The ninth edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) has just begun with newcomers Rising Pune Supergiants (RPS) taking on defending champions Mumbai Indians (MI) in the tournament opener. There are many things to look forward to. This is the first time the tournament will not feature Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Rajasthan Royals (RR). Both the sides have been banned for two years and two new franchises — RPS and Gujarat Lions (GL) — have come in to fill in for them.
For the first time the likes of MS Dhoni and Suresh Raina will turn up for a side other than CSK and will be in opposite camps. While the six existing franchises wear a balanced look, the two new sides have had very good auction and built balanced sides. The only concern is that many of the team members will find themselves in the same camp for the first time so it will be important on how they gel as a unit.
Dhoni will lead RPS. He has led CSK in the previous eight editions and every time they have qualified for the business end. He is the most experienced IPL captain with two trophies in his kitty and not to forget, he has won Champions League twice. With Dhoni at helm, it is fair to expect a lot from RPS.
The other new side is GL. This is the first time the state of Gujarat has a team representing in the cash-rich league. The Rajkot-based franchise has named Raina the skipper. Having spent eight seasons as the understudy to Dhoni, this is Raina’s chance to prove himself as a skipper.
Zaheer Khan in his last IPL season will lead the Delhi Daredevils (DD). Over the years, he has mentored many bowlers but leading a side in such a crucial tournament is a different challenge. Zaheer will have his former teammate Rahul Dravid mentoring him. The player in him may have retired from international cricket but captain Zaheer has something to prove. Can DD win their first title under Zaheer? We will know it in the weeks to come.
Even Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) have named an inexperienced captain. South Africa’s David Miller will don this new role. He does not have proven credentials and filling the massive shoes of George Bailey will be a task. They finished as the runners-up in 2014 but ended at the bottom of the table last season. Can the new skipper change the fortunes of the struggling side? We will have to wait and watch.
David Warner will lead Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) for the second season. He led from the front in the previous season but despite the occasional highs, the Orange Army, as the team is called, ended up at the sixth spot. Warner’s form will once again be critical for the side that does not possess plenty of firepower in their batting armoury.
Every year we see the batting line-up of Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) getting stronger. This year, they picked Shane Watson for a whopping INR 9.5 crores. Virat Kohli once again leads the RCB side that comprises Watson, Chris Gayle and AB de Villiers. Kohli is already one of the T20 batting greats and an astute leader that he is and with the side he has, there is no reason why RCB cannot break the IPL jinx.
Now to another successful IPL franchise, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). This is the sixth consecutive edition that Gautam Gambhir will be leading the side. KKR have put up a strong unit and much of their fortunes will depend on how effective Sunil Narine is with his new action. Gambhir and his knights, who have won the title in 2012 and 2014, finished fifth last season and once again start among the favourites this time.
Last but not the least, the defending champions Mumbai Indians (MI). The addition of England’s Jos Buttler has further strengthened the Rohit Sharma-led unit. Rohit with two IPL title wins under his kitty is one of the most successful captains in the tournament history. MI are a formidable unit and they will look to repeat what they achieved in 2013 and 2015 edition.
There is really not much to choose between these excellent line-ups. Who do you think among these men will lift the IPL Trophy at Wankhede Stadium on May 29th?
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