5 IPL players who should step up ahead of World Cup 2019

Every World Cup is similar to a university exam, as students, players are very keen to exhibit their potential in order to get good grades. Most of the students practice their dexterity in unit tests, bilateral series which provides them with the impetus for the final exams, WC. Students dream of performing well in pressure situations, multi-nation tournaments, as it tests their mental toughness and motivates them for their next tourney.

England is the exam hall in 2019, and most of the parents, fans are expecting their children to perform well and bring medals to the home. The 2019 World Cup is just a month away, and most of the participants have announced their squads. Every team looks balanced with their resources, and the fans are also gung ho about this white ball adventure.

The selectors have gone for proven match winners for such a gala event, but there are players who have been picked without considering their recent form. These stars have got the nod, as they are experienced heads, and they will have to repay the faith shown by the panel. 5 of such players are currently playing in the IPL and they should step up ahead of 2019 World Cup in England and Wales. Here are the names:

Bhuvneshwar Kumar – SRH

The Meerut pacer is one of the key members of India’s squad for WC, as he can be a serious menace for the opposition batsmen on English tracks. Apart from his bowling, the Men in Blue will also require his capabilities with the willow. Kumar will provide the required balance to the side, as the current Indian team is short of multi-dimensional players.

Bhuvi will be a critical component for India’s juggernaut, as he has been delivering for the team from the last couple of years, but his recent form is a sign of worry. Kumar was one of the finds when India travelled to the Home of Cricket in 2014 for a long season, as he bagged the Player of the Series award in Tests. Along with his form, the speedster has also struggled with frequent niggles in recent times due to which he has missed some crucial ties.

In the last ODI series which he played against Australia he did pick up 4 wickets in 2 matches, but he didn’t stand up in the series decider. He has been inconsistent with his performances and in the IPL 2019 also he has scalped just 8 wickets in 10 matches which are not the numbers expected from a class bowler.

Ben Stokes – RR

Ben Stokes is one of the few players in world cricket, who can change the course of the game within a matter of overs either with bat or ball. He is one of the members who led the Brits resurgence in white ball cricket, after the 2015 WC debacle. He has played the role of a middle-order batsman, who can also provide crucial breakthroughs to the captain with the ball in hand, and that’s why he is an all-rounder of high quality.

If England have to win their maiden 50-overs WC, then Stokes will have to play a pivotal role for the team but lately, the all-rounder has not looked best. The England all-rounder has been a game changer, as he has won games for his side with his power hitting, wicket-taking abilities and athletic fielding. Stokes is a natural athlete, so he has not been troubled by many injuries in his career, but his approach to the game has changed from last year.

In his last ODI series against Windies he played some useful cameos, but having a close look at his strike rate of 85 one can say that he failed to keep up with the pace of the game, something that is really odd. In this year’s IPL also he has scored just 112 runs in 8 matches with a strike rate of 120, and also cost a game to the team by bowling a disastrous final over against CSK in Jaipur.

Kuldeep Yadav – KKR

In a short span of time, the Chinaman has been the most discussed name in the team meetings when other international sides are facing India. He has been leading India’s spin department from the last couple of years and has terrorized the opposition by combining with Yuzvendra Chahal. Kuldeep has been a successful bowler for India in the middle overs and has outfoxed many world class batsmen with his rare expertise.

Kuldeep Yadav is the X-factor for Virat Kohli’s men, and his wicket-taking skills are going to decide India’s fortunes in the 2019 mega event, but recently he has gone off the boil. Last year when India played an ODI series against England in their den, the Uttar Pradesh-born Kuldeep was the highest wicket taker with 9 wickets in 3 games which included a career best of 6/25. He is an attacking bowler, and he always looks for wickets, but he has failed to act according to the situations.

When Kuldeep burst into the scene he used to be economical, but due to technology the batsmen have figured him out, and now they are attacking him more often. In his last 50-overs series against Australia, he conceded runs at a rate of 6.04, and in IPL 2019 also he has failed to impress, as he has picked up just 4 wickets in 9 games, and was dropped from the side in the match against SRH.

Colin de Grandhomme – RCB

The Kiwi all-rounder is picked up in the New Zealand WC squad, as the current team lacks a quality batsman down the order. Grandhomme has the capability of tearing up any bowling line-up with his brute power. Along with his hitting prowess, Colin can be a useful bowling option on seaming tracks, and his presence will stabilize the playing XI for the Black Caps.

The Kane Williamson-led side is considered as the dark horse for the upcoming WC because of an experienced side, and Colin’s all-round abilities may prove decisive at some point in time, but of late he has been a pale shadow of himself. In his initial days, Grandhomme used to chip in with little cameos, as he served as a finisher for the side, and also picked up wickets at crucial junctures of the game.

He has the knack of scoring the runs at a quick pace but has always been troubled by slow bowlers. Colin never changes his playing style, and that’s is the reason why he has 8 single digits scores in the last 10 games and has been dismissed by tweakers most of the times. In his last 4 ODI series, he has scored less than 100 runs, and in this year’s IPL he has made just 43 runs in 3 games, and with the ball in his hand, he has been leaking runs at a rate of 11.

Dinesh Karthik – KKR

The Tamil Nadu keeper-batsman has been around the Indian team for a long time, and his experience was the determining factor in getting him a ticket to 2019 World Cup. Karthik has a calm head which can help the Indian team in pressure situations and also has the proficiency of playing the role of a finisher. As Dhoni has been grappling with his finishing skills, Karthik can take up the mantle so that there will be less burden on the Indian legend.

The Men in Blue has also tested Dinesh Karthik at the No.4 position, and he had reasonable success, but his form has been patchy in recent games. Karthik caught the attention of selectors with his consistent domestic performances and became a household name after his heroics in the final of Nidahas Trophy where he hit a six off the last ball to win the match. He has played 91 ODIs for India and has not scored a single century which gives an idea of his inconsistency at the international level.

Karthik has not made a half-century in the last 16 50-overs games, and his strike-rate has also been in the low 80s. In this year’s IPL also he has just scored 120 runs in 10 matches with a strike rate of 120, which is not acceptable from a seasoned campaigner. In a tournament like the World Cup, the selectors always prefer experienced heads as new players can crumble under immense pressure. There is a saying in cricket “Form is temporary, class is permanent ” and it is true in every sense as great players stand up when going gets tough.

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