Two super heavyweights seeking a return to the top, a couple of old-timers hoping to crack the winning code and the new champions determined to prove their debut triumph was no flash in the pan make for compelling tales as the Indian Premier League Season 16 kicks-off on Friday with the promise of another blockbuster.
Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings, the two most dominant forces in the league with the former having won a record five times and the latter trailing by just one, endured a disappointing 2022 by bringing up the bottom. It was the first time since the league’s inception in 2008 that the two battled for the dreaded wooden spoon as literally nothing went right for them.
There’s nothing like a wounded champion and the two franchises, led by two brilliant captains and possessing players who have the ability to rise to the occasion, will be determined to peak the summit again as IPL returns to the usual home and away format with a game-changing innovation called Impact Player.
Mumbai though will not have it easy and will have to dig deeper into their resources after pace ace Jasprit Bumrah was ruled out due to a recurring back injury and West Indies mainstay Kieron Pollard’s retirement from IPL last year. The absences of Bumrah and Pollard, who even captained them when Rohit Sharma was rendered hors de combat, is a big hole to fill and it remains to be seen how well they cope. Having said that, MI generally find a way when the chips are down and with Jofra Archer returning this season, they can be a potent force.
Nothing inspires Chennai as much as playing in front of their faithful at Chepauk. They are masters in bossing the slow conditions there and with the vociferous Yellow Army making things very intimidating for the opposition, the Super Kings will be brimming with confidence at the revamped venue. The presence of Ben Stokes, perhaps the best all-rounder of modern time, is a massive boon too. The worry though is that their much-loved captain MS Dhoni is no more the irresistible force he once was. CSK also look short on pace bowling resources.
While both Mumbai and Chennai have their own issues to address, Gujarat Titans, who swept to glory in stunning fashion last May, appear to have papered over the cracks and look more menacing this time. They have a talented opener in Shubman Gill, have a proven anchor in Kane Williamson, skipper Hardik Pandya and David Miller are the heavy-hitters in the middle while Rahul Tewatia and Rashid Khan can turn it on lower down. Even bowling-wise they have a good set of pacers and a trusted spinner in Rashid. Dislodging them off the perch could be a tough task for the remaining nine.
Royal Challengers Bangalore and Delhi Capitals will be hoping they can finally crack the puzzle. Despite a change in strategy and management, they have repeatedly failed and things have only gotten tougher this season with other franchises making some smart buys during the mini auction last year. Another team which has been from the start but yet to taste glory is Punjab Kings but a look at their squad doesn’t inspire much confidence.
Two former champions who can scale the summit again are Kolkata Knight Riders and Sunrisers Hyderabad. Both have struggled with consistency the last few years and they’ve tried to address it during the auctions. Sunrisers splurged on talented all-rounder Harry Brook, opener Mayank Agarwal and the big-hitting Heinrich Klassen and they looked a lot stronger now.
Kolkata brought back all-rounder Shakib al Hasan and also roped in Tamil Nadu’s in-form N Jagadeesan. KKR also named the astute Chandrakant Pandit as the coach but whether the domestic cricket legend, who has turned mediocre outfits into champions in Ranji Trophy, can replicate the magic in the glitzy IPL remains to be seen.