IPL 2021 is almost upon us and the second installment of the tournament will be starring a lot of faces after a lot of stars from the preceding edition of the tournament pulled out citing personal reasons and international engagements.
Players like Wanindu Hasaranga, Dusmanth Chameera, Tim David and a couple of more stars came on board for the prestigious Indian Premier League’s UAE phase. A few of the newcomers have previously featured in IPL while others will savour the cash-rich league for the first time.
In this story, we will take a quick look at the ones who will be featuring in the second edition of the domestic extravaganza.
#1 Tim David – Royal Challengers Bangalore
The man who replaced Daniel Sams for the remainder of the tournament is one of the most illustrious names in the shortest format of the game. He has been plying his trade across various franchise leagues throughout the face of the globe after wringing out notable success in his national colours.
He has so far played 14 T20’s for his nation where he has managed to garner a staggering 558 runs at an astonishing average of 46.50 and a mind-bending strike rate of 158 plus. He also has an exceptional T20 figure in the franchise roster s his average reads 35.62 and his strike rate reads 155.97. Though the last four matches haven’t really gone in his favour, his recent figures against Trinbago Knight Riders and Jamaica Tallawahs in the ongoing CPL will be filling a lot of hearts with hope.
#2 Wanindu Hasaranga – Royal Challengers Bangalore
The leg-spinner who managed to win the T20 series for Sri Lanka against India will be seen in action for the first time in the hallowed domestic extravaganza. He can also swing his bat considerably well and will be a valuable addition to the echelons of RCB. As the remainder of the tournament will be in UAE, the pitches will be very conducive to the bowlers, especially the leg-spinners.
Hasaranga’s T20 exploits come forth as extremely burnished with 80 wickets from 60 matches and a brilliant economy rate of 6.37 which comes as magic for any T20 cricketer in the world. The fact that he is a leg-spinner, it makes it a notch more difficult to go up against him in the bowling-friendly surfaces of UAE. His recent figures against South Africa in the two opening matches weren’t really inspiring but he made a superb comeback in the last ODI of the series to register fine numbers of 2 for 32.
#3 Glenn Phillips – Rajasthan Royals
Glenn Phillips is a South Africa-born New Zealand cricketer who has established himself as a hard-hitting force in the shortest format of the game. He startled everyone with a fiery brand of cricket in the Hundred as he belted out scores of an unbeaten 30 and 80 for the Welsh Fire Men. He has also proven to be a vital cog in the plans of Barbados Royals as he has hammered scores of 24, 56*, 31 and 44 in the ongoing CPL.
One of the most significant factors of Phillips is his ability to rack up runs very quickly as his T20 strike rate reads a blistering 141 plus and 149 in international cricket. He has smashed 209 sixes until now in the shortest format of the game and it is expected that he will be extremely important for the Royals who have been missing the likes of a heavy hitter in the middle.
#4 Tabraiz Shamsi – Rajasthan Royals
Known for his menacing googly and an extraordinary brand of variations, Tabraiz Shamsi is one of the most renowned monikers in the shortest format of the sport. It is rare to spot a wrist spinner these days and the ones who have been found have been stellar in form of their exploits.
He has managed to claim 183 wickets from 163 ODI’s and his economy rate reads a stunning 7.18 that would definitely be troubling other apparitions of the sport, especially in the tracks of UAE. He has already managed to impress the Royals audience as he has claimed a fifer against Sri Lanka and followed it up with a brace.
#5 Oshane Thomas – Rajasthan Royals
Thomas’ current showdown in the ongoing CPL has proved to be a deciding factor for Barbados Royals, despite the West Indian fast bowler not being able to wring wickets. Despite his lack of wickets for Barbados, he has managed to claim some economical displays, thereby instilling hopes in the hearts of Rajasthan Royals.
As the fast bowler makes his transitions from one Royals to the other, he is always known for his wicket-taking factor as he has claimed 61 wickets from 50 matches until now in the shortest format of the sport. Given the bowling-friendly tracks of UAE and the longer boundaries, he may be of high importance to the Royals in the upcoming IPL.
#6 Nathan Ellis – Punjab Kings
This is an exciting addition to the ranks of Punjab Kings as he will be hailing all the way from Australia to fill a couple of massive boots for the second edition of the tournament. He was in subliminal form against Bangladesh where he claimed figures of 2 for 16 and 3 for 34 that will be fascinating for the Australian wunderkind.
In T20 cricket, he has managed to claim 38 wickets from 33 matches and has produced an economy rate of 8.03 which seems relatively decent in the era of excessively hard-hitting cricket. Most likely, he won’t be getting many outings but he will have to make good use of whatever fortune comes his way.
#6 Adil Rashid – Punjab Kings
Despite being a renowned leggie, this will be Adil Rashid’s first rodeo in the IPL. He has been picked up by Punjab Kings as a replacement for Jhye Richardson. The fact that he is an all-rounder will help Punjab in countless ways in the upcoming IPL.
He has 232 T20 wickets from 201 matches at a brilliant economy rate of 7.43 while he has also managed 704 runs at a decent strike rate of 104. It will be his bowling that will catapult Punjab to the fore as their bowling has posed a lot of questions this season.
#7 George Garton – Royal Challengers Bangalore
George Garton is another exciting talent who will most likely not be getting much game time but his previous exploits in the shortest format of the sport are notable enough. The youngster is a tad bit expensive but the fact that he can bowl those lethal yorkers will actually prove to be vital for RCb in the death overs in the games that he will be playing.
He has produced 44 wickets from 38 matches in T20 cricket while his economy rate has read a decent 8.26. He has managed to impress heavily in First Class and List A cricket with scintillating bowling figures. He also impressed in the recently concluded Hundred.
#8 Dusmantha Chameera – Royal Challengers Bangalore
Chameera has been in searing hot form ever since the India series and he continued his blitzkrieg against South Africa too. He claimed figures of 2 for 16 and 2 for 52 in the latest matches and will be a major contender for a starting spot in the RCB line-up.
He has managed to claim 59 T20 wickets from 60 games while his economy rate reads 7.60. Chameera has produced some toe-crushing yorkers which were a treat to watch against India in the recently concluded bilateral affair.
P.s: Tim Southee and Evin Lewis have not been included in this list as they have previously featured in IPL and this list is exclusively for newcomers.
