________________________

Overseas

  • Mitchell Santner
  • Dwayne Bravo
  • Moeen Ali
  • Dwaine Pretorius
  • Chris Jordan

Bowlers

  • Deepak Chahar
  • Tushar Deshpande
  • KM Asif
  • Mukesh Choudhary
  • Prashant Solanki
  • Simarjeet Singh

__________________________

Overseas

  • Adam Milne
  • Mahesh Theekshana

Overseas Players (by Nationality):

  • New Zealand: Devon Conway, Mitchell Santner, Adam Milne
  • England: Moeen Ali, Chris Jordan
  • West Indies: Dwayne Bravo
  • South Africa: Dwaine Pretorius
  • Sri Lanka: Mahesh Theekshana

Chennai Super Kings IPL 2022 Fixtures

CSK Fixtures VsKKRLSGPBKSSRHRCBGTMIDCRR
3/263/314/34/94/124/174/215/85/20
4/255/15/45/155/12

CSK Website

2. Delhi Capitals (DC)

Predicted XI:

  1. Prithvi Shaw, 2. David Warner, 3. Mitchell Marsh, 4. Rishabh Pant (C), 5. Sarfaraz Khan, 6. Rovman Powell, 7. Axar Patel, 8. Shardul Thakur, 9. Chetan Sakaria/Khaleel Ahmed, 10. Kuldeep Yadav, 11. Anrich Nortje/Mustafizur Rahman

Strengths

Balance. Solid top order with Marsh/Axar as allrounders and Sarfaraz Khan/Rovman Powell as the finishers. And with Shardul Thakur here, there is no need to fear.

Weaknesses

Replacements. Warner/Marsh/Nortje/the Fizz will be out for the first 4-5 matches.

X Factor

Watch out for Axar Patel-Shardul Thakur. Could be the Sneh Rana-Pooja Vastrakar type lower order players DC need.

Delhi Capitals IPL 2022 Squad List

Batters

  • Prithvi Shaw
  • Rishabh Pant (C/WK)
  • Srikar Bharat (WK)
  • Sarfaraz Khan
  • Yash Dhull
  • Mandeep Singh
  • Ripal Patel
  • Ashwin Hebbar

___________________________

Overseas

  • David Warner
  • Rovman Powell
  • Tim Seifert (WK)

All Rounders

  • Axar Patel
  • Shardul Thakur
  • Lalit Yadav

____________________________

Overseas

  • Mitchell Marsh

Bowlers

  • Khaleel Ahmed
  • Kuldeep Yadav
  • Chetan Sakariya
  • Praveen Dubey
  • Kamlesh Nagarkoti
  • Vicky Ostwal

____________________________

Overseas

  • Anrich Nortje
  • Mustafizur Rahman
  • Lungi Ngidi

Overseas Players (by Nationality):

  • Australia: David Warner, Mitchell Marsh
  • New Zealand: Tim Seifert
  • West Indies: Rovman Powell
  • South Africa: Anrich Nortje, Lungi Ngidi
  • Bangladesh: Mustafizur Rahman

Delhi Capitals IPL 2022 Fixtures

DC Fixtures VsMIGTLSGKKRRCBPBKSRRSRHCSK
3/274/24/74/104/164/204/225/55/8
5/215/14/285/165/11

DC Website

3. Gujarat Titans (GT)

Predicted XI:

  1. Shubman Gill, 2. Matthew Wade (WK), 3. Wriddhiman Saha, 4. Hardik Pandya (C), 5. Vijay Shankar, 6. Rahul Tewatia, 7. Gurkeerat Singh Mann/Jayant Yadav, 8. Rashid Khan, 9. Mohammad Shami, 10. Lockie Ferguson, 11. Noor Ahmad/R Sai Kishore

Strengths

Bowling line-up of envy—Rashid Khan, Shami, Lockie Ferguson, R Sai Kishore. They also bought most of the India allrounders in the last five years (Pandya, Vijay Shankar, Gurkeerat, Jayant Yadav, Tewatia)

Weaknesses

Top order. Without Jason Roy, this is a think looking line up. Pandya-Shankar-Tewatia-Rashid can do wonders once in a while but lot rests of the Gill-Wade opening combination.

X Factor

R Sai Kishore. Consistent performer for Tamil Nadu in Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and the domestic game. Should finally come off the bench and make his mark in the IPL.

Gujarat Titans IPL 2022 Squad List

Batters

  • Shubman Gill
  • Wriddhiman Saha (WK)
  • Abhinav Manohar
  • Sai Sudharshan

____________________________

Overseas

  • Matthew Wade (WK)
  • Rahmanullah Gurbaz (WK)

All Rounders

  • Hardik Pandya (C)
  • Vijay Shankar
  • Gurkeerat Singh Mann
  • Rahul Tewatia
  • Jayant Yadav

__________________________

Overseas

  • Rashid Khan
  • Dominic Drakes

Bowlers

  • Mohammad Shami
  • R Sai Kishore
  • Varun Aaron
  • Pradeep Sangwan
  • Darshan Nalkande
  • Yash Dayal

___________________________

Overseas

  • Lockie Ferguson
  • Noor Ahmad

Jason Roy* (withdrawn)

Overseas Players (by Nationality):

  • Australia: Matthew Wade
  • New Zealand: Lockie Ferguson
  • West Indies: Dominic Drakes
  • Afghanistan: Rashid Khan, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Noor Ahmad

Gujarat Titans IPL 2022 Fixtures

GT Fixtures VsLSGDCPBKSSRHRRCSKKKRRCBMI
3/284/24/84/114/144/174/234/305/6
5/105/34/275/155/19

4. Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR)

Predicted XI:

  1. Aaron Finch/Ajinkya Rahane, 2. Venkatesh Iyer, 3. Shreyas Iyer (C), 4. Nitish Rana, 5. Sheldon Jackson (WK)/Sam Billings (WK), 6. Andre Russell, 7. Sunil Narine, 8. Pat Cummins, 9. Umesh Yadav, 10. Shivam Mavi, 11. Varun Chakravarthy

Strengths

The All-Round Package. If fit & in-form, Russell-Narine-Cummins-Venkatesh Iyer will be a handful. And captain Shreyas Iyer is in rich vein of form as well.

Weaknesses

Wicketkeeper. With a long tournament, there are not many keeper options apart from Sheldon Jackson (Indian domestic) & Sam Billings. Fitting them into the middle order might change combinations in the XI.

X Factor

Watch out for Chamika Karunaratne. With Cummins arriving after match 4 and Russell’s fitness never certain, Chamika could be a handy lower order bowling all-rounder.

Kolkata Knight Riders IPL 2022 Squad List

Batters

  • Shreyas Iyer (C)
  • Ajinkya Rahane
  • Nitish Rana
  • Rinku Singh
  • Sheldon Jackson (WK)
  • Baba Indrajith
  • Abhijeet Tomar
  • Pratham Singh

___________________________

Overseas

  • Sam Billings (WK)
  • Aaron Finch

All Rounders

  • Venkatesh Iyer
  • Anukul Roy
  • Ramesh Kumar

___________________________

Overseas

  • Mohammad Nabi
  • Sunil Narine
  • Andre Russell

Bowlers

  • Umesh Yadav
  • Shivam Mavi
  • Varun Chakravarthy
  • Rasikh Salam
  • Aman Khan
  • Ashok Sharma

___________________________

Overseas

  • Pat Cummins
  • Tim Southee
  • Chamika Karunaratne

*Alex Hales (Withdrawn)

Overseas Players (by Nationality):

  • Australia: Aaron Finch, Pat Cummins
  • New Zealand: Tim Southee
  • England: Sam Billings
  • West Indies: Sunil Narine, Andre Russell
  • Afghanistan: Mohammad Nabi
  • Sri Lanka: Chamika Karunaratne

Kolkata Knight Riders IPL 2022 Fixtures

KKR Fixtures VsCSKRCBPBKSMIDCSRHRRGTLSG
3/263/304/14/64/104/154/184/235/7
5/94/285/145/25/18

KKR Website

5. Lucknow Super Giants (LSG)

Predicted XI:

  1. KL Rahul (C), 2. Quinton de Kock (WK), 3. Manish Pandey, 4. Marcus Stoinis, 5. Deepak Hooda, 6. Krunal Pandya, 7. Jason Holder, 8. Krishnappa Gowtham/Shahbaz Nadeem, 9. Ravi Bishnoi, 10. Avesh Khan, 11. Dushmantha Chameera

Strengths

The first XI. What a team – Pandey/Stoinis at 3 & 4 means KL Rahul can play his natural game. Hooda-Pandya-Holder are adequate finishers/all-rounders and Bishnoi/Avesh Khan/ Chameera strong bowlers.

Weaknesses

Replacement bowlers might be a slight concern.

X Factor

Watch out for Rahul-QDK as the opening pair of the tournament.

Lucknow Super Giants IPL 2022 Squad List

Batters

  • KL Rahul (WK/C)
  • Manish Pandey
  • Manan Vohra
  • Karan Sharma
  • Ayush Badoni

___________________________

Overseas

  • Quinton de Kock (WK)
  • Evin Lewis (WK)

All Rounders

  • Deepak Hooda
  • Krunal Pandya
  • Krishnappa Gowtham

___________________________

Overseas

  • Jason Holder
  • Marcus Stoinis
  • Kyle Mayers

Bowlers

  • Avesh Khan
  • Ravi Bishnoi
  • Shahbaz Nadeem
  • Ankit Rajpoot
  • Mayank Yadav

___________________________

Overseas

  • Dushmantha Chameera
  • Andrew Tye

*Mark Wood (Withdrawn)

Overseas Players (by Nationality):

  • Australia: Marcus Stoinis, Andrew Tye
  • West Indies: Evin Lewis, Jason Holder, Kyle Mayers
  • South Africa: Quinton de Kock
  • Sri Lanka: Dushmantha Chameera

Lucknow Super Giants IPL 2022 Fixtures

LSG Fixtures VsGTCSKSRHDCRRMIRCBPBKSKKR
3/283/314/44/74/104/164/194/295/7
5/105/15/154/245/18

6. Mumbai Indians (MI)

Predicted XI:

  1. Rohit Sharma, 2. Ishan Kishan (WK), 3. Suryakumar Yadav, 4. Dewald Brevis/Tilak Verma, 5. Kieron Pollard, 6. Tim David, 7. Fabian Allen, 8. Murugan Ashwin/Mayank Markande, 9. Jaydev Unadkat, 10. Jasprit Burmah, 11. Basil Thampi/Tymal Mills

Strengths

The same core as before. Rohit-Ishan-Sky-Pollard-Bumrah.

Weaknesses

The bowling cohort. Unadkat/Thampi are adequate players to come off the bench but not the ideal starters. They will also miss the Pandya brothers.

X Factor

Watch out for the foreign recruits. Brevis was the batter of the U-19 World Cup, Tim David is the hardest hitting Singaporean in the T20 circuit, Fabian Allen’s reputation has gone up in the last couple of years, and a fit-Tymal Mills is a treat to watch.

Mumbai Indians IPL 2022 Squad List

Batters

  • Rohit Sharma
  • Ishan Kishan (WK)
  • Suryakumar Yadav
  • Anmolpreet Singh
  • Rahul Budhhi
  • Aryan Juyal (WK)
  • Ramandeep Singh
  • Tilak Verma

___________________________

Overseas

  • Dewald Brevis
  • Tim David

All Rounders

  • Arshad Khan
  • Sanjay Yadav

___________________________

Overseas

  • Fabian Allen
  • Kieron Pollard
  • Daniel Sams

Bowlers

  • Jasprit Bumrah
  • Jaydev Unadkat
  • Murugan Ashwin
  • Mayank Markande
  • Basil Thampi
  • Hrithik Shokeen
  • Arjun Tendulkar

___________________________

Overseas

  • *Jofra Archer (unavailable this season)
  • Riley Meredith
  • Tymal Mills

Overseas Players (by Nationality):

  • Australia: Riley Meredith, Daniel Sams, Tim David (Singapore/Australia)
  • England: Jofra Archer, Tymal Mills
  • West Indies: Fabian Allen, Kieron Pollard
  • South Africa: Dewald Brevis

Mumbai Indians IPL 2022 Fixtures

MI Fixtures VsDCRR KKRRCBPBKSLSGCSKGTSRH
3/274/24/64/94/134/164/215/65/17
5/214/305/94/245/12

7. Punjab Kings (PBKS)

Predicted XI:

  1. Mayank Agarwal (C), 2. Shikhar Dhawan, 3. Liam Livingstone, 4. Jonny Bairstow (WK), 5. Shahrukh Khan, 6. Rishi Dhawan, 7. Odean Smith, 8. Kagiso Rabada, 9. Arshdeep Singh, 10. Sandeep Sharma, 11. Harpreet Brar/ Rahul Chahar

Strengths

The top 5. Agarwal & Dhawan are perennial Orange Cap contenders, Livingstone-Bairstow are T20 legends, and Shahrukh Khan is the newest finisher in the house.

Weaknesses

Not many Indian batters on the bench if Agarwal/Dhawan were to get injured.

X Factor

Watch out for Rishi Dhawan. He has had a pivotal domestic season.

Punjab Kings IPL 2022 Squad List

Batters

  • Mayank Agarwal (C)
  • Shikhar Dhawan
  • Shahrukh Khan
  • Prabhsimran Singh (WK)
  • Jitesh Sharma
  • Atharva Taide

___________________________

Overseas

  • Jonny Bairstow (WK)
  • Bhanuka Rajapaksa

All Rounders

  • Rishi Dhawan
  • Raj Bawa
  • Writtick Chatterjee
  • Prerak Mankad

___________________________

Overseas

  • Liam Livingstone
  • Benny Howell
  • Odean Smith

Bowlers

  • Arshdeep Singh
  • Rahul Chahar
  • Harpreet Brar
  • Ishan Porel
  • Vaibhav Arora
  • Baltej Singh
  • Ansh Patel
  • Sandeep Sharma

___________________________

Overseas

  • Kagiso Rabada
  • Nathan Ellis

Overseas Players (by Nationality):

  • Australia: Nathan Ellis
  • England: Jonny Bairstow, Liam Livingstone, Benny Howell
  • West Indies: Odean Smith
  • South Africa: Kagiso Rabada
  • Sri Lanka: Bhanuka Rajapaksa

Punjab Kings IPL 2022 Fixtures

PBKS Fixtures VsRCBKKRCSKGTMISRHDCLSGRR
3/274/14/34/84/134/174/204/295/7
5/134/255/35/225/16

Punjab Kings Website

8. Rajasthan Royals (RR)

Predicted XI:

  1. Jos Buttler (WK), 2. Yashasvi Jaiswal, 3. Devdutt Padikkal, 4. Sanju Samson (C), 5. Shimron Hetmyer, 6. Daryl Mitchell/James Neesham, 7. Ravichandran Ashwin, 8. Yuzvendra Chahal, 9. Prasidh Krishna, 10. Navdeep Saini, 11. Trent Boult

Strengths

The bowling line up. Ashwin-Chahal area top notch duo and add Boult, Prasidh Krishna, and Navdeep Saini, and this is an envious line-up.

Weaknesses

Too top heavy. Lack of finishers if Neesham does not fire (Riyan Parag has not been consistent enough either)

X Factor

Watch out for Prasidh Krishna. Now an India capped player, lot will rest on his shoulders.

Rajasthan Royals IPL 2022 Squad List

Batters

  • Sanju Samson (C)/WK)
  • Yashasvi Jaiswal
  • Karun Nair
  • Devdutt Padikkal
  • Shubham Garhwal

___________________________

Overseas

  • Jos Buttler (WK)
  • Shimron Hetmyer
  • Rassie van der Dussen

All Rounders

  • Ravichandran Ashwin
  • Riyan Parag

___________________________

Overseas

  • Nathan Coulter-Nile
  • Daryl Mitchell
  • James Neesham

Bowlers

  • Yuzvendra Chahal
  • Prasidh Krishna
  • Navdeep Saini
  • Anunay Singh
  • KC Cariappa
  • Dhruv Jurel
  • Kuldeep Sen
  • Tejas Baroka
  • Kuldip Yadav

___________________________

Overseas

  • Trent Boult
  • Obed McCoy

Overseas Players (by Nationality):

  • New Zealand: Daryl Mitchell, James Neesham, Trent Boult
  • Australia: Nathan Coulter-Nile
  • England: Jos Buttler
  • West Indies: Shimron Hetmyer, Obed McCoy
  • South Africa: Rassie van der Dussen

Rajasthan Royals IPL 2022 Fixtures

RR Fixtures VsSRHMIRCBLSGGTKKRDCPBKSCSK
3/294/24/54/104/144/184/225/75/20
4/304/265/155/25/11

Rajasthan Royals Website

9. Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB)

Predicted XI:

  1. Faf du Plessis (C), 2. Anuj Rawat, 3. Virat Kohli, 4. Glenn Maxwell, 5. Dinesh Karthik (WK), 6. Sherfane Rutherford/Mahipal Lomror, 7. Wanindu Haranga, 8. Shahbaz Ahmed, 9. Harshal Patel, 10. Mohammad Siraj, 11. Karn Sharma/Josh Hazlewood

Strengths

Bowling line up of Siraj-Harshal-Shahbaz-Hasaranga-Hazlewood is mouth-watering.

Weaknesses

How many games will it take RCB to figure out their best XI, which has been their usual problem. I reckon until Maxwell & Hazlewood come in, RCB might experiment with Anuj Rawat-Lomror-Rutherford.

X Factor

Watch out for Finn Allen. If he gets a chance, just remember his debut 29-ball 71 in a T20I. Also watch out for captain Faf du Plessis. Legendary leader – can he help RCB cross the line?

Also Read: Faf du Plessis & AB De Villiers’ Friendship: Broken Dreams of Faf and ABD

Royal Challengers Bangalore IPL 2022 Squad List

Batters

  • Virat Kohli
  • Dinesh Karthik (WK)
  • Anuj Rawat (WK)
  • Suyash Prabhudessai
  • Luvnith Sisodia

___________________________

Overseas

  • Faf du Plessis (C)
  • Finn Allen
  • Sherfane Rutherford

All Rounders

  • Mahipal Lomror
  • Shahbaz Ahmed

___________________________

Overseas

  • Glenn Maxwell
  • Wanindu Hasaranga de Silva
  • David Willey

Bowlers

  • Mohammed Siraj
  • Harshal Patel
  • Siddarth Kaul
  • Karn Sharma
  • Akash Deep
  • Aneeshwar Gautam
  • Chama Milind

___________________________

Overseas

  • Jason Behrendorff
  • Josh Hazlewood

Overseas Players (by Nationality):

  • New Zealand: Finn Allen
  • Australia: Glenn Maxwell, Jason Behrendorff, Josh Hazlewood
  • England: David Willey
  • West Indies: Sherfane Rutherford
  • South Africa: Faf du Plessis
  • Sri Lanka: Wanindu Hasaranga de Silva

Royal Challengers Bangalore IPL 2022 Fixtures

RCB Fixtures VsPBKSKKRRRMICSKDCLSGSRHGT
3/273/304/54/94/124/164/194/234/30
5/134/265/45/85/19

RCB Website

10. Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH)

Predicted XI:

  1. Kane Williamson (C), 2. Rahul Tripathi, 3. Aiden Markram/Glenn Phillips, 4. Nicholas Pooran (WK), 5. Abdul Samad, 6. Priyam Garg/Abhishek Sharma, 7. Washington Sundar/Shreyas Gopal, 8. Romario Shepherd, 9. Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 10. Umran Malik, 11. T Natarajan/Kartik Tyagi

Strengths

Umran Malik-Natarajan-Bhuvneshwar Kumar make a solid bowling line-up. Expect Umran Malik to break the speed charts in this edition of the IPL.

Weaknesses

Not convinced with Priyam Garg/Abhishek Sharma at #6. They might be better used up the order with experienced batters to finish off the match.

X Factor

Watch out for Rahul Tripathi. He was the heart and soul of KKR’s run to the final last year and for RPS in 2017. Also watch out for Suchith, the ultimate substitute fielder.

Sunrisers Hyderabad IPL 2022 Squad List

Batters

  • Rahul Tripathi
  • Abdul Samad
  • Priyam Garg
  • Vishnu Vinod (WK)
  • Ravikumar Samarth
  • Shashank Singh

___________________________

Overseas

  • Kane Williamson (C)
  • Aiden Markram
  • Nicholas Pooran (WK)

All Rounders

  • Washington Sundar
  • Abhishek Sharma

___________________________

Overseas

  • Sean Abbott
  • Glenn Phillips (WK)
  • Romario Shepherd

Bowlers

  • Shreyas Gopal
  • Bhuvneshwar Kumar
  • Kartik Tyagi
  • T Natarajan
  • Umran Malik
  • Jagadeesha Suchith
  • Saurabh Dubey

___________________________

Overseas

  • Fazalhaq Farooqi
  • Marco Jansen

Overseas Players (by Nationality):

  • New Zealand: Kane Williamson, Glenn Phillips
  • Australia: Sean Abbott
  • West Indies: Nicholas Pooran, Romario Shepherd
  • South Africa: Aiden Markram, Marco Jansen
  • Afghanistan: Fazalhaq Farooqi

Sunrisers Hyderabad IPL 2022 Fixtures

SRH Fixtures VsRRLSGCSKGTKKRPBKSRCBDCMI
3/294/44/94/114/154/174/235/55/17
5/14/275/145/225/8

Sunrisers Hyderabad Website

Frequently Asked Questions – IPL 2022

Who is the captain of CSK in IPL 2022?

Ravindra Jadeja is the captain of CSK in IPL 2022 as MS Dhoni steps down.

Who are all the IPL 2022 commentators?

Harsha Bhogle, Ian Bishop, Aan Wilkins, Pommie Mbangwa, Simon Doull, Sunil gavaskar, Danny Morrison, Graeme Swann, Scott Styris, neroli Medows, Anant Tyagi, Laxman Sivaramakrishnan, Murali Karthik, Kevin Pietersen, Matthew Hayden, Deep Dasgupta, Anjum Chopra, Nicholas Knight, WV Raman, Daren Ganga, Morne Morkel, Graeme Smith head the English global broadcast unit, while Ravi Shastri, Suresh Raina, Aakash Chopra, Mohammad Kaif, Mayanti Langer Binny, Irfan Pathan, Parthiv Patel, Harbhajan Singh, Piyush Chawla, Dhawal Kulkarni, Jatin Sapru, Tanya Purohit, Suren Sundaram are the Hindi/English commentators.

Who is the captain of RCB in IPL 2022?

After Virat Kohli stepped down, Faf du Plessis became the captain of RCB in IPL 2022.

What are the two new teams in IPL 2022?

Gujarat Titans and Lucknow Super Giants are the two new teams in IPL 2022.

Sources: ESPNCricinfo – IPL

If you like this content on IPL, please subscribe above for FREE and follow us on our social media accounts.

Follow us here if you are on Medium or Bloglovin‘.

© Copyright @Nitesh Mathur and Broken Cricket Dreams, 2021. Originally published on 03/24/2022. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Broken Cricket Dreams with appropriate and specific direction to the original content (i.e. linked to the exact post/article).

IPL 2021 Prediction Results: Did Anybody Get It Right?

IPL 2021 Prediction results time!

Unfortunately, IPL 2021 was cancelled due to the coronavirus. Here are the prediction results assuming the IPL does not get rescheduled this year.

Also Read: 5 Takeaways from IPL 2021, Pre-IPL 2021 Predictions

IPL 2021 Review

The Usual Suspects Disappoint

IPL 2021 prediction results were quite unusual this time around.

The usual contenders for the Orange and Purple caps – David Warner, Quinton de Kock, Rashid Khan, Jasprit Bumrah, & Kagiso Rabada all had sub-par seasons. Even recent IPL specialists like Ishan Kishan & Suryakumar Yadav had seasons to forget. Nicholas Pooran probably had the worst of the lot.

The Year of the Surprise Package

This was the year of the ‘Surprise Package’—the rise of Avesh Khan & Chetan Sakariya, Moeen Ali 2.0, Harshal Patel’s dream season, the return of Glenn Maxwell, consistency in Sanju Samson & Prithvi Shaw, and even a 37-run over from the man who can do it all—Ravindra Jadeja.

Of course there are some things that never change. AB De Villiers & the Gayle Storm struck a couple of match-winning knocks without much match practice.

Finally, if we would have done a ‘Catch of the Season’ award, surely Ravi Bishnoi would have received it for his 2 classical running/diving catches.

IPL 2021 Prediction

Before the IPL began, we asked our Twitter followers to predict the IPL result and award winners with #BCDPredictions. Here were the categories:

  • #Champions
  • #Top4
  • #MVP
  • #OrangeCap
  • #PurpleCap
  • #FairPlay
  • #EmergingPlayer
  • #SurprisePackage
  • #BrokenDream

The Actual Results

Since half the games were not completed, we will consider multiple winners for each category if there were close contenders. (If we do not consider close calls, there actually very few correct answers).

Interestingly, there were zero predictions for Shikhar Dhawan & Harshal Patel, the orange & purple cap winners respectively.

So here is how things stacked at the halfway stage.

Note*: DC and PBKS played 8 games each, while other teams played only 7.

ChampionsDelhi Capitals (12 points, 8 games)
Chennai Super Kings (10 points, 7 games)
Top 4 DC, CSK, RCB, MI
Most Valuable Player
(Top 5)
Shikhar Dhawan
Ravindra Jadeja
Moeen Ali
Chris Morris
KL Rahul
Orange CapShikhar Dhawan – 380 runs/8 games(DC)
KL Rahul – 331 runs/ 7 games (PBKS)
Faf du Plessis – 320 runs/ 7 games (CSK)
Purple CapHarshal Patel – 17 wickets (RCB)
Fairplay AwardPunjab Kings
Emerging PlayerChetan Sakariya
Avesh Khan
Surprise PackageHarshal Patel
Chahar Brothers
Prithvi Shaw
Moeen Ali
Glenn Maxwell actually doing well
Broken DreamIPL ends midway due to COVID
IPL 2021 Awards

And The Winner Is…

Alright, without further ado here are the actual results. Who was the closest?

Well let us find out.

AwardsChampions Top 4MVPOrange CapPurple CapFair PlayEmerging PlayerSurprise PackageBroken Dream
My Predictions
(1/12)
RCBRCB, PBKS, KKR, SRHNicholas Pooran ❌Jonny BairstowShardul ThakurRRAzharuddeenDan Christian MSD & Imran Tahir retire?
Aviral Rai
(5/12)
CSK ✅ SRH,MI, CSK & DCDavid WarnerVirat KohliBhuvneshwar KumarPBKS ✅Shahrukh KhanUthappaMS last IPL maybe
JustCricket
(3/12)
MIMI, DC, RCB, PK/RRBen StokesVirat
Kohli
Kagiso RabadaCSKSRK (PK)
Finn Allen
Sourabh Sanyal
(4/12)
MI/SRH
RCB, DC, MI, SRHVK/Rahul ✅ VK/WarnerBoom/KGRRPadikkalMarco JansenCSK not qualifying
Anand Abhirup
(2/12)
SRHMI, SRH, PBKS, KKRMarcus StoinisKL Rahul ✅ Bhuvneshwar KumarRRAbdul SamadFinn AllenMSD retires
Ganesh giri srt
(2/12)
SRHSRH, MI, PBKS, RCBBhuviWarnerRashidSRHSamadKedarMSD retire forever?
Mohd Shamir Ansari 
(2/12)
MIMI, RCB, KKR, SRHSuryakumar Yadav
Rohit SharmaRashid KhanKKRShahrukh KhanAndre RussellWill be CSK not making into top 4, second time in a row of IPL history.
The Hundred Report
(4/12)
MIDC, SRH, MI, CSKPantBairstowNortjePunjab
Riyan ParagShahrukh
RCB
Sourabh Negi 
(4/12)
CSK ✅ CSK, PBKS, DC, KKRA Russell/ R PantKL Rahul ✅ K RabadaCSKShahrukh Khan/M. AzharuddeenS ThakurMI not making hatrick of winning IPL
Vandit
(5/12)
MIMI, DC, PBKS, RRChris Morris

KL Rahul ✅ Rashid KhanCSKMarco Jansen/Avesh Khan
Yashasvi JaiswalMS Dhoni
Paras
(2/12)
KKRMI, KKR, SRH, RCBAndre RussellDavid WarnerBumrah / CumminsKKRPrasidh KrishnaAbdul SamadMSD, Tahir
Rohan Gulavani
(4/12)
DC ✅ MI, DC, SRH, RCBPantVirat KohliNortjeCSKAzharuddeen/Rajat
Meredith/ShahrukhRCB not crossing the line again
Kanishk
(4/12)
MIMI, DC, SRH, CSKPantWarnerBumrahCSKShah Rukh khanPrithvi Shaw ✅ RCB not qualifying
Nams
(1/12)
PBKSPBKS, KKR, MI, RRBumrahVirat KohliBumrahSRHFinn AllenLiam LivingstoneIyer
Priyam Desai
(4/12)
MIMI, CSK, DC, PBKSShubman GillKohli/KL Rahul ✅ SRHPriyam GargArjun Tendulkar
Arnab Bhattacharyya
(4/12)
DC ✅ MI, DC, KKR, SRHPantMayank AgarwalAshwinCSKShahrukh KhanShaw ✅ Zinta and her Team
Kickit Wicket
(3/12)
MIMI, SRH, PBSK, CSKBumrahRohitBumrahPBKS
PadikaalHardikMalan Flops
Xan
(4/12)
SRHMI, SRH, RR, CSKChris Morris
David WarnerRavichandran AshwinRRRuturaj GaikwadChetan Sakariya
Maxwell performs well
Mitsuha Miyamizu
(2/12)
RCBRCB , KKR , SRH/DC ,RR
ABDViratJamiesonRCBAbdul SamadKedhar Jadhav
Thala
 ϻⓐHέⓢ𝐡
(2/12)
RRMI, CSK, SRH, RR
Ben StokesQuinton de Kock
Jofra ArcherDCRavi BishnoiAbhishek Sharma
MSD retires
Scripturient
(4/12)
MIMI, CSK, KKR, SRHPantKohliNortje or BumrahPBKS
KishanShaw ✅ RR not qualifying (Lovely team this season)
Jimmy Ciego
(1/12)
KKRRR, PBKS, KKR, SRHNicholas Pooran ❌ StokesJhyePBKS
ShahrukhMalan
Dan
(2/12)
MISRH, MI, KKR, RR
Ben StokesKL Rahul ✅
Rashid KhanCSKParagShahrukh Khan
PBKS finish bottom
AVINASH YADAV 
(3/12)
RCBMI RCB KKR KXIPViratKL Rahul ✅ BhuviCSKMohd. AzharuddeenIshan Kishan
Delhi Capitals’ loss of Shreyas Iyer will be an impact
James McCaghrey
(5/12)
MIMI, DC, CSK, KKRChris Morris
David WarnerJasprit BumrahRRAzharuddeenMoeen Ali
Malan has a very poor IPL
 Shivam
(3/5)
RCBCSK, MI, RCB, SRH
Harrison
(3/5)
MIMI, SRH, RCB, DC
IPL 2021 Prediction

The Winners

The moment of truth….Drumroll please….WE HAVE A TIE!

  • 1st 🥇: Aviral Rai, James McCagrey, and Vandit (5/12) (Vandit was also the winner of the IPL 2020 Predictions)
  • 2nd🥈: Sourabh Sanyal, Sourabh Negi, Scripturient, The Hundred Report, Xan, Priyam Desai, Kanishk, Rohan Gulavani, and Arnab Bhattacharrya (4/12)
  • 3rd 🥉: Shivam & Harrison (3/5)

  • Honorable Mention: Jonny – “Hope it stays COVID safe most of all #IPL.”
  • The Anti Award goes to…Jimmy Ciego! His top 4 were RR (5), PBKS (6), KKR (7), and SRH (8) with Nicholas Pooran as the most valuable player. Oops… 😅 No worries. My predictions were a close second there.

Also Read: Nicholas Pooran – The Next Big Thing In World Cricket?

Conclusion

Sometimes, predictions go your way, and sometimes they do not. The important thing is to have fun and get a chance to interact with other cricket fans.

In all seriousness though, my thoughts and prayers with everyone going through the pandemic around the world, especially in India. Take care and stay safe.

Thank you all for participating in the IPL 2021 Prediction 😊 Until next time…

Comment below your favorite memories from this IPL, share with your friends, and subscribe below to receive email alerts when new articles come out!

Image Courtesy: Photo by Paula Schmidt from Pexels

5 Takeaways from IPL 2021

IPL 2021 has unfortunately been suspended ‘indefinitely’. Seemed inevitable—here are five takeaways from this tournament.

1. India’s Problem of Plenty At the Top for India, Questions Elsewhere

Virat Kohli announced during the India-England series that he & Rohit Sharma would open for the T20I World Cup. Ishan Kishan & Suryakumar Yadav also had stunning debuts, but IPL 2021 has changed the narrative.

Dhawan, Shaw, & KL Rahul are back in the reckoning with dominating performances while Agarwal signed off with a blazing 99*. Forms of Rohit-Kohli, Gill, Kishan, and SKY on the other hand? Concerning.

While India has plenty of options at the top, lower order looks unstable. Pandyas are horridly out of touch, Tewatia was a one-season wonder, and Karthik’s form is hot and cold. On the bowling front, Natarajan is injured, Varun and Bhuvneshwar Kumar have fitness issues, Kuldeep-Chahal are in the worst phases of their careers, and Sundar-Ashwin failed to make a mark. Only positives were the Chahar cousins, Harshal Patel, & Jadeja. Good finds in Sakariya & Avesh as well.

2. England Burnt Out, Hope for South Africa, Doubts for West Indies

England arrived in India with the goal of experiencing conditions that will help them lift the World T20 trophy. Fast forward two months, Stokes-Archer are injured & Morgan’s magic is missing—both as captain and with the bat. Apart from century in the final game, Buttler flattered to deceive, Currans were inconsistent, Woakes-Malan barely played, & Roy-Livingstone-Billings did not even get a chance. Only Moeen Ali & Bairstow had positive seasons.

With a busy home Test summer around the corner, England need to manage their players carefully. A case of severe burnout. 

South Africans, on the other hand, endured a resurgent campaign. Genius of AB De Villiers aside, forms of du Plessis, Morris, Miller, and even 42-year-old Tahir provides South Africa much needed hope. With Janneman Malan & Nortje in brilliant touch during the Pakistan series, the Proteas have a decent core of youth & experience.

Ngidi, Rabada, and QDK were not in top gear, but we all know what damage they can do.

Finally, West Indians witnessed high highs and low lows. Pollard played his best IPL innings, Hetmyer & Russell displayed their finishing potential, and Gayle produced a couple of match-winning performances as well. Yet much-hyped Pooran had one of the all-time worst IPL seasons—4 ducks & an average of 4.66. Not much of note from Allen, Holder, & Narine either.

3. Loyalty Is Temporary, Class Is Permanent

David Warner might only be considered a great modern-day Australian opener, but he is an absolute legend in the Indian Premier League.

Most fifties (50), third on list of centuries (4), and fifth highest run-scorer (5447), best for any foreign player. More importantly, he led Sunrisers Hyderabad to their only title in 2016 along with four qualifiers.

It took just 6 games, couple of unfortunate run-outs, a 110 strike-rate, and miscommunication with management to axe him. Expect Warner to don a jersey of another team next IPL.

Loyalty is fickle.

4. World T20 In Danger?

Unlike the successfully hosted IPL 2020, the way this edition ended was bit of a shame. IPL 2021 was supposed to be testing grounds to see if India can host the World T20 later this year. India failed.

UAE is the top contender to host the tournament, but multiple issues still to think about. IPL 2020 was in a strict bio-bubble with 8 teams involved. The World Cup will host 16 teams, and each team is allowed an extended squad of 23 players.

Man proposes COVID disposes.

5. Humanity Prevails

Jason Behrendorff had to be the most unfortunate cricketing story of IPL 2021.

Not picked in initial auction, called as a replacement for CSK, quarantined, and when he finally became eligible to play, the IPL was called off.

What’s worse? Australian government is not accepting their citizens (even jail threat), so the Australian contingent from the IPL must fly to Sri Lanka & Maldives until the travel ban ends.

Regardless, kudos to Behrendorff & earlier to Cummins for contributing to the COVID-19 emergency in India that set off a series of players donating to the cause.

Our thoughts and prayers with India and others suffering from the global pandemic.

Get well soon, world.

RR Vs SRH – IPL 2021 Match 28 Review: Jos Buttler’s Century Breaks Warner-Less SRH

RR Vs SRH – IPL 2021 Match #28 Quick Review!

Match Details, Scorecard, & Video Highlights

Scorecard: RR Vs SRH Video Highlights

Toss: SRH won the toss and chose to field first.

Venue: Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi

Umpires: Chettithody Shamshuddin & Chris Gaffaney

What Actually Happened

  • Winner: Rajasthan Royals won by 55 runs
  • Scores: RR 220-3 Vs SRH 165-8
  • Player of the Match: Jos Buttler
  • Best Figures
    • Rashid Khan – 1/24
    • Mustafizur Rahman – 3/20
  • Most Runs
    • Jos Buttler – 124 (64)
    • Manish Pandey – 31 (20), Jonny Bairstow – 30 (21)

Moments of The Day: Buttler & Samson Make It Rajasthan’s Day

Here are my moments of today:

  • It is game 7, and Sanju Samson is still delivering good scores? Sanju Samson & consistency, well that is a good change. Since becoming the captain of the RR side, his batting seems more mature & calculated, taking more responsibility on himself. Following his epic 119, he followed it with low scores of 4, 1, & 21. However, he has come back with steady 42*, 42, & 48 (33) today. Does Samson have an upper hand against an out-of-form Suryakumar Yadav for a World T20 spot?
  • Jos Buttler had a David Warner-esque tournament before this game. A score of 49, 41, and 40 in the other 4 innings for a total of 130 runs in 6 matches. He started scratchy today and but accelerated after the halfway stage. Batting till the 19th over, he scored all around the ground in the flat Delhi pitch. His dancing shots at the end of the innings were truly special, taking RR from 111 in 13 overs to 220 by the 20th. In Buttler’s own words, “I can finally stop Alastair Cook telling me, ‘I’ve got one more T20 hundred than you.’ ”
  • Mustafizur Rahman is enjoying a second wind, taking 8 wickets so far. His wrist is finally back to the usual & pace is returning as well. After numerous injuries & inconsistency, I am glad he is finally back. Check out Jarrod Kimber’s brilliant analysis of his topsy-turvy career here.

Honorable Mention: Manish Pandey’s aggressive 31 (20); Riyan Parag & David Miller’s cameos; Rashid Khan opens the bowling and goes for 4-0-24-1 in high-scoring encounter

Broken Cricket Dream of the Day: David Warner Gets Dropped

Alright I confess. At the end of last game, I suggested David Warner should get dropped for Jason Roy. Warner was indeed axed unceremoniously. However, instead of going with an aggressive Roy-Bairstow opening combination, they went with Mohammad Nabi.

  • The issue with that call is that Nabi was only given one over. It was at the backend of the innings when Buttler was only in a six-hitting mode and ended up conceding 21 runs.
  • At the beginning of the match, Abdul Samad was slotted to open. When the time came, Manish Pandey walked in (although he did well), and Shankar-Jadhav batted at 4-5. With Nabi at 6 (quickfire 17 off 6) and Samad at 7, they were never going to chase 220. Should have been sent earlier. There are too many voices in the SRH dugout.
  • Kane Williamson himself had an uncharacteristically off-day with a 21-ball 20.
  • Rashid Khan’s batting form is a concern. 3 ducks and a 17 in four outings now.

Warner was a total team-man throughout the game, supporting the team from the boundary right through the game. IPL legend.

IPL 2021 Points Table, Orange Cap, & Purple Cap Leaders

No need to go elsewhere for the Points Table, Orange Cap, & Purple Cap. We will keep updating it in every article!

  • Shikhar Dhawan 380 runs (PBKS, 8 matches)
  • Harshal Patel – 17 wickets (RCB, 7 matches)
TeamsPlayedWonLostTied
No-Result
PointsNet Run Rate
1. Delhi Capitals 862012+0.547
2. Chennai Super Kings752010+1.263
3. Royal Challengers Bangalore 752010 -0.171
4. Mumbai Indians74308+ 0.062
5. Rajasthan Royals73406-0.190
6. Punjab Kings83506-0.368
7. Kolkata Knight Riders72504-0.494
8. Sunrisers Hyderabad71602-0.623
IPL 2021 Points Table

Also, if you have not yet read our IPL Previews, here is a list of all of them! Check them out and share ahead:

  1. Chennai Super Kings – CSK Preview
  2. Delhi Capitals – DC Preview
  3. Kolkata Knight Riders – KKR Preview
  4. Mumbai Indians – MI Preview
  5. Punjab Kings – PBKS Preview
  6. Rajasthan Royals – RR Preview
  7. Royal Challengers Bangalore – RCB Preview
  8. Sunrisers Hyderabad – SRH Preview

Copyright (2021: 4/12/2021)– @Nitesh Mathur, aka Nit-X – bcd@brokokencricketdreams.com

Home » Sunrisers Hyderabad

Image Courtesy: David Warner by Naparazzi via CC by SA-2.0

CSK Vs SRH – IPL 2021 Match 23 Review: Do SRH Need to Drop David Warner For Jason Roy?

CSK Vs SRH – IPL 2021 Match #23 Quick Review! The better side won today. Warner disappoints, and Gaikwad-Faf partnership impresses again.

Match Details, Scorecard, & Video Highlights

Scorecard: CSK Vs SRH Video Highlights

Toss: SRH won the toss and chose to field first.

Venue: Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi

Umpires: Chettithody Shamshuddin & Nandan

What Actually Happened

  • Winner: Chennai Super Kings won by 7 wickets.
  • Scores: SRH 171-3 Vs CSK 173-3
  • Player of the Match: Ruturaj Gaikwad
  • Best Figures
    • Lungi Ngidi – 2/35
    • Rashid Khan – 3/36
  • Most Runs
    • Manish Pandey – 61 (46)
    • Ruturaj Gaikwad – 75 (44)

Moments of The Day: Positive Faf-Gaikwad Shine Light On Warner-Pandey’s Conservative Approach

Here are my moments of today:

  • David Warner & Manish Pandey once SRH’s strength are now the weakness. For once we will not be talking about Manish Pandey’s slow going. After being dropped from the SRH XI, he came back with a relatively positive 35-ball 50. On the other hand, sluggish 57 (55) by David Warner was the difference between the two sides. In his own words, “I batted slow…I take full responsibility…I took too many balls.” At the end of the day, a 106 (87) partnership should not be losing you too many games.
  • Kane Williamson’s finishing skills comes to the forefront. After SRH’s slow approach, Williamson began his famous rescue act. With four 4s & one six, he ended up with 26*(10) and received some good support from Kedar Jadhav, who hit 12* (4) with one six. 37 runs were scored in the last 13 balls to lift SRH to 171, but unfortunately it was too little, too late.
  • Ruturaj Gaikwad & Faf du Plessis are key to CSK’s revival. Gaikwad now has had 6 innings of note in his short IPL career. He was going neck and neck with Faf at one point, but when the spin duo Suchith-Rashid arrived, Gaikwad went berserk, ending with a score of 75 including 12 classic fours. Faf is enjoying a second wind after retiring from Test cricket and relieving South African captaincy. Mr. Ultra Consistent, he has been diving around the field and has now become the Orange Cap holder in IPL 2021. With scores of 0, 36*, 33, 95*, 50, 56, Faf just keeps on getting better.

Highlight of the Day

  • The best part of their fifties was the celebration from the dugout. Everyone stood up with Robin Uthappa (who may not get a game if Gaikwad keeps on going well) clapping with a smile and the best of the lot – whistles from Deepak Chahar. CSK’s team spirit is growing game by game and are slowly approaching unstoppable status.

Honorable Mention: Rashid Khan expensive but among the wickets; Lungi Ngidi’s 2 wickets; Faf’s catch & boundary riding

Broken Cricket Dream of the Day: Sunrisers Hyderabad Bench

  • While Pandey & Warner were stitching singles in the middle overs, I could not help but wonder how Jason Roy, Mohammad Nabi, & Jason Holder would go about in the situation. In my pre-tournament previews, I had SRH in my top 4 due to their flexibility and bench strength. Yet, they have not been able to figure out their balance. It is time that Warner rests himself for a couple of games, Williamson take on the captaincy mantle, & SRH unleashes the Roy-Bairstow opening combination.
  • In the last game, Warner implied that he did not know why Pandey was dropped for Virat Singh, and today he questioned Williamson’s #4 position.

David Warner’s post-match conferences are suddenly being scrutinized. Cryptic for sure. Is there a power struggle in SRH’s dugout? Who is making all the decisions?

IPL 2021 Points Table, Orange Cap, & Purple Cap Leaders

No need to go elsewhere for the Points Table, Orange Cap, & Purple Cap. We will keep updating it in every article!

Shikhar Dhawan has been dethroned! Faf du Plessis up at the top now.

  • Faf du Plessis 270 runs (CSK, 6 matches)
  • Harshal Patel – 17 wickets (RCB, 6 matches)
TeamsPlayedWonLostTied
No-Result
PointsNet Run Rate
1. Chennai Super Kings651010+1.475
2. Royal Challengers Bangalore 651010 +0.089
3. Delhi Capitals64208+ 0.269
4. Mumbai Indians52304-0.032
5. Kolkata Knight Riders62404-0.305
6. Punjab Kings 62404-0.608
7. Rajasthan Royals52304-0.681
8. Sunrisers Hyderabad61502-0.264
IPL 2021 Points Table

Tomorrow’s Preview

Mumbai Indians take on Rajasthan Royals and Kolkata Knight Riders take on Delhi Capitals in double header day.

Also, if you have not yet read our IPL Previews, here is a list of all of them! Check them out and share ahead:

  1. Chennai Super Kings – CSK Preview
  2. Delhi Capitals – DC Preview
  3. Kolkata Knight Riders – KKR Preview
  4. Mumbai Indians – MI Preview
  5. Punjab Kings – PBKS Preview
  6. Rajasthan Royals – RR Preview
  7. Royal Challengers Bangalore – RCB Preview
  8. Sunrisers Hyderabad – SRH Preview

Copyright (2021: 4/12/2021)– @Nitesh Mathur, aka Nit-X – bcd@brokokencricketdreams.com

Home » Sunrisers Hyderabad

SRH Vs DC IPL 2021 Match 20 Review: All-Round Delhi Outdo Williamson In Super Over Clash

SRH Vs DC – IPL 2021 Match #20 Quick Review!

Match Details, Scorecard, & Video Highlights

Scorecard: SRH Vs DC Video Highlights

Toss: DC won the toss and chose to bat first.

Venue: MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chepauk, Chennai

Umpires: Chris Gaffaney & KN Ananthapadmanabhan

What Actually Happened

  • Winner: Delhi Capitals won in the Super Over.
  • Scores: DC 159/4SRH 159/7
  • Super Over: SRH 8/0 DC 9/0
  • Player of the Match: Prithvi Shaw
  • Best Figures
    • Siddharth Kaul – 2/31
    • Avesh Khan 34/3
  • Most Runs
    • Prithvi Shaw – 53 (39)
    • Kane Williamson – 66* (51)

Moments of The Day: Top Order, Spinners Make It Delhi’s Day (Barely)

The IPL is full of surprises and memorable moments. Here are my moments of today:

  • Prithvi Shaw‘s first six scoring shots included 5 fours and one six. All from the middle of the bat to give DC a start that they wanted in Chennai. At this ground, a quickfire 53 was the momentum that was the difference between the two sides.
  • The only other batsman that played a long innings was Kane Williamson. Having collapsed earlier with smaller targets, Kane Williamson showed his worth in this 160 run chase. Batted through the innings and got SRH close to victory. Well, at least to the Super Over.
  • Avesh Khan & Jagadeesha Suchith are the names on the long list of young Indian talent. Avesh Khan impressed yet again with 34/3 and is now second on the Purple Cap list (11 wickets) behind Harshal Patel. At the end of the innings, Axar Patel’s back-to-back wickets of Abhishek Sharma & Rashid Khan, it looked curtains for SRH. Williamson needed support and got a timely 14*(6) from Suchith. 2 fours and a pulled six off Kagiso Rabada.
  • The spin trio of Ashwin (4-0-27-0), Axar (4-0-26-2), and Mishra (4-0-31-1) finally played together, and they all delivered. The ball was turning square, and they were varying their pace and deliveries accordingly. May be the last time to see these three together this year.

Honorable Mentions: Rishabh Pant-Steven Smith 58 run partnership; Delhi’s Spin Trio

Broken Cricket Dream of the Day: Why Didn’t Bairstow Play the Super Over?

  • Jonny Bairstow was on fire again with quickfire 38 (18) with 4 sixes and has been SRH’s most destructive & consistent batsman this season. Hence, it was surprising that he was not sent with Williamson in the Super Over. His expression on the sidelines went viral.
  • In addition to the English and more Australian players leaving the IPL, Ravichandran Ashwin is the first Indian to leave the IPL to support his family. The situation in India is concerning. Let us hope for the best and stay safe everybody.

IPL 2021 Points Table, Orange Cap, & Purple Cap Leaders

No need to go elsewhere for the Points Table, Orange Cap, & Purple Cap. We will keep updating it in every article!

  • Shikhar Dhawan 259 runs (DC, 5 matches)
  • Harshal Patel – 15 wickets (RCB, 5 matches)
TeamsPlayedWonLostTied
No-Result
PointsNet Run Rate
1. Chennai Super Kings54108+ 1.612
2. Delhi Capitals54108+ 0.034
2. Royal Challengers Bangalore54108+ 0.096
4. Mumbai Indians52304-0.032
5. Punjab Kings 52304-0.428
6. Rajasthan Royals52304-0.681
7. Sunrisers Hyderabad51402-0.18
8. Kolkata Knight Riders51402-0.675
IPL 2021 Points Table

Also, if you have not yet read our IPL Previews, here is a list of all of them! Check them out and share ahead:

  1. Chennai Super Kings – CSK Preview
  2. Delhi Capitals – DC Preview
  3. Kolkata Knight Riders – KKR Preview
  4. Mumbai Indians – MI Preview
  5. Punjab Kings – PBKS Preview
  6. Rajasthan Royals – RR Preview
  7. Royal Challengers Bangalore – RCB Preview
  8. Sunrisers Hyderabad – SRH Preview

Copyright (2021: 4/12/2021)– @Nitesh Mathur, aka Nit-X – bcd@brokokencricketdreams.com

Home » Sunrisers Hyderabad

SRH Vs RCB IPL 2021 Match 6 Review: Hyderabad Channel Their Inner Kolkata

SRH Vs RCB – IPL 2021 Match #6 Quick Review! Surely, not two days in a row? Chennai pitch, runs on the board, and choke the chase.

Match Details, Scorecard, & Video Highlights

Scorecard: SRH Vs RCB Video Highlights

Toss: SRH won the toss and chose to field first.

Venue: MA Chidambaram, Chepauk, Chennai

Umpires: Nitin Menon & Ulhas Gandhe

What Actually Happened:

  • Winner: RCB won by 6 runs
  • Scores: RCB 149/8 Vs SRH 143/9
  • Player of the Match: Glenn Maxwell
  • Best Figures
    • Jason Holder – 3/30
    • Shahbaz Ahmed – 3/7
  • Most Runs
    • Glenn Maxwell – 59 (41)
    • David Warner – 54 (37)

Moments of The Day: Maxwell, Catches The Highlight

The IPL is full of surprises and memorable moments. Here are my moments of today:

  • Glenn Maxwell was the difference between the two sides. After a poor IPL 2020 (and no sixes) he has come up with 39 (28) with 2 sixes and 59 (41) with 3 sixes on slow tracks. The reverse paddle to yorker-master Natarajan was my moment of the match.
  • Scores of catches have been dropped over the past week, but Rashid Khan, Vijay Shankar, & Manish Pandey came up with running/diving catches for SRH, and the over that turned the game—Harshal Patel, AB de Villiers running catch, & Shahbaz himself caught skiers.
  • Rashid Khan is an absolute gun T20 player. 4-0-18-2 and 17 (9) giving SRH some hope at the end.

Honorable Mentions: Warner’s 54, Holder’s dismissal of struggling Kohli

T20 World Cup Spotlight: Shahbaz Ahmed, Harshal Patel Add To India’s Depth

Given that the T20I World Cup is around the corner, and pandemic induced rules has changed the rules to 23-player squad, we will be analyzing the impact of each match on the T20I World Cup squad.

  • Shahbaz Ahmed & Harshal Patel – In all reality, they may never wear an Indian cap given the tough competition, but these two have been brilliant first class cricketers who are finally getting their dues in the IPL. Shahbaz is the Ben Stokes of Bengal Cricket, while Harshal has been consistent over the last 5 years. Shahbaz’s 2-0-7-3 & Harshal’s economical overs to Manish Pandey (with slower off-cutters/nailed yorkers) sealed the game for RCB.

Also Read: Top 75 Current Cricketers In India

Broken Cricket Dream of the Day: Manish Pandey

  • Manish Pandey has probably been mismanaged by the Indian cricket team, but has been given ample of opportunities by SRH. He has now two consecutive innings – 61*(44) & 38 (39) – that could be considered ‘losing’ knocks. Dot balls & strike rate of 97.43 are not going to win you games.

As Simon Doull quoted Cricbuzz’s statistician, “In the last 4 seasons, Manish Pandey has faced 30+ 14 times in the last 4 seasons. Sunrisers has lost 11 of them.” That is the story of his IPL career.

IPL 2021 Points Table

No need to go elsewhere for the Points Table. We will keep updating it in every article!

TeamsPlayedWonLostTied
No-Result
PointsNet Run Rate
1. Royal Challengers Bangalore22004+0.175
2. Delhi Capitals11002+0.779
3. Mumbai Indians2 1102+0.225
4. Punjab Kings11002+ 0.2
5. Kolkata Knight Riders211000.00
6. Rajasthan Royals10100-0.2
7. Sunrisers Hyderabad20200-0.4
8.. Chennai Super Kings10100-0.779
IPL 2021 Points Table

Tomorrow’s Preview

The Delhi Capitals take on the Rajasthan Royals in Mumbai. Who do you think will win this one?

Also, if you have not yet read our IPL Previews, here is a list of all of them! Check them out and share ahead:

  1. Chennai Super Kings – CSK Preview
  2. Delhi Capitals – DC Preview
  3. Kolkata Knight Riders – KKR Preview
  4. Mumbai Indians – MI Preview
  5. Punjab Kings – PBKS Preview
  6. Rajasthan Royals – RR Preview
  7. Royal Challengers Bangalore – RCB Preview
  8. Sunrisers Hyderabad – SRH Preview

Copyright (2021: 4/14/2021)– @Nitesh Mathur, aka Nit-X – bcd@brokokencricketdreams.com

Home » Sunrisers Hyderabad

SRH Vs KKR IPL Match 3 Review: Nitish Rana 80 Trumps Jonny Bairstow’s Clean Striking

SRH Vs KKR – IPL 2021 Match #3 Quick Review! Kolkata Knight Riders emerge victorious against the Sunrisers Hyderabad.

Match Details

Scorecard: SRH Vs KKR

Venue: MA Chidambram Stadium, Chepauk, Chennai

Toss: SRH won the toss and chose to bowl first.

Umpires: KN Ananthapadmanabhan & Nitin Menon

What Actually Happened

  • Winner: KKR won by 10 runs
  • Scores: KKR 187/6 Vs SRH 177/5
  • Player of the Match: Nitish Rana
  • Best Figures
    • Rashid Khan 2-24
    • Prasidh Krishna 2-35
  • Most Runs
    • Nitish Rana 80 (56)
    • Manish Pandey 61*(44)

Moments of The Day

The IPL is full of surprises and memorable moments. Here are my moments of today:

Surprises

  • KKR’s Top Order was the surprise of the day. With DK-Morgan-Russell-Shakib-Cummins (even Harbhajan the hitter), the question was if the top order could get going.
    • Rana-Gill 53 (42) & 93 (50) Tripathi-Rana set the platform for KKR
    • Nitish Rana (80) and Tripathi (53) have become cult heroes in the IPL. Always produce a couple of match winning innings each IPL. Can they get consistency this time around?
  • Dinesh Karthik is still India’s best finisher. From 157-2, Kolkata collapsed to 160-5 in 17.4. The much acclaimed Russell & Morgan out for 5 and 2 respectively. Dinesh Karthik moved around the crease to produce a 22* (9), taking KKR to 187. Time for a T20I recall. Oh and ABDUL SAMAD – India’s best power hitter? 19*(8) with 2 sixes.
  • Jonny Bairstow a class apart. 10-2 in 2 overs in a chase of 188? No worries, Bairstow will play his natural game. 55 (40) with 5 fours & 3 sixes. One of the cleanest strikers of the ball. He is my orange cap prediction for IPL 2021.

Honorable Mentions: Afghan duo Rashid-Nabi put the breaks on KKR with figures of 8-0-56-4; Manish Pandey’s steady 61*; Shakib takes wicket against his former team first ball; Prasidh Krishna impresses again

Tweet of the Day

Must watch analysis that went viral on Twitter yesterday.

Broken Cricket Dreams of the Day

  • Harbhajan Singh coming back after 699 days, last playing in May 2019. In a slow Chennai pitch and history of Warner’s poor record against Harbhajan, he was given the first over. First ball – slow, spin, guile – Warner edges it in the air. Dropped by Pat Cummins. Broken Dream. Did not bowl for the rest of the match.
  • Mohammad Nabi gives a scare: Got hit at the back of his neck by Prasidh Krishna in the 16th over. 140 kph & Nab without neck protection guard. Really scary stuff. Came back with a strong 4 and then out. Hope he is okay in the long run.

IPL 2021 Points Table

No need to go elsewhere for the Points Table. We will keep updating it in every article!

TeamsPlayedWonLostTied
No-Result
PointsNet Run Rate
1. Delhi Capitals11002+0.779
2. Kolkata Knight Riders110 02+ 0.5
3. Royal Challengers Bangalore11002+0.05
4. Mumbai Indians10100-0.05
5. Sunrisers Hyderabad10100-0.5
6. Chennai Super Kings10100-0.779
Rajasthan Royals
Punjab Kings
IPL 2021 Points Table

Tomorrow’s Preview

The Rajasthan Royals take on the Punjab Kings in Chennai. Who do you think will win this one?

Also, if you have not yet read our IPL Previews, here is a list of all of them! Check them out and share ahead:

  1. Chennai Super Kings – CSK Preview
  2. Delhi Capitals – DC Preview
  3. Kolkata Knight Riders – KKR Preview
  4. Mumbai Indians – MI Preview
  5. Punjab Kings – PBKS Preview
  6. Rajasthan Royals – RR Preview
  7. Royal Challengers Bangalore – RCB Preview
  8. Sunrisers Hyderabad – SRH Preview

Copyright (2021: 4/11/2021)– @Nitesh Mathur, aka Nit-X – bcd@brokokencricketdreams.com

IPL 2021: 5 Things to Watch Out For

IPL 2021—ladies & gentlemen, the festival is back in town!

IPL 2020 provided us several moments to cherish amidst the global pandemic—Rahul Tewatia’s bizarre heist, Nicholas Pooran’s superman fielding effort, double Super Overs, and the Mumbai Indians stamping their authority once again.

Who will be the surprise package this year? The emerging player? Here are 5 things I am looking forward to the most in IPL 2021.

Also Read: Top 10 Lessons from IPL 2021, Dream Teams IPL 2020

1. Shine Like a Diamond

From the young Ravindra Jadeja in 2008 & Manish Pandey in 2009 to the inspirational stories of Natarajan & Chakravarthy last year, the IPL has a habit of thrusting new faces into limelight. In 2020, uncapped players like Ravi Bishnoi, Abdul Samad, and Devdutt Padikkal had breakout seasons. Here are some of exciting candidates for 2021:

  1. Finn Allen signed as a replacement for Josh Philippe and announced himself to the international stage with a whirlwind 71(29) against Bangladesh. Will he get a match though in the star-studded RCB line-up?
  2. Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy graduates Mohammad Azharuddeen (WK/batsman), Shahrukh Khan (finisher), and R Sai Kishore (spinner) would be quite handy if they carried their devastating forms earlier this year.
  3. Surprise Packages Paul Valthaty & Rahul Tewatia became household names after bizarre IPL seasons. Would love to watch a Chetan Sakariya, Lukman Meriwala, or someone we have not heard much about (yet) rising to the occasion.

2. Can the Discards Find Their Way Back to the Pack?

Due to COVID-19, ICC events have allowed up to 23-player squads. For India, this has provided the window for discarded players like Prithvi Shaw, Dinesh Karthik, & Sanju Samson to squeeze into the T20 World Cup squad in October later this year.

Since the World Cup is scheduled to be held in India, it is also a golden opportunity for players from other countries like Liam Livingstone, the Currans, & Dawid Malan (England), Allen & Kyle Jamieson (New Zealand), & Riley Meredith & Jhye Richardson (Australia) to impress their selectors.

Eoin Morgan has made it clear he wants England to hold both the World Cup trophies. He has even gone as far as suggesting that rivals Rajasthan Royals will open with Buttler-Stokes combination (to help England prepare for the World Cup).

3. This is it, isn’t it?

Christopher Henry Gayle is 41 and has recently stated his desire to win a third T20I World Cup and even play for 5 more years. Imran Tahir at 42 and Harbhajan Singh at 40 are still spinning oppositions.

It is unlikely any of them will play all the 14 games, but their experience will be crucial in pressure situations.

We should just sit back and enjoy because this might be the final chance we get to watch players like MS Dhoni on the field. With IPL 2022 having a large auction, this year is definitely the end of an era.

4. Can Cricket Get Any Longer? Rule Changes For IPL 2021

The limited overs series between India and England have caused direct rule changes to this IPL. Some of those T20I games took up 5 hours and Suryakumar Yadav’s soft-signal caused uproar. Last year, the double super overs went well into the next day. For IPL 2021,

  1. Teams have been accommodated 90 minutes per innings including the Strategic Time Outs. Penalties have been raised for violation.
  2. No soft-signal for catches and obstruction of field appeals.
  3. Time capped for multiple Super Overs. If time elapses, the game will be declared a tie (one point each).

5. The World Must Come Together as One

Before we can enjoy the spectacle, the real question is will we even have a complete IPL due to the pandemic?

The PSL showcased brilliant display of cricket…for two weeks before the insecurity of the bio-bubble packed up the tournament.

Mitchell Marsh, Josh Hazlewood & Philippe have already withdrawn days from the IPL, and the likes of Axar Patel & Padikkal have tested positive for coronavirus. Cases are rising in India, and several travel concerns still remain.

With mental health, bio-bubble fatigue, and financial security all at stake, only time will decide the fate of this tournament. Let’s just hope that this virus is defeated, the spirit of the IPL remains alive, and the surprises keep on coming.

If you have not yet read our IPL Previews, here is a list of all of them! Check them out and share ahead:

  1. Chennai Super Kings – CSK Preview
  2. Delhi Capitals – DC Preview
  3. Kolkata Knight Riders – KKR Preview
  4. Mumbai Indians – MI Preview
  5. Punjab Kings – PBKS Preview
  6. Rajasthan Royals – RR Preview
  7. Royal Challengers Bangalore – RCB Preview
  8. Sunrisers Hyderabad – SRH Preview

Image Courtesy: Image by Creative Hatti from Pixabay