IPL 2019: One wasteful player from each team so far this season

India is a country of festival and fairs, and three weeks ago the biggest fair of India, IPL flagged off from Chepauk. The Indian Premier League is the only carnival which is devoid of the usual carousels and Ferris wheel, but still, the audience gets attracted to it. Here the talents exhibit their skills in front of people from all around the world. Even though it continues for a long time IPL is a popular fair which is enjoyed unanimously by all the communities.

Like every year IPL 2019 also was welcomed by the fans with open arms. With each passing day the league is getting more interesting, with the teams eyeing for the playoffs spot. All the 8 teams have been playing good cricket but some of them have been really unfortunate to be lying at the bottom of the points table. Most of the time the franchises have been smart with their picks but they have also missed some tricks by not using some of their wisely.

Here are the 8 players who have been wasteful by the franchises in this season

1) Mohit Sharma, CSK

The Haryana pacer, Mohit Sharma was picked up by the CSK franchise in 2013 IPL auction due to his Ranji trophy heroics in the 2012-13 season. The Dhoni-led team immediately used Mohit’s good patch and they reaped rewards, as he took 20 wickets in 15 games. Mohit became an integral part of CSK in a couple of seasons, but he parted ways in 2016 due to the ban of CSK franchise. He was picked by the Punjab team in 2016 IPL auction and for three seasons he led the bowling department there. After a couple of mediocre performances in the seasons, Mohit was released by the franchise in 2019 but was picked by CSK in the auction and it is a homecoming for the pacer.

Chennai has been consistent again by winning 6 of their 7 games as most of the players have stood up at right times. Though CSK is at top of the table the franchise is in need of death over specialist in absence of Dwayne Bravo, and that’s where Mohit Sharma can add value to this team. CSK has played Mohit Sharma in just one game where he was rusty and conceded 27 runs in 3 overs. With his experience of playing 85 games in the league, the franchise should back him for the remaining games. In the past, Mohit had bowled up front and at the death, and he is successful in his trade which is evident from his 91 wickets tally with an economy of 8.41.

2) Trent Boult, DC

The left arm swing king from New Zealand, Trent Boult is a lethal weapon as he can uproot any batting line-up. He was picked by the SRH franchise in the 2015 IPL auction and took 9 wickets in 7 games. As the Hyderabad team consisted of many bowling options he was released by them in 2017. Later he was chosen by the KKR team. His form dipped during that season and was again in the auction pool for the IPL 2018, where he was roped in by the Delhi franchise as they were in search of some game changers in the bowling department.

Delhi has fared better this season compared to yesteryears when they were lying mostly at the bottom of the points table. Currently, the team has 3 wins and 3 losses in their kitty, and if they play good cricket the team can book a playoff spot for themselves. The franchise has been served well by the bowling department but they need more wicket taking bowlers and Trent Boult has that ability. He was the front runner for the team in 2018 season as he picked up 18 wickets in 14 games, but this year he has only played one game in which he leaked 42 in 4 overs. Boult with his international experience can definitely bounce back, and in the remaining matches the Delhi team can hunt opposition by unleashing the pace duo of Rabada and Boult.

3) Mandeep Singh, KXIP

Mandeep Singh has always been around the IPL from 2010, and in 9 seasons he has played for 3 franchises. He played his first season for the KKR franchise where he got limited opportunities. In the following year, he was roped in by the Punjab side which was also his hometown and plied his trade there for 4 seasons. He had a breakthrough season in 2012 where he scored 432 runs in 16 matches but followed it up with two disastrous seasons and that prompted the franchise to release him in 2015. RCB bagged him in 2015 IPL auction and again after 4 seasons, he has returned home.

The Ashwin-led team has started the campaign on a positive note as they have won 4 matches out of 7. So far the team’s batting mantle has been led by KL Rahul, and the bowling department have also stood up at crucial junctures. David Miller has been inconsistent in providing the team with flourishes at the end overs, and that’s where the team from North can utilize Mandeep Singh. Last year Mandeep played the role of a finisher for the RCB franchise and he didn’t disappoint, as he accumulated 252 runs in 14 innings with a strike rate of 136. Mandeep has already proved his worth when he played a cameo of 29 against DC which the team won by 14 runs in a dramatic fashion.

4) Shubman Gill, KKR

Shubman is a 19-year-old superstar from Punjab, and he has already proved his abilities by collecting Player of the Tournament in U19 WC of 2018. Immediately, after his heroics for the Indian team, he was snapped by the KKR franchise in 2018 IPL auction. Shubman had a good season as he scored 252 runs in 13 innings while batting down the order. This year he has been good form in Ranji trophy as has amassed 728 runs in just 5 matches, which included a sparkling double century against Tamil Nadu and a match-saving 148 against Hyderabad.

KKR has been inconsistent in their tourney so far as they have won all their ties due to the power game of Andre Russell. Though they have won 4 out of 6 games their batting apart from Russell has been a major letdown, and their bowlers are still suffering from the morning blues. Robin Utthapa has been playing rash shots up the order and it is time for the franchise to give that responsibility to Gill, a role he used to play for his state team. Shubman has already shown his potential up the order when he scored a 36 ball 57 last year against CSK. The youngster from Punjab can solve the batting issues for KKR team if enough chances are given to him.

5) Ishan Kishan, MI

The keeper-batsman from Jharkhand is a star from the U19 World Cup of 2016 as he was the leader of the team which reached the finals. He was quickly drafted by the Gujarat Lions in 2016 IPL auction and impressed everybody with his hitting skills. He played 5 games in the first season and in the following season he became a regular in the team, as he scored 277 runs in 11 innings with a strike rate of 135. In 2018 Ishan was fished out by the MI franchise and he didn’t disappoint, as he collected 275 runs in 14 innings with a strike rate of 150.

Mumbai Indians have been in top form as they have won 4 out of 6 ties with each individual of the team stepping up at important times. Their bowling has been top notch but their batting has a been concern with an out of form Rohit Sharma in the line-up. Mumbai gambled with Yuvraj Singh in the initial games, but the move backfired as it put pressure on other batsmen. Ishan Kishan can provide the spark to this team, as he has done it in the previous season which included a 17 ball half century against KKR. Though Ishan has played 2 games where he has only scored 24 runs, it is time for the franchise to give him a long run because he can deliver the goods consistently.

6) Moeen Ali, RCB

The England all-rounder, Moeen Ali is a game changer with bat and ball. The main reason for RCB to shell out 1.70 crore for him in the 2018 IPL auction. Ali played only 5 games in the first season where he didn’t generate good numbers. After retaining him for the 2019 season RCB showed their trust on the all-rounder. Moeen Ali is a decent off-spinner and a good strokemaker at the top of the order. In T20I Moeen has scalped 15 wickets and scored 329 runs in 22 innings, and his bowling economy is 8.6 which is reasonable in the shortest format.

The Kohli led team is in dire straits as they have lost all the 6 games of their campaign, and now have to win all the remaining games to make it to the playoffs. Their batting has been in a disarray apart from Kohli and ABD, and their bowling has been head-scratching apart from the leg spinner Yuzvendra Chahal. Kohli has not utilized his resources properly and that is one of the major reason for RCB’s downfall. Moeen Ali is an international quality spinner, and on slow pitches, he can be a threat for the opposition. In 6 games he has only bowled 13 overs and has picked up 3 wickets with an economy of 7.6. RCB needs to tinker their tactics because Moeen Ali can be match winner on his day.

7) Rahul Tripathi, RR

Rahul Tripathi is a batsman who plays for the Maharasthra team in the domestic circuit. He burst into the scene when he was roped by the RPS franchise in 2017. He was used as an opening batsman by the Pune team and he did justice to his role. Rahul Tripathi is in good form for his domestic side and he can be a match winner if his role in the team is defined perfectly. He was the highest run-getter for Maharashtra in the Ranji trophy 2018-19 with 504 runs in 8 matches which gives an idea of his skill set.

Rajasthan Royals have been unlucky on more than one occasions as they have failed to win crucial moments in the games. The team has lost 5 out of 6 ties and their chances of making it to the playoffs look bleak. Their bowlers have been disappointing, and their batting has been showing discrepancy which can be solved by proper utilization of Rahul Tripathi. Rahul has not been provided a permanent batting position which his numbers suggest as he has scored only 90 runs in 6 innings. Tripathi is not a mug with the bat as he had scored 391 runs in 14 innings for RPS in IPL 2017 while batting at top of the order. So, RR also needs to make up plans for him in the upcoming games as he can be the answer to their batting problems.

8) Deepak Hooda, SRH

The Baroda all-rounder is an integral part of his domestic side as he can be an innings builder and an aggressor according to the team’s requirements. He was picked by the RR franchise in 2014 IPL auction but didn’t get a game in that season. In 2015 RR played him in 14 matches where he came up with cameos while batting down the order, and in 2016 he was bagged by SRH in the auction. Deepak Hooda is only 23 and has already played 100 T20s in which he has amassed 1400 runs at a strike rate of 134.

SRH started their season on a high note but the losses in the last couple of games have dented their confidence. The Hyderabad franchise has won 3 matches out of 6. Bowling department has been good and till now their batting has been carried by Warner and Bairstow, as their middle order has been fragile. In order to solve this muddle, the team can use Deepak Hooda who has played 5 matches in this season but has not been sent ahead of struggling Manish Pandey. Recently he has been batting well in Syed Mushtaq Ali trophy for Baroda at No.4 where he scored a run a ball 28 against Maharashtra and crucial 35 against Hyderabad. SRH needs to provide Hooda more opportunities so that he can stand up for them in crucial ties.

In T20 cricket it is impossible for any team to win matches continuously just on the basis of superstars. The franchise should not judge a player based on a couple of bad performances, as they can be match winners for the team if they are given a longer rope to prove their mettle.

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