IPL 2021 UAE Leg Preview

We are mere hours away from the start of the second leg of IPL 2021. As usual, I have to absolutely express my pre-season thoughts on this. I will not be predicting the XIs this time around. Instead, I will just be giving you my two pennies.

Let me start by setting the scene. The IPL is back in the UAE and the final is preceding the T20 World Cup by just a couple of days. This will impact how teams may use players. Concerns regarding over-exertion are definitely valid and will be taken into account. Another important aspect to note is the condition of the UAE pitches. Since the World Cup take precedence, the preparation of the pitches might vary. Last time, pitches were predicted to deteriorate towards the fag end of the tournament but they aided fast bowlers throughout. Many a time batters were not able to aggress as per their liking. The pitches, this time, are expected to aid the pacers but it being an Asian pitch, the spinners will have something to work with. Experts anticipate this leg of the tournament to be a batter’s paradise. All of these factors will affect team selection and of course determine the eventual winners.

Are you excited? Me too! Let us dive right in.

CHENNAI SUPER KINGS

CSK have a great number of positives going into this tournament. They have won five out of seven games and thus will not have to stress about making it into the qualifiers. Their XI also seems pretty much sorted with a number of their players being in good form. But no coin is without two sides and here are CSK’s possible weak points. Though the top order consisting of Ruturaj, Faf and Moeen will enable them to get off to a solid start, there are doubts regarding the forms of Raina, Rayudu and Dhoni. But then again, they do have a good tail and bat deep. Their performance in the UAE last year might haunt them as well. If they are able to counter the issue they had last year, which had to do with their strike rate in the slog overs, CSK are good to go. The team has covered most bases when it comes to bowling. One suggestion I have is to drop Sam Curran, who is anyway not available for the first match, and utilise Hazlewood, who is available for this leg. He has been in his prime for quite a while now and has an economy lower than the Mariana Trench.

CSK will not have a major problem with making it into the playoffs. But will they be crowned winners? Only time will tell.

DELHI CAPITALS

Let’s move on to the table toppers, DC. Though, Pant will continue to captain the side, Iyer returning gives DC a lot of strength and flexibility. Despite being a well-rounded team, they were one Indian batter short in the first leg. Since Iyer is back, they can go to their 2020 formula of two foreign batters and bowlers. DC are well set and only need to address a few minor issues. Concerns may arise with regards to Shaw’s or Pant’s form who did not have a memorable season last time. These two youngsters have definitely improved over the course of the last one year but how they adapt to these conditions remains to be seen. Moving on to bowling, Rabada had a bit of an off season in the first leg and Nortje does not seem to be in the best of his capabilities. Nevertheless, both of them shone through last year and fans will hope they are able to deliver yet again. Though Woakes will be missed, it should not affect the team much as DC have a number of quality back-ups to play around with.

Overall, DC seem to be one of the best sides of this season and should make it to the qualifiers comfortably. They played their maiden final last year. They might just grab their maiden trophy this year.

KOLKATA KNIGHT RIDERS

KKR are in quite a fix as they head into the second leg of IPL 2021. They are placed seventh in the table and need a lot of spirited performances in order to make it to the playoffs. Right off the bat (pun intended), their top order performs only every now and then. Their middle order, which is reputed for its firepower, seems to lack the very same. Their Indian pace bowling is average at best and they also have problems with picking the best possible XI. Their only positive is their spin attack. Even there, Kuldeep’s form is a cause of worry because if he does not play, they will need another foreigner. Another problem they face is that Morgan, the skipper, is not in great touch but still occupies one foreigner slot. Given that Russell will play, this creates a conundrum whether to support their pace attack by picking both Southee, who replaced Cummins, and Ferguson or to play a spin bowling all-rounder in either Narine or al Hasan, who have both been in good form. They have other good foreign options as well. The problem lies in the fact that only four foreigners can make the cut. So, unless everyone in the picked XI contributes significantly, KKR have dug themselves into a tight spot.

In conclusion, it would be a huge surprise if KKR made it to the playoffs.

MUMBAI INDIANS

The team that is vying for a hattrick and to create history, MI will be one of the sides to look out for. They are another well set team with minimal weaknesses and also have had a good start to the tournament. MI are also the only team who have not replaced any of their foreign players. Quinton de Kock, Adam Milne and Kieron Pollard are coming after a great T20 season in various parts of the world. The fact that they won the trophy last time will also boost the team’s confidence. Looking at their issues, the only thing that springs to mind is that Krunal Pandya is not the best spinner out there but he does offer all-round abilities and thus, provides balance to the side. Moreover, it might take Sharma and Bumrah some time to adjust to the change in format. The most interesting aspect will be how MI use Hardik Pandya because his batting statistics significantly rise if he is bowling as well. Apart from these tiny concerns, the players are in the top of their forms, all geared up to battle it out till the end.

In short, there is very little chance that MI do not make it into the qualifiers. But will they reign champions for the third time in a row? We need to wait and watch.

PUNAB KINGS

PBKS are currently in the sixth position on the points table. They have replaced three of their foreign members and have brought in Markaram, Rashid and Ellis in place of Malan, Richardson and Meredith, respectively. The second leg might be a boost for the team as they did perform pretty well in the UAE last time. Looking at the team composition, I would suggest playing Markaram along with Gayle or Pooran, given his recent exploits in the middle order and with the ball as well. The bowling department also seems marginally better this time with the inclusion of Rashid, who is a world class spinner, and Shami’s return to form. PBKS had some promising Indian talent on display including the likes of Hooda, Khan, Brar and Singh. If they are able to execute the role assigned to them at least to a minimal extent, the team’s fortunes might take a turn for the better. Surprisingly, their main problem is with Rahul’s strike rate. It just does not do if the captain amasses runs. If he can play with freedom and take PBKS off to a good start, only then will they stand a chance.

PBKS making it to the playoffs does not only depend upon their performance but also on other teams. If any of the teams preceding them slip, PBKS will have some wiggle room.

RAJASTHAN ROYALS

Fortunately or unfortunately, RR, who are placed fifth in the points table, have been required to change the very foundations of their team. They have brought in Lewis, Thomas, Phillips and Shamsi to replace Buttler, Stokes, Archer and Tye. The fact of the matter is that all of RR’s current foreign picks are match winners in their own rights. If they strategically extract the best from these players, they might make it to the qualifiers by a trivial margin. Moving on to the problems with their squad, RR has only one quality Indian batter and an unexceptional bowling attack, though Shamzi, the current No.1 T20I bowler, might add a bit of zing to it. Even then, their fast-bowling unit simply does not seem threatening enough and they sorely miss Archer. Given Livingstone’s form, it is a no brainer that he would make the XI. Depending on the role he plays, one amongst Lewis, Miller and Phillips can be picked. This means that either way, RR have a total of three solid batters per game. There is a gaping hole for every other position. Though the team has been able to manage so far, they should pray for a miracle, just to be on the safer side.

RR do have the potential to make it to the qualifiers but an extremely tough road lies ahead of them.

ROYAL CHALLENGERS BANGALORE

RCB is the other team which has replaced half of their foreign players. They have brought in Hasaranga, Chameera, David and Garton in place of Zampa, Sams, Allen and Richardson. They will also be missing Sundar this time around. Their picks have been widely appreciated. RCB also had a great start to the tournament, winning five out of seven games. Nevertheless, they also have flaws. They do not have a fixed No.3. Rajat Patidar failed to impress and Azharuddeen was not given a chance. Similarly, they do not have a No.6 as well and the batting line up abruptly stops with de Villiers. Moreover, there is a cloud of doubt hanging over the forms of both Kohli and Maxwell. Both these players need to have good tournaments for the team to stand a chance. RCB’s bowling, however, seems to be much better this season. RCB also need to keep an eye on their NRR as it is quite low. A major plus of this squad is that they have the option to experiment with different players but they need to find the ideal combination soon as they will be playing only seven games in the league stage.

RCB have a good chance of making it into the playoffs if they capitalise on the start that they have and if their stalwarts fire. Ee Saala Cup Namde? Stay tuned till the 15th.

SUNRISERS HYDERABAD

The sob story of the season, SRH have only managed to win one game so far. One major blow for SRH is Bairstow’s unavailability. The team has lacked dependable players this season, going so far as to change the captain right before the end of the first leg. Warner and Williamson have to compulsorily make an impact for SRH because there are no other mainstays in their batting line up. Saha’s and Pandey’s forms will also play an important role in their campaign. Their middle order batters are either inexperienced or have not been in form for quite some time. However, their bowling attack continues to be one of the best in the tournament. With the likes of Holder, Khan, Kumar and Natarajan, it is a unit that can dismantle most oppositions on a given day. Even if the bowlers do an exceptional job every match, ultimately, the results are in the hands of the batters. Looking at other foreign options, SRH do not have an edge even in that front. SRH did manage to bounce back in the second half of the tournament last year as well but it would be much more difficult this time.

It is highly unlikely that SRH make it to the qualifiers but if they do, it would be an absolutely monumental effort from the team.