IPL 2021: 3 Teams that will be most affected in UAE

UAE. Well, that is the buzzword in the cricketing circles now. After a lot of deliberation, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has decided that the 14th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) will take place in the deserts of the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The 13th IPL season too was held in the UAE and the BCCI conducted the tournament without any hiccups. And, playing in the UAE is a different ball game as compared to playing on tracks in India. And, the teams would need to quickly rethink their strategies to attain success on pitches in the UAE.

And, the tournament moving to the UAE might not be welcome news for all teams. In this article, let us look at 3 teams that will struggle the most if the IPL is shifted to the UAE.

3. Rajasthan Royals

The Rajasthan Royals side will surely not be happy with the tournament moving to the United Arab Emirates. In the 13th IPL season, the ‘Men in Pink’ experienced a campaign that they would like to forget, and finished at the bottom of the points table last year in the UAE.

Another issue that might crop up is, their three main England recruits might not be available for the Sanju Samson-led side when the IPL resumes again this year. The likes of Jos Buttler, a fit-again Ben Stokes, and a recovered Jofra Archer will be busy playing international cricket for England.

One man who made a massive difference with the ball last year in the UAE for Rajasthan was Jofra Archer. The right arm tearaway pacer scalped 20 wickets in the UAE last year and picked them up at an average of just 18.25. Also, Jos Buttler and Ben Stokes were in excellent form last year in the UAE with the willow.

While Buttler scored 328 runs at an average of 32.80 and a strike rate in excess of 140, Ben Stokes plundered 285 runs in just 8 innings at an average of more than 40 and a strike rate of 142.50 in IPL 2020. Surely, the Rajasthan side will have a lot to ponder about when the IPL shifts to the UAE this year.