On May 4, the 2021 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) got suspended abruptly after multiple players and staff members contracted the COVID-19 virus. Now, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) faces the hefty task of conducting the remaining 31 games in a jam-packed cricket calendar.

Although the schedule and dates are yet to come, it is confirmed that the remainder of the competition will take place in the United Arab Emirates. As mentioned above, many important international fixtures are lined up this year, including the ICC T20 World Cup 2021.

Hence, all the cricket boards would want their players to remain fit and not drain themselves in the IPL. On top of that, the travel and isolation protocols might also keep foreign stars out of marquee tournaments. These factors have put the participation of overseas cricketers in jeopardy when the tournament resumes.

Furthermore, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has confirmed that the contracted England players will not feature in the remaining season. Australia’s <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/dinesh-karthik-confirms-kkr-teammate-pat-cummins-unavailability-for-the-remainder-of-ipl-2021/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pat Cummins</a> is another star who’ll give a miss to the tournament.

As the competition approaches, many more players are expected to pull out. Hence, the strength of the Indian contingent of all sides might determine the fate of the tournament.

So, here we rank all eight teams based on their Indian players’ strength for IPL 2021:

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-512412" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Rajasthan-Royals-Celebrating.jpg" alt="Rajasthan Royals Celebrating" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-512412" class="wp-caption-text">Rajasthan Royals Celebrating. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption>

Now, if we remove England and South African players from the <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/t20/ipl-indian-premier-league/rr-rajasthan-royals/">Rajasthan Royals</a> squad, they’ll struggle to form a potent playing XI. While Ben Stokes, Jofra Archer, and Jos Buttler have been the mainstays of the side for the past few seasons, the South African duo Chris Morris and David Miller had impressive outings this year.

Hence, thriving without these players would be a daunting task for the Men in Pink. Speaking of their Indian contingent, skipper Sanju Samson is the only capped batsman in the squad. The likes of Yashasvi Jaiswal, Riyan Parag, and Mahipal Lomror have shown their talent, but lack of experience can put them under the pump.

At the same time, there aren’t many big names in the bowling line-up. Although there’s an experienced face in Jaydev Unadkat, Kartik Tyagi and Chetan Sakariya have played just a handful of matches. Hence, the unavailability of all foreign players would hit the inaugural champions hard. Meanwhile, they were fourth in the points table with three wins from seven games when the season got suspended.

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-508246" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Sunrisers-Hyderabad-2.jpg" alt="Sunrisers Hyderabad" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-508246" class="wp-caption-text">Sunrisers Hyderabad. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption>

The Orange Army had a forgettable time in the first leg of the season. At suspension, Sunrisers Hyderabad were last in the team standings with just one win in seven games. Hence, they need to win all their remaining seven league-stage games to make a place in the playoffs without any hassle. The task is already daunting, and the challenge would increase further if no foreign players participate in the tournament.

David Warner, Jonny Bairstow, and skipper <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/tabraiz-shamsi-labels-chelsea-footballer-ngolo-kante-as-kane-williamson-of-football/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kane Williamson</a> have done a bulk of scoring for SRH in the last couple of seasons. Hence, it’s even tough to imagine SRH’s batting line-up without this trio. Among Indians, Manish Pandey, Vijay Shankar, and Kedar Jadhav are notable batsmen. Although these players have proven their mettle in IPL, they didn’t have a great campaign in the first half of IPL 2021.

Afghanistan leg-spinner Rashid Khan is an overseas player whose absence would hurt the Hyderabad team. Nevertheless, the bowling line-up still looks quite decent without foreign stars as Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Sandeep Sharma, T Natarajan, and Khaleel Ahmed are in the ranks.

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-510119" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Kolkata-Knight-riders-Celebrating.jpg" alt="Kolkata Knight Riders Celebrating" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-510119" class="wp-caption-text">Kolkata Knight Riders Celebrating. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption>

Like SRH, <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/t20/ipl-indian-premier-league/kkr-kolkata-knight-riders/">Kolkata Knight Riders</a> also had a tough time in the first half of IPL 2021. With two wins from seven games, they were holding seventh place when the season got postponed. Hence, they need to win almost all their remaining games to make a place in the final four. KKR will certainly not be able to climb this mountain just with their Indian players.

Caribbean all-rounders Sunil Narine and Andre Russell have been critical to KKR’s success in the marquee tournament. Moreover, their captain Eoin Morgan is also a foreign player. Hence, their strength will go down drastically if overseas stars don’t feature when the tournament resumes.

Speaking of the positives, the side has some potent Indian batters in Shubman Gill, Nitish Rana, and Dinesh Karthik. At the same time, Varun Chakravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, Prasidh Krishna, and Harbhajan Singh can handle the onus in the bowling department. These players have shown their potential but taking KKR to consistent victories seems a too big task for them.

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-510486" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Royal-Challengers-Bangalore-9.jpg" alt="Royal Challengers Bangalore" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-510486" class="wp-caption-text">Royal Challengers Bangalore. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption>

The Virat Kohli-led side would have been one of the most disappointed teams when the tournament was called off. Having won five of their first seven games, <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/t20/ipl-indian-premier-league/rcb-royal-challengers-bangalore/">RCB</a> needed just three wins from their remaining seven games to confirm their place in the playoffs. However, their stellar campaign took an unfortunate pause.

Now, continuing their sensational run would be difficult for RCB if foreign stars don’t participate in the rest of the season. While AB de Villiers and Glenn Maxwell were constantly traumatizing bowlers in the death overs, New Zealand pacer Kyle Jamieson was effective with the ball. Hence, the Bangalore-based side would not want to lose their services.

Nevertheless, they still have a formidable contingent of Indian players which can take RCB a long way. Skipper Virat Kohli doesn’t require any introduction, while Devdutt Padikkal scored a hundred earlier this season. The bowling attack also looks quite balanced with Harshal Patel, Mohammed Siraj, Navdeep Saini, Yuzvendra Chahal, and Washington Sundar in the team.

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-508352" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Chennai-Super-Kings-3.jpg" alt="Chennai Super Kings" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-508352" class="wp-caption-text">Chennai Super Kings. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption>

MS Dhoni’s <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/t20/ipl-indian-premier-league/csk-chennai-super-kings/">Chennai Super Kings</a> holds fourth place in this list. After having a forgettable campaign in IPL 2020, the three-time champions bounced back emphatically. They won five of their seven games and were occupying third place when the tournament was discontinued. However, CSK’s journey might not be that smooth if foreign stars opt of the league.

While South Africa’s Faf du Plessis was scoring runs consistently at the top order, England all-rounders Sam Curran and Moeen Ali were also magnificent in IPL 2021. While the Men in Yellow would not want to lose these players, they can count on their Indian contingent to deliver.

Batsmen Suresh Raina and Ambati Rayudu shone in the first half of the season while Team India regulars Shardul Thakur and Deepak Chahar can handle the bowling duties. Now, it would be a crime to not mention the star all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, who was on a roll in the tournament. The cherry on the cake is Dhoni’s mind, which has rescued CSK on numerous occasions.

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-509089" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Punjab-Kings-3.jpg" alt="Punjab Kings" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-509089" class="wp-caption-text">Punjab Kings. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI</figcaption>

Seldom you will find <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/t20/ipl-indian-premier-league/punjab-kings/">Punjab Kings</a> in the top-tier of a table. However, the KL Rahul-led side is third in this list due to the strength of their India players. KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal form one of the most formidable opening pairs in the tournament, while Deepak Hooda, Shahrukh Khan, and Sarfaraz Khan can handle the duties in the middle order.

Although Chris Gayle and Nicholas Pooran’s absence might be felt at times, the batting line-up still looks formidable. Bowling is one area where Punjab has struggled in the past few years. However, they didn’t have any notable overseas bowlers even in the original squad. Hence, Mohammed Shami, Arshdeep Singh, and Ravi Bishnoi should unleash their A-game to help their side.

PBKS was holding sixth place with just three wins in eight games at the time of season suspension. Hence, they must win at least five of their remaining six group-stage matches to advance for the playoffs. The challenge is indeed not easy, but if the competition gets restricted to Indian players, PBKS should have high hopes.

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-511113" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Mumbai-Indians-4.jpg" alt="Mumbai Indians" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-511113" class="wp-caption-text">Mumbai Indians. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption>

Five-time champions <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/t20/ipl-indian-premier-league/mi-mumbai-indians/">Mumbai Indians</a> occupy second place in this list. The Rohit Sharma-led side has done exceptionally well over the years, and there is hardly any shortcoming in the squad. However, the absence of foreign stars from the line-up can leave some significant voids in the team.

While Quinton de Kock and Kieron Pollard are the vital cogs of MI’s batting line-up, Trent Boult has been sensational with the ball in hand. So, losing them could impact the Men in Blue and Gold. Nevertheless, they would still back themselves to continue their dominance just with their Indian players.

Skipper Rohit Sharma, Ishan Kishan, and Suryakumar Yadav have been delivering consistently in the top order while the Pandya brothers (Hardik and Krunal) can contribute with their all-round efforts. The bowling attack also looks hefty with Jasprit Bumrah, Rahul Chahar, and Piyush Chawla in the squad. Meanwhile, MI were fourth in the points table with four wins in seven games when the tournament got called off.

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-511172" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Delhi-Capitals-Team-1.jpg" alt="Delhi Capitals Team" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-511172" class="wp-caption-text">Delhi Capitals Team. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption>

Now we talked so much about Mumbai Indians, just imagine a side having an even more substantial Indian contingent than the defending champions. <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/t20/ipl-indian-premier-league/dc-delhi-capitals/">Delhi Capitals </a>enjoy this grandeur, and they hold the top spot on this list. DC ticked all their boxes in IPL 2021 and won one game after another. In fact, they were holding the pinnacle spot with six wins in eight games when the tournament got called off.

They’ll be raring to extend their phenomenal run when the season resumes, and even the absence of foreign players won’t hurt them much. Shikhar Dhawan, Prithvi Shaw, and Rishabh Pant did the bulk of scoring for DC earlier in the season. Moreover, regular skipper Shreyas Iyer is likely to feature in the remaining competition, strengthening Delhi’s batting line-up even further.

Among the bowlers, Delhi has services of spin twins Ravichandran Ashwin and Axar Patel alongside Avesh Khan, Ishant Sharma, and Umesh Yadav. The absence of Kagiso Rabada, Marcus Stoinis, and Shimron Hetmyer can weaken the team balance a bit. However, DC would still be stronger than most of the teams in the tournament.

On May 4, the 2021 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) got suspended abruptly after multiple players and staff members contracted the COVID-19 virus. Now, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) faces the hefty task of conducting the remaining 31 games in a jam-packed cricket calendar.
Although the schedule and dates are yet to come, it is confirmed that the remainder of the competition will take place in the United Arab Emirates. As mentioned above, many important international fixtures are lined up this year, including the ICC T20 World Cup 2021.
Hence, all the cricket boards would want their players to remain fit and not drain themselves in the IPL. On top of that, the travel and isolation protocols might also keep foreign stars out of marquee tournaments. These factors have put the participation of overseas cricketers in jeopardy when the tournament resumes.
Furthermore, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has confirmed that the contracted England players will not feature in the remaining season. Australia’s <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/dinesh-karthik-confirms-kkr-teammate-pat-cummins-unavailability-for-the-remainder-of-ipl-2021/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pat Cummins</a> is another star who’ll give a miss to the tournament.
As the competition approaches, many more players are expected to pull out. Hence, the strength of the Indian contingent of all sides might determine the fate of the tournament.
<h3>So, here we rank all eight teams based on their Indian players’ strength for IPL 2021:</h3>
<h3>8. Rajasthan Royals</h3>
<figure id="attachment_512412" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-512412" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-512412" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Rajasthan-Royals-Celebrating.jpg" alt="Rajasthan Royals Celebrating" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img><figcaption id="caption-attachment-512412" class="wp-caption-text">Rajasthan Royals Celebrating. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption></figure>
Now, if we remove England and South African players from the <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/t20/ipl-indian-premier-league/rr-rajasthan-royals/">Rajasthan Royals</a> squad, they’ll struggle to form a potent playing XI. While Ben Stokes, Jofra Archer, and Jos Buttler have been the mainstays of the side for the past few seasons, the South African duo Chris Morris and David Miller had impressive outings this year.
Hence, thriving without these players would be a daunting task for the Men in Pink. Speaking of their Indian contingent, skipper Sanju Samson is the only capped batsman in the squad. The likes of Yashasvi Jaiswal, Riyan Parag, and Mahipal Lomror have shown their talent, but lack of experience can put them under the pump.
At the same time, there aren’t many big names in the bowling line-up. Although there’s an experienced face in Jaydev Unadkat, Kartik Tyagi and Chetan Sakariya have played just a handful of matches. Hence, the unavailability of all foreign players would hit the inaugural champions hard. Meanwhile, they were fourth in the points table with three wins from seven games when the season got suspended.

<h3>7. Sunrisers Hyderabad</h3>
<figure id="attachment_508246" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-508246" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-508246" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Sunrisers-Hyderabad-2.jpg" alt="Sunrisers Hyderabad" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img><figcaption id="caption-attachment-508246" class="wp-caption-text">Sunrisers Hyderabad. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption></figure>
The Orange Army had a forgettable time in the first leg of the season. At suspension, Sunrisers Hyderabad were last in the team standings with just one win in seven games. Hence, they need to win all their remaining seven league-stage games to make a place in the playoffs without any hassle. The task is already daunting, and the challenge would increase further if no foreign players participate in the tournament.
David Warner, Jonny Bairstow, and skipper <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/tabraiz-shamsi-labels-chelsea-footballer-ngolo-kante-as-kane-williamson-of-football/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kane Williamson</a> have done a bulk of scoring for SRH in the last couple of seasons. Hence, it’s even tough to imagine SRH’s batting line-up without this trio. Among Indians, Manish Pandey, Vijay Shankar, and Kedar Jadhav are notable batsmen. Although these players have proven their mettle in IPL, they didn’t have a great campaign in the first half of IPL 2021.
Afghanistan leg-spinner Rashid Khan is an overseas player whose absence would hurt the Hyderabad team. Nevertheless, the bowling line-up still looks quite decent without foreign stars as Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Sandeep Sharma, T Natarajan, and Khaleel Ahmed are in the ranks.

<h3>6. Kolkata Knight Riders</h3>
<figure id="attachment_510119" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-510119" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-510119" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Kolkata-Knight-riders-Celebrating.jpg" alt="Kolkata Knight Riders Celebrating" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img><figcaption id="caption-attachment-510119" class="wp-caption-text">Kolkata Knight Riders Celebrating. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption></figure>
Like SRH, <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/t20/ipl-indian-premier-league/kkr-kolkata-knight-riders/">Kolkata Knight Riders</a> also had a tough time in the first half of IPL 2021. With two wins from seven games, they were holding seventh place when the season got postponed. Hence, they need to win almost all their remaining games to make a place in the final four. KKR will certainly not be able to climb this mountain just with their Indian players.
Caribbean all-rounders Sunil Narine and Andre Russell have been critical to KKR’s success in the marquee tournament. Moreover, their captain Eoin Morgan is also a foreign player. Hence, their strength will go down drastically if overseas stars don’t feature when the tournament resumes.
Speaking of the positives, the side has some potent Indian batters in Shubman Gill, Nitish Rana, and Dinesh Karthik. At the same time, Varun Chakravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, Prasidh Krishna, and Harbhajan Singh can handle the onus in the bowling department. These players have shown their potential but taking KKR to consistent victories seems a too big task for them.

<h3>5. Royal Challengers Bangalore</h3>
<figure id="attachment_510486" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-510486" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-510486" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Royal-Challengers-Bangalore-9.jpg" alt="Royal Challengers Bangalore" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img><figcaption id="caption-attachment-510486" class="wp-caption-text">Royal Challengers Bangalore. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption></figure>
The Virat Kohli-led side would have been one of the most disappointed teams when the tournament was called off. Having won five of their first seven games, <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/t20/ipl-indian-premier-league/rcb-royal-challengers-bangalore/">RCB</a> needed just three wins from their remaining seven games to confirm their place in the playoffs. However, their stellar campaign took an unfortunate pause.
Now, continuing their sensational run would be difficult for RCB if foreign stars don’t participate in the rest of the season. While AB de Villiers and Glenn Maxwell were constantly traumatizing bowlers in the death overs, New Zealand pacer Kyle Jamieson was effective with the ball. Hence, the Bangalore-based side would not want to lose their services.
Nevertheless, they still have a formidable contingent of Indian players which can take RCB a long way. Skipper Virat Kohli doesn’t require any introduction, while Devdutt Padikkal scored a hundred earlier this season. The bowling attack also looks quite balanced with Harshal Patel, Mohammed Siraj, Navdeep Saini, Yuzvendra Chahal, and Washington Sundar in the team.

<h3>4. Chennai Super Kings</h3>
<figure id="attachment_508352" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-508352" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-508352" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Chennai-Super-Kings-3.jpg" alt="Chennai Super Kings" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img><figcaption id="caption-attachment-508352" class="wp-caption-text">Chennai Super Kings. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption></figure>
MS Dhoni’s <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/t20/ipl-indian-premier-league/csk-chennai-super-kings/">Chennai Super Kings</a> holds fourth place in this list. After having a forgettable campaign in IPL 2020, the three-time champions bounced back emphatically. They won five of their seven games and were occupying third place when the tournament was discontinued. However, CSK’s journey might not be that smooth if foreign stars opt of the league.
While South Africa’s Faf du Plessis was scoring runs consistently at the top order, England all-rounders Sam Curran and Moeen Ali were also magnificent in IPL 2021. While the Men in Yellow would not want to lose these players, they can count on their Indian contingent to deliver.
Batsmen Suresh Raina and Ambati Rayudu shone in the first half of the season while Team India regulars Shardul Thakur and Deepak Chahar can handle the bowling duties. Now, it would be a crime to not mention the star all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, who was on a roll in the tournament. The cherry on the cake is Dhoni’s mind, which has rescued CSK on numerous occasions.

<h3>3. Punjab Kings</h3>
<figure id="attachment_509089" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-509089" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-509089" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Punjab-Kings-3.jpg" alt="Punjab Kings" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img><figcaption id="caption-attachment-509089" class="wp-caption-text">Punjab Kings. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI</figcaption></figure>
Seldom you will find <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/t20/ipl-indian-premier-league/punjab-kings/">Punjab Kings</a> in the top-tier of a table. However, the KL Rahul-led side is third in this list due to the strength of their India players. KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal form one of the most formidable opening pairs in the tournament, while Deepak Hooda, Shahrukh Khan, and Sarfaraz Khan can handle the duties in the middle order.
Although Chris Gayle and Nicholas Pooran’s absence might be felt at times, the batting line-up still looks formidable. Bowling is one area where Punjab has struggled in the past few years. However, they didn’t have any notable overseas bowlers even in the original squad. Hence, Mohammed Shami, Arshdeep Singh, and Ravi Bishnoi should unleash their A-game to help their side.
PBKS was holding sixth place with just three wins in eight games at the time of season suspension. Hence, they must win at least five of their remaining six group-stage matches to advance for the playoffs. The challenge is indeed not easy, but if the competition gets restricted to Indian players, PBKS should have high hopes.

<h3>2. Mumbai Indians</h3>
<figure id="attachment_511113" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-511113" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-511113" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Mumbai-Indians-4.jpg" alt="Mumbai Indians" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img><figcaption id="caption-attachment-511113" class="wp-caption-text">Mumbai Indians. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption></figure>
Five-time champions <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/t20/ipl-indian-premier-league/mi-mumbai-indians/">Mumbai Indians</a> occupy second place in this list. The Rohit Sharma-led side has done exceptionally well over the years, and there is hardly any shortcoming in the squad. However, the absence of foreign stars from the line-up can leave some significant voids in the team.
While Quinton de Kock and Kieron Pollard are the vital cogs of MI’s batting line-up, Trent Boult has been sensational with the ball in hand. So, losing them could impact the Men in Blue and Gold. Nevertheless, they would still back themselves to continue their dominance just with their Indian players.
Skipper Rohit Sharma, Ishan Kishan, and Suryakumar Yadav have been delivering consistently in the top order while the Pandya brothers (Hardik and Krunal) can contribute with their all-round efforts. The bowling attack also looks hefty with Jasprit Bumrah, Rahul Chahar, and Piyush Chawla in the squad. Meanwhile, MI were fourth in the points table with four wins in seven games when the tournament got called off.

<h3>1. Delhi Capitals</h3>
<figure id="attachment_511172" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-511172" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-511172" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Delhi-Capitals-Team-1.jpg" alt="Delhi Capitals Team" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img><figcaption id="caption-attachment-511172" class="wp-caption-text">Delhi Capitals Team. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption></figure>
Now we talked so much about Mumbai Indians, just imagine a side having an even more substantial Indian contingent than the defending champions. <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/t20/ipl-indian-premier-league/dc-delhi-capitals/">Delhi Capitals </a>enjoy this grandeur, and they hold the top spot on this list. DC ticked all their boxes in IPL 2021 and won one game after another. In fact, they were holding the pinnacle spot with six wins in eight games when the tournament got called off.
They’ll be raring to extend their phenomenal run when the season resumes, and even the absence of foreign players won’t hurt them much. Shikhar Dhawan, Prithvi Shaw, and Rishabh Pant did the bulk of scoring for DC earlier in the season. Moreover, regular skipper Shreyas Iyer is likely to feature in the remaining competition, strengthening Delhi’s batting line-up even further.
Among the bowlers, Delhi has services of spin twins Ravichandran Ashwin and Axar Patel alongside Avesh Khan, Ishant Sharma, and Umesh Yadav. The absence of Kagiso Rabada, Marcus Stoinis, and Shimron Hetmyer can weaken the team balance a bit. However, DC would still be stronger than most of the teams in the tournament.

On May 4, the 2021 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) got suspended abruptly after multiple players and staff members contracted the COVID-19 virus. Now, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) faces the hefty task of conducting the remaining 31 games in a jam-packed cricket calendar.
Although the schedule and dates are yet to come, it is confirmed that the remainder of the competition will take place in the United Arab Emirates. As mentioned above, many important international fixtures are lined up this year, including the ICC T20 World Cup 2021.
Hence, all the cricket boards would want their players to remain fit and not drain themselves in the IPL. On top of that, the travel and isolation protocols might also keep foreign stars out of marquee tournaments. These factors have put the participation of overseas cricketers in jeopardy when the tournament resumes.
Furthermore, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has confirmed that the contracted England players will not feature in the remaining season. Australia’s <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/dinesh-karthik-confirms-kkr-teammate-pat-cummins-unavailability-for-the-remainder-of-ipl-2021/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pat Cummins</a> is another star who’ll give a miss to the tournament.
As the competition approaches, many more players are expected to pull out. Hence, the strength of the Indian contingent of all sides might determine the fate of the tournament.
<h3>So, here we rank all eight teams based on their Indian players’ strength for IPL 2021:</h3>
<h3>8. Rajasthan Royals</h3>
<figure id="attachment_512412" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-512412" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-512412" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Rajasthan-Royals-Celebrating.jpg" alt="Rajasthan Royals Celebrating" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-512412" class="wp-caption-text">Rajasthan Royals Celebrating. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption></figure>
Now, if we remove England and South African players from the <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/t20/ipl-indian-premier-league/rr-rajasthan-royals/">Rajasthan Royals</a> squad, they’ll struggle to form a potent playing XI. While Ben Stokes, Jofra Archer, and Jos Buttler have been the mainstays of the side for the past few seasons, the South African duo Chris Morris and David Miller had impressive outings this year.
Hence, thriving without these players would be a daunting task for the Men in Pink. Speaking of their Indian contingent, skipper Sanju Samson is the only capped batsman in the squad. The likes of Yashasvi Jaiswal, Riyan Parag, and Mahipal Lomror have shown their talent, but lack of experience can put them under the pump.
At the same time, there aren’t many big names in the bowling line-up. Although there’s an experienced face in Jaydev Unadkat, Kartik Tyagi and Chetan Sakariya have played just a handful of matches. Hence, the unavailability of all foreign players would hit the inaugural champions hard. Meanwhile, they were fourth in the points table with three wins from seven games when the season got suspended.

<h3>7. Sunrisers Hyderabad</h3>
<figure id="attachment_508246" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-508246" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-508246" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Sunrisers-Hyderabad-2.jpg" alt="Sunrisers Hyderabad" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-508246" class="wp-caption-text">Sunrisers Hyderabad. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption></figure>
The Orange Army had a forgettable time in the first leg of the season. At suspension, Sunrisers Hyderabad were last in the team standings with just one win in seven games. Hence, they need to win all their remaining seven league-stage games to make a place in the playoffs without any hassle. The task is already daunting, and the challenge would increase further if no foreign players participate in the tournament.
David Warner, Jonny Bairstow, and skipper <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/tabraiz-shamsi-labels-chelsea-footballer-ngolo-kante-as-kane-williamson-of-football/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kane Williamson</a> have done a bulk of scoring for SRH in the last couple of seasons. Hence, it’s even tough to imagine SRH’s batting line-up without this trio. Among Indians, Manish Pandey, Vijay Shankar, and Kedar Jadhav are notable batsmen. Although these players have proven their mettle in IPL, they didn’t have a great campaign in the first half of IPL 2021.
Afghanistan leg-spinner Rashid Khan is an overseas player whose absence would hurt the Hyderabad team. Nevertheless, the bowling line-up still looks quite decent without foreign stars as Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Sandeep Sharma, T Natarajan, and Khaleel Ahmed are in the ranks.

<h3>6. Kolkata Knight Riders</h3>
<figure id="attachment_510119" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-510119" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-510119" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Kolkata-Knight-riders-Celebrating.jpg" alt="Kolkata Knight Riders Celebrating" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-510119" class="wp-caption-text">Kolkata Knight Riders Celebrating. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption></figure>
Like SRH, <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/t20/ipl-indian-premier-league/kkr-kolkata-knight-riders/">Kolkata Knight Riders</a> also had a tough time in the first half of IPL 2021. With two wins from seven games, they were holding seventh place when the season got postponed. Hence, they need to win almost all their remaining games to make a place in the final four. KKR will certainly not be able to climb this mountain just with their Indian players.
Caribbean all-rounders Sunil Narine and Andre Russell have been critical to KKR’s success in the marquee tournament. Moreover, their captain Eoin Morgan is also a foreign player. Hence, their strength will go down drastically if overseas stars don’t feature when the tournament resumes.
Speaking of the positives, the side has some potent Indian batters in Shubman Gill, Nitish Rana, and Dinesh Karthik. At the same time, Varun Chakravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, Prasidh Krishna, and Harbhajan Singh can handle the onus in the bowling department. These players have shown their potential but taking KKR to consistent victories seems a too big task for them.

<h3>5. Royal Challengers Bangalore</h3>
<figure id="attachment_510486" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-510486" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-510486" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Royal-Challengers-Bangalore-9.jpg" alt="Royal Challengers Bangalore" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-510486" class="wp-caption-text">Royal Challengers Bangalore. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption></figure>
The Virat Kohli-led side would have been one of the most disappointed teams when the tournament was called off. Having won five of their first seven games, <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/t20/ipl-indian-premier-league/rcb-royal-challengers-bangalore/">RCB</a> needed just three wins from their remaining seven games to confirm their place in the playoffs. However, their stellar campaign took an unfortunate pause.
Now, continuing their sensational run would be difficult for RCB if foreign stars don’t participate in the rest of the season. While AB de Villiers and Glenn Maxwell were constantly traumatizing bowlers in the death overs, New Zealand pacer Kyle Jamieson was effective with the ball. Hence, the Bangalore-based side would not want to lose their services.
Nevertheless, they still have a formidable contingent of Indian players which can take RCB a long way. Skipper Virat Kohli doesn’t require any introduction, while Devdutt Padikkal scored a hundred earlier this season. The bowling attack also looks quite balanced with Harshal Patel, Mohammed Siraj, Navdeep Saini, Yuzvendra Chahal, and Washington Sundar in the team.

<h3>4. Chennai Super Kings</h3>
<figure id="attachment_508352" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-508352" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-508352" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Chennai-Super-Kings-3.jpg" alt="Chennai Super Kings" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-508352" class="wp-caption-text">Chennai Super Kings. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption></figure>
MS Dhoni’s <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/t20/ipl-indian-premier-league/csk-chennai-super-kings/">Chennai Super Kings</a> holds fourth place in this list. After having a forgettable campaign in IPL 2020, the three-time champions bounced back emphatically. They won five of their seven games and were occupying third place when the tournament was discontinued. However, CSK’s journey might not be that smooth if foreign stars opt of the league.
While South Africa’s Faf du Plessis was scoring runs consistently at the top order, England all-rounders Sam Curran and Moeen Ali were also magnificent in IPL 2021. While the Men in Yellow would not want to lose these players, they can count on their Indian contingent to deliver.
Batsmen Suresh Raina and Ambati Rayudu shone in the first half of the season while Team India regulars Shardul Thakur and Deepak Chahar can handle the bowling duties. Now, it would be a crime to not mention the star all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, who was on a roll in the tournament. The cherry on the cake is Dhoni’s mind, which has rescued CSK on numerous occasions.

<h3>3. Punjab Kings</h3>
<figure id="attachment_509089" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-509089" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-509089" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Punjab-Kings-3.jpg" alt="Punjab Kings" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-509089" class="wp-caption-text">Punjab Kings. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI</figcaption></figure>
Seldom you will find <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/t20/ipl-indian-premier-league/punjab-kings/">Punjab Kings</a> in the top-tier of a table. However, the KL Rahul-led side is third in this list due to the strength of their India players. KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal form one of the most formidable opening pairs in the tournament, while Deepak Hooda, Shahrukh Khan, and Sarfaraz Khan can handle the duties in the middle order.
Although Chris Gayle and Nicholas Pooran’s absence might be felt at times, the batting line-up still looks formidable. Bowling is one area where Punjab has struggled in the past few years. However, they didn’t have any notable overseas bowlers even in the original squad. Hence, Mohammed Shami, Arshdeep Singh, and Ravi Bishnoi should unleash their A-game to help their side.
PBKS was holding sixth place with just three wins in eight games at the time of season suspension. Hence, they must win at least five of their remaining six group-stage matches to advance for the playoffs. The challenge is indeed not easy, but if the competition gets restricted to Indian players, PBKS should have high hopes.

<h3>2. Mumbai Indians</h3>
<figure id="attachment_511113" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-511113" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-511113" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Mumbai-Indians-4.jpg" alt="Mumbai Indians" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-511113" class="wp-caption-text">Mumbai Indians. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption></figure>
Five-time champions <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/t20/ipl-indian-premier-league/mi-mumbai-indians/">Mumbai Indians</a> occupy second place in this list. The Rohit Sharma-led side has done exceptionally well over the years, and there is hardly any shortcoming in the squad. However, the absence of foreign stars from the line-up can leave some significant voids in the team.
While Quinton de Kock and Kieron Pollard are the vital cogs of MI’s batting line-up, Trent Boult has been sensational with the ball in hand. So, losing them could impact the Men in Blue and Gold. Nevertheless, they would still back themselves to continue their dominance just with their Indian players.
Skipper Rohit Sharma, Ishan Kishan, and Suryakumar Yadav have been delivering consistently in the top order while the Pandya brothers (Hardik and Krunal) can contribute with their all-round efforts. The bowling attack also looks hefty with Jasprit Bumrah, Rahul Chahar, and Piyush Chawla in the squad. Meanwhile, MI were fourth in the points table with four wins in seven games when the tournament got called off.

<h3>1. Delhi Capitals</h3>
<figure id="attachment_511172" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-511172" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-511172" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Delhi-Capitals-Team-1.jpg" alt="Delhi Capitals Team" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-511172" class="wp-caption-text">Delhi Capitals Team. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption></figure>
Now we talked so much about Mumbai Indians, just imagine a side having an even more substantial Indian contingent than the defending champions. <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/t20/ipl-indian-premier-league/dc-delhi-capitals/">Delhi Capitals </a>enjoy this grandeur, and they hold the top spot on this list. DC ticked all their boxes in IPL 2021 and won one game after another. In fact, they were holding the pinnacle spot with six wins in eight games when the tournament got called off.
They’ll be raring to extend their phenomenal run when the season resumes, and even the absence of foreign players won’t hurt them much. Shikhar Dhawan, Prithvi Shaw, and Rishabh Pant did the bulk of scoring for DC earlier in the season. Moreover, regular skipper Shreyas Iyer is likely to feature in the remaining competition, strengthening Delhi’s batting line-up even further.
Among the bowlers, Delhi has services of spin twins Ravichandran Ashwin and Axar Patel alongside Avesh Khan, Ishant Sharma, and Umesh Yadav. The absence of Kagiso Rabada, Marcus Stoinis, and Shimron Hetmyer can weaken the team balance a bit. However, DC would still be stronger than most of the teams in the tournament.

Dark clouds are looming over the participation of foreign players when IPL 2021 resumes.

IPL 2021: Ranking all 8 teams based on Indian players’ strength

Although the schedule and dates are yet to come, it is confirmed that remaining IPL 2021 will take place in the United Arab Emirates.