IPL is around the corner with excitement levels reaching the skies. It will be an exciting IPL as this would be played in India with fans in-stadium and in the country’s best four stadiums. Cricket matches would be fiercely contested as most of the teams are evenly balanced post auction, with two new teams to spice up the competition.
Unlike IPL 2021, there would be seventy-four matches including four play-offs and there are many old faces who would be captaining their franchise for the first time as well as new faces to storm the world. Some of the well-known domestic players would be waiting to make their mark on the global stage. With IPL being watched across the globe, it is the biggest stage for all the cricketers to showcase their potential and many players would love to grab this opportunity.
Let’s look at the top eight things to watch out for at this year’s IPL:
MS Dhoni’s Last IPL:
The man who gave us World Cup, T20 World Cup, Champions trophy may bid adieu this year and this season may be his last IPL. A gifted batsman, arguably the best keeper-batsman to ever grace the game, and a very down-to-earth human being, Dhoni deserves all the praise in the world. He was synonymous with Yellow Color across all IPL seasons and would be a big hole to fill. Will the helicopter fly without any pressure or the captain cool will walk into retirement without any buzz, only time will tell.
Two New IPL teams:
We have two new teams this season, one from India’s most populous state(Lucknow Super Giants) and the other from the land of Mahatma Gandhi(Gujrat Titans). While Lucknow will be led by India’s upcoming sensation, KL Rahul, Gujrat will have Hardik P to spearhead their campaign. With valuable additions like Rashid Khan in the auction, Lucknow and Gujrat will not be mere pushovers and would be genuine contenders for the trophy.
Rishabh Pant:
While Rishabh Pant, the player has been in the best form of his life but as a captain, he has been unlucky. Delhi Daredevils may have been the best team in the group stages last year, they were toppled by KKR in the playoffs. Rishabh was even unlucky in 2020, with his team losing in the final. Will this be the third time lucky for Rishabh and Delhi Daredevils?
Suresh Raina:
Nicknamed Mr. IPL for his stupendous records in IPL, he went unsold this year. His earlier team Chennai decided against buying him which led to his unceremonious exit but he would be seen in a new avatar this time as a commentator. It would be interesting to see and hear his insights about the competition and the game.
Rohit Sharma:
Rohit is arguably the best IPL captain, and his start as an Indian captain has been great as well. It would be interesting to see, how he leads MI this season with the additional responsibility of being India’s all-format captain. It would be also interesting to see if he can add the 5th IPL trophy to his ever-growing trophy cabinet.
Virat Kohli:
Virat has been the bedrock for the Indian Cricket team and RCB for so many years. It would be interesting to see Virat, purely as a batsman without the additional responsibility of captaincy. Will it be old Virat, who once was the highest run-getter in a season, or another mediocre season? Whatever be the fate of this IPL, Virat as a player would be the most exciting package of this year’s IPL.
Wankhede,Brabourne, DY Patil Stadium, MCA Stadium:
With this year’s IPL being played in Mumbai and Pune’s flat pitches, it would be a run-feast with plenty of sixes and fours to keep spectators glued to their screen and seats. With all four stadiums being close and located in Mumbai and Pune, this would mean less traveling time and more rest for cricketers which would surely help in their performance and make the matches more exciting.
