IPL 2021: One Indian player from bottom four ranked sides who can make a big difference

As the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 almost reaches the halfway stage, with teams having played their cricket across venues and pitches of different hues, clear demarcations have been made between the

top-half and bottom-half of the points table.  While Chennai Super Kings (CSK), Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), and Delhi Capitals (DC) have got the ball rolling in some style, the likes of Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), Punjab Kings (PBKS), Rajasthan Royals (RR), and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) have struggled to get going.

With the Indian players outperforming their overseas counterparts across departments in the tournament till now, it would perhaps be worth it for these bottom-half franchises to introspect and get Indian players at their disposal into the mix so as to leapfrog into qualifying positions. The article identifies 4 players, one each from each of the bottom-half franchises, who can make a massive difference in the 2^nd phase of the tournament if they are brought into the fold by their respective teams.

Indian Players from the bottom sides of IPL 2021 who can make an impact

1. Sheldon Jackson (Kolkata Knight Riders, Right Hand Batsman, Wicket-Keeper)

KKR’s failures this season have majorly stemmed from the struggles of their batsmen to get going. Jackson, who hasn’t managed to yet get a look-in, is adept at finding gaps while also possessing the power to easily clear the fence, which makes him an ideal candidate to bring into the side as he can provide the acceleration the team requires, as the sluggish run-rate, especially in the powerplay, has been a major concern.

What counts in his favor is his form. His performances in the domestic circuit this year have been extremely impressive. In the SMAT, he hit a brilliant century to help his side Pondicherry (he made the move to the team after 14 years with Saurashtra) to a memorable win over Andhra.

He continued to excel in the Vijay Hazare Trophy (VHT) as well, wherein he became one of the only two batsmen to score a century in both formats this year from the elite group. Jackson can fulfill the role of a wicket-keeper in the team and is an equally good fielder, which coupled with his form and ability to bat anywhere across the order, implies that he can be a vital cog in KKR’s attempts at turning around their fortunes.