IPL 2020: Predicting the MVP of each team in the tournament

The Most Valuable Player (MVP) is one of the prestigious awards of the Indian Premier League (IPL). A special point calculating system is followed to choose the MVP of the tournament where all the three departments of the game are evaluated. Every player who participates in the cash-rich league dreams of grabbing the laurel. IPL 2020 is almost here and the preparations for the mega cricketing event is in full swing in the UAE. The players are sweating it out in the hot and humid conditions of middle-east to prepare themselves for the first major cricket tournament post-COVID. In this edition of the IPL, some players are strong contenders of winning the MVP award. To narrow down the list of contenders we have decided to predict one valuable player of each team in IPL 2020. Here we try and predict the MVP from each teams: – 8. RCB – Virat Kohli Virat Kohli. (Photo: Sandip Mahankal/IANS) The biggest player of the Royal Challengers Bangalore is their skipper Virat Kohli. His form with the bat will be key to RCB’s fate in the tournament. In the last three seasons, Kohli was subdued and as a result, RCB finished at the bottom half of the points table. Virat is having a quiet 2020 so far where he is averaging 43 in ODIs and 32 in T20Is. Now, these are not bad numbers by any means but not just up to the Kohli-standards. So this COVID break might have been a refreshing one for the skipper where he had the chance to reflect on his batting in the last six months or so. The MVP of IPL 2016 will be raring to go in the cricket field again and show his beast mode with the bat. Kohli’s captaincy and fielding will also be something to look forward as he looks to win his maiden IPL title this year. 7. RR – Jos Buttler Jos Buttler. (Photo: IANS) Jos Buttler has been a freak in limited-overs cricket in the past couple of years. It won’t be incorrect to say that after AB de Villiers, Buttler has been the new Mr 360 in international cricket. The Englishman is having a terrific year with the bat in all forms of the game. He is averaging 48.75 and striking at 154.76 in T20Is this year while opening the innings. So Rajasthan Royals, who don’t that specialised openers in the squad, would be happy to see Buttler donning that role. Buttler’s performance in the IPL so far has been decent, scoring 1386 runs at an average of 35.54 in 45 matches. Apart from batting, he also performs the wicket-keeper’s role, which provides the opportunity to earn some extra MVP points. 6. SRH – Rashid Khan Rashid Khan. (Photo Source: Twitter) The no.1 ranked T20I bowler, Rashid Khan will be a player to watch out for in the IPL 2020. He has been a sensation since he arrived in international cricket. His variations have wreaked havoc among the batsmen in T20 cricket all around the world. The Afghan had an up-and-down IPL 2019 where he was economical but was not amongst the wickets as much as expected. In CPL 2020 also he has not been at his best and looked rusty due to lack of cricket. Hopefully, the rust will be gone by the time IPL 2020 starts. Rashid Khan is a nightmare to face on turning pitches and UAE is a perfect place to hunt for the spinners. His record in the middle-east nation has been phenomenal where he has picked up 18 wickets in 11 matches and his economy rate is an incredible 5.22. 5. KXIP – KL Rahul KL Rahul. (Photo Source: Twitter) An average of 53.83 in T20Is and 70 in ODIs is enough to suggest the form KL Rahul is in 2020. Whatever cricket India have played this year, Rahul has proved to be the best batsman in the team so far by becoming the leading run-scorer in T20I and ODI cricket. Since he arrived in KXIP, Rahul has unleashed his true potential in the IPL. The 28-year-old was bought in the IPL 2018 auctions and scored over 500 runs in two seasons when he played for the franchise. Rahul will be performing the triple role of batting, wicket-keeping and captaining in IPL 2020 which ultimately makes him one of the strongest contenders to win the MVP award this year. In the KXIP squad, he will indeed be their valuable player given his current form and the new role of leading the side. 4. KKR – Andre Russell Andre Russell. (Photo: IANS) The big Jamaican Andre Russell will always be the one KKR player to watch out for in every season of the IPL. He is a monster in T20 cricket and has wreaked havoc all around the world with his batting. The IPL started experiencing his prowess since 2015 even though he made his debut in 2012. Since 2015 Andre Russell has been striking at a rate of 160+ in every IPL and last year he took it to the next level. With 209.27 the Jamaican was at the top of the list of highest strike-rates in the IPL 2019. Russell’s batting prowess overshadows the fact that he is an all-rounder who can also bowl at 140+. In 64 IPL matches so far he has taken 55 wickets, which any bowler can be proud of. So be it batting or bowling Dre Russ is there to deliver. His all-round abilities make him one of the most valuable players not only for the KKR but also in the entire league. The success of Kolkata Knight Riders will hugely depend on the form of Andre Russell. We have seen in the last couple of season that the Knights are heavily dependent on the big guy and looks like the upcoming edition will be no different. 3. DC – Shreyas Iyer Shreyas Iyer. (Photo Source: Twitter) In IPL 2018, Delhi Capitals made a very bold decision to hand over the captaincy to a 23-year-old Shreyas Iyer. After that Iyer has not looked back and delivered some great performance with the bat and ultimately earning a spot in Team India. The brand of cricket he has been playing in the last year or so is simply outstanding. The 25-year-old has owned the coveted no.4 position in Team India after the World Cup 2019. He is averaging 54.4 this year in ODI cricket batting at that position and was the highest scorer for India in the New Zealand tour. Iyer has impressed everyone with his calm yet attacking style of play. Under his captaincy, the Capitals were able to qualify for the playoffs in seven years last season. So Iyer’s confidence level would be high after establishing himself as an international cricketer now. The MVP of DC is without a doubt going to be Shreyas Iyer. 2. MI – Kieron Pollard Kieron Pollard. (Photo Source: Twitter) Mumbai Indians are blessed with some high-quality all-rounders and Kieron Pollard is the leader of the pack. The big Trinidadian has been an integral part of MI since 2010 and has not played for any other franchise in the IPL. A destructive middle-order batsman and a handy slow-medium bowler, Pollard has been in sublime form recently. In the CPL 2020, he has scored over 200 runs at an average around 50 and with an astonishing strike-rate abobe 200. If Pollard carries over that form into the IPL then MI will become a force to reckon with. Apart from batting, Pollard is more than handy with the ball which makes him one of the strong contenders to win the MVP award. In 148 IPL matches, he has 56 wickets to his name. MI can use him as a bowler more in the UAE considering the slow pitches. 1. CSK – MS Dhoni MS Dhoni. (Photo Source: Manjunath Kiran/AFP/GettyImages) Without an iota of doubt, MS Dhoni is the best captain in the history of IPL. He has led CSK to finals of the tournament a record eight times and won it three times. Under his leadership, CSK have reached to the playoffs/semis of the tournament in every season. After retirement from international cricket, MSD will be looking to enjoy the IPL 2020 more than ever. With no Suresh Raina, the batting department will be heavily dependent on the skipper and we may see him bat up the order. IPL has always brought the best out of MS Dhoni be it with the bat or with the leadership. In the last two seasons of IPL, Dhoni was in superb form averaging 75.83 and 83.2 in IPL 2018 and IPL 2019 consecutively. So a fresh and more relaxed MS Dhoni maybe the MVP of the Chennai Super Kings in the upcoming tournament. ~Written by Vaskar Gautam

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IPL 2020: Predicting the MVP of each team in the tournament

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