The 17th season of the Indian Premier League is drawing closer to the final act, and it’s time to let speculation loose on the would-be winner. Will there be a surprise victor this time or will the old favourites assert themselves once again? It has been a season of incredible individual performances, normalisation of 250-plus scores and grand run chases. The limits of the possible have been stretched. By the time the curtains fall, we might see it expanded even more.
Five-time champions Mumbai Indians are virtually out, so are Gujarat Titans, two-time finalists and winners of one. Royal Challengers Bengaluru are on the brink of elimination. Delhi Capitals and Punjab Kings need a statistical miracle to barge into the last four. Now, five teams are going to fight it out for the top four slots and the coveted trophy. Here’s my – I am a big fan of the IPL – assessment of the teams and the eventual los campeones of 2024.
Rajasthan Royals (RR)
It has been a long trophy-drought for the Rajasthan Royals, the winners of the inaugural IPL. Only four play-off appearances after 2008 and ranked sixth or lower seven times – the franchise has consistently delivered below expectation. This year things can be different. Sanju Samson’s boys are second on the points table with eight victories in 10 matches. With a robust batting line up led by Samson, Jos Buttler and Riyan Parag and an effective bowling unit, spearheaded by Trent Boult, Sandeep Sharma and Yuzvendra Chahal, they look invincible at this point. However, all depends how they maintain the winning momentum in the days ahead.
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR)
With tremendous firepower in its batting and bowling units, KKR have always been a strong contender for the trophy. But they have routinely failed to deliver up to potential. Winners of IPL 2012 and 2014, they have reached the playoffs seven times and played the finals three times. This season, they can get the trophy balance book right by lifting the cup. Shreyas Iyer’s men are currently at the top with eight wins in 11 matches. With seasoned campaigners such as Sunil Narine and Andre Russell firing on all cylinders and youngsters Rinku Singh and Venkatesh Iyer also going great guns, the batting unit looks formidable. Mitchell Starc, the leader of the bowling pack, has finally started justifying his sumptuous price tag, and this is good news for KKR going into the knockouts.
Chennai Super Kings (CSK)
Methodical and calculated in their approach, CSK make winning IPL trophies look rather easy. There is certain coolness to the way they go about their games, and they appear to have cracked the code to the unpredictable T20 format. Considered as the most successful franchise in the IPL history, they have qualified for the playoffs 11 times, winning the trophy five times. The presence of the talismanic former skipper MS Dhoni is a perennial boost to the team. They are currently at the third position, winning six matches out of 11. CSK are a balanced unit which provide an impressive output in every tournament. If they make it to the play-off other teams would have a reason to worry. A sixth title would be a befitting farewell to Dhoni.
Lucknow Super Giants (LSG)
A late entrant into the IPL, LSG have qualified for the playoffs twice and are yet to win the trophy. KL Rahul’s men currently stand at the fifth position with six matches won out of 11. The ‘Gazab Andaz‘ of this team comes from its strong middle order, comprising heavyweights Marcus Stoinis, Nicholas Pooran and Krunal Pandya along with youngsters such as Ayush Badoni.The team is also supported by impressive bowling unit with the likes of Naveen-ul-Haq, Mohsin Khan and Ravi Bishnoi. Mayank Yadav, the team’s trump card is out of action due to an injury. The presence of the new-found pace sensation in the late stages of the tournament could have made a huge difference to the prospects of the team. Still they have performed creditably.
Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH)
Sunrisers are the only team to lift the IPL trophy after winning in the eliminator. They have qualified for the playoffs six times. The winners of 2016, they have an electrifying batting unit led by Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma, Heinrich Klaasen and Aiden Markram. They have shattered the highest IPL score twice this season with scores of 277 and 288, and already breached the 200-run mark five times. The team is supported by an impressive bowling unit comprising Pat Cummins, T Natarajan and Marco Jansen. If their batting gets going at the right moments, the trophy could well be SRH’s.
All teams look formidable. And the format being fickle, it can end up with any of them holding the trophy. One mistake or one masterly performance can make the difference between the eventual losers and winners. My favourite team has always been Mumbai. Since they are out of contention, I keep my fingers crossed.
(By arrangement with Perspective Bytes)
