As the anticipation for the 2024 IPL season reaches its peak, players have begun assembling at their respective franchise camps, gearing up for the upcoming cricket extravaganza.
With more than 200 players set to showcase their talent in 70 league matches and 4 play-offs, the question arises: which players are poised to make a significant impact this season?
CSK - Sameer Rizvi
An uncapped and relatively known player amongst cricket fans, Sameer Rizvi raised some eyebrows when he bagged a bid of ₹8.4 crore by CSK at IPL 2024 Auction.
Nicknamed the right-handed Raina, the 20-year-old from Meerut first emerged on the scouts' radar after hitting the most sixes for Kanpur Superstars in the UP T20 league, as well smashing the fastest century of the competition, scoring 104 off 29 balls. He had played for India at the Under-19 level, but hadn't bloomed as talent back then, which he now certainly has.
Rizvi will likely slot into the No.4 spot in CSK's eleven, which Ajinkya Rahane held last year. With an average of 49.16 and a massive strike rate of 219 in T20s, he will be the perfect player to play at that position. If required, he can build a partnership, or finish the innings in a flurry of runs.
Delhi Capitals - Rishabh Pant
While he is a national star already, Pant has been sidelined from action for over 14 months following his accident in December 2022.
The BCCI has cleared Rishabh Pant to participate in IPL 2024, and as the skipper of Delhi Capitals, he will eager to showcase why Team India felt his absence.
Looking ahead to the T20 World Cup, Pant is expected to position himself around No.5 for the Capitals to firmly establish his role as the team's wicketkeeper and finisher for the tournament.
SRH - Pat Cummins
Cummins is having the time of his life captaining the Australian yellow. In last year or so, Cummins has won the World Test Championship, the Ashes, ODI World Cup, won the series against Pakistan and recently won the series against New Zealand too.
Amongst all this, the Sunrisers bought the all-rounder from New South Wales for a jaw-dropping Rs 20.50 crore to become the second-most expensive player in IPL history.
SRH will be banking on Cummins to inject some magic into their squad, especially after enduring a couple of disappointing seasons despite significant investments in multiple players.
Although his T20 statistics may not stand out, it's Cummins' leadership qualities and knack for delivering the unexpected when needed that Hyderabad fans will be eagerly anticipating as he takes charge during the 2024 season.
KKR - Mitchell Starc
Mitchell Starc is finally back in the IPL, after skipping out on it for 8 seasons. And what a comeback it has already been! The Australian pacer bagged the highest bid ever for a player in the IPL auction and was sold to KKR for a massive Rs 24.75 crore.
During his stint with RCB in 2014 and 2015, Starc was an absolute sensation, captivating audiences with his phenomenal bowling performances and adding to the excitement with his fiery personality, which complemented Kohli's intensity. IPL fans adored him as the premier bowler of RCB, making his subsequent absence from the IPL since 2016 all the more disappointing for them.
Now, with Starc back in action and leading what appears to be a formidable KKR lineup, Kolkata supporters are optimistic that his legendary bowling prowess and charismatic presence will propel them to reclaim the IPL trophy after a decade-long wait.
Gujarat Titans - Azmatullah Omarzai
'No Pandya? No problem!' appears to be the sentiment echoed by Gujarat Titans following the acquisition of Afghan all-rounder Azmatullah Omarzai.
At 23, Omarzai brings versatility to the batting order and the ability to swing the new ball in the powerplay, which will be a valuable asset to the newly-appointed GT skipper, Shubman Gill.
Omarzai's recent form has been impressive, with his bowling prowess showcased during the ODI World Cup and his batting skills highlighted in the recent series against Sri Lanka.
Furthermore, with Gill assuming captaincy at this level for the first time, Rashid Khan is expected to provide significant support and guidance.
Therefore, having a fellow Afghan player whose abilities Khan is familiar with will prove to be immensely beneficial for GT, as they aim to replicate their previous successes in the absence of Pandya this year.
Lucknow Super Giants - Devdutt Padikkal
Following two impressive seasons with RCB as an opener, Padikkal struggled to leave a mark batting lower down the order during his tenure with Rajasthan for two seasons.
The promising talent from Karnataka's first-class cricket scene is now set to join the Super Giants, who might opt to consistently deploy him as an opener alongside their captain and fellow Karnataka cricketer, KL Rahul.
Padikkal is also back in form, as he emerged as Karnataka's leading run-scorer in the 2023-24 Vijay Hazare Trophy and followed it up with four centuries in six first-class matches. Additionally, his recent debut for the Indian test team saw him elegantly notch up a half-century.
Mumbai Indians - Gerald Coetzee
South Africa saw the emergence of a new pace sensation during the World Cup when Gerald Coetzee burst onto the scene, picking 20 wickets for the Proteas, and almost single-handedly trying to win the semi-finals against Australia.
Coetzee, with an action and pace similar to the legendary Dale Steyn, had been part of the IPL 2021 as a replacement player in the Rajasthan squad, though he didn't play for them.
MI will look to partner him with Bumrah to terrorize opposition batsmen in a similar vain to how Boult and Bumrah did during their 2020 title winning season.
Punjab Kings - Arshdeep Singh
Although Arshdeep featured in the previous T20 World Cup, he is currently not assured of a place in the India T20 squad, let alone in the starting eleven. However, with Shami sidelined due to injury, the position for the third pacer in the XI is open for contention, and the Punjab express bowler will aim to seize this opportunity to impress the selectors and secure that spot.
Punjab is banking on Arshdeep to form a formidable and consitent pace partnership with Rabada, potentially revitalizing their chances of making it to the playoffs after several years of absence.
Rajasthan Royals - Yuzvendra Chahal
While the composition of the Indian pace department for the T20 World Cup appears settled, albeit with some uncertainty lingering over the final spot, the spin department presents a completely different scenario. Yuzi Chahal will look to close that matter very soon.
The seasoned spinner has experienced fluctuations in his presence within the Indian team, though he has produced consistent outstanding performances in every IPL season, except perhaps during his time with MI.
Chahal is undoubtedly driven to erase any uncertainties surrounding India's spin options for the World Cup, potentially reigniting the celebrated Kul-Cha partnership alongside Kuldeep Yadav.
Rajasthan will be optimistic that this heightened motivation will propel them to go one step further and contend for the coveted trophy.
RCB - Cameron Green
RCB have loaded their batting line-up with the best fire power they could find for IPL 2024. Cameron Green is the latest addition to the lineup of Faf, Kohli, Patidar, Maxwell and DK.
The young Australian, secured through a staggering Rs 17.5 crore trade from MI, is poised to add to the fireworks, leveraging his hitting prowess and imposing physique, particularly in the six-hitting haven that is the Chinnaswamy Stadium.
His bowling ability will be an added bonus too. But the question is, will Green help add red ribbons on the gold of the IPL trophy?
Deccan Herald is on WhatsApp Channels | Join now for Breaking News & Editor's Picks