IPL 2018: 5 overseas stars who might not feature in starting XI
The 11th edition of the Indian Premier League is set to begin on April 7. Every team has a maximum of 8 overseas players, some of whom have had remarkable careers for their nations and some of whom have been picked based on their domestic T20 records.
Considering that only 4 foreign players can play in the XI, there are many stalwarts who might not feature in the starting line up and may only play either when the conditions are favourable or when there is a dip in form of the first-choice players.
We look at 5 such star players who might find it difficult to make the cut in IPL 2018:
#5 Moeen Ali
The English all-rounder was picked by Royal Challengers Bangalore for INR 1.7 crore. Although Moeen Ali was dropped for the last Test match versus New Zealand due to his drop in form, he has been a regular for his national side in the last 2-3 years.
Ali is not a T20 star as yet, but his big-hitting abilities combined with his tidy off-spin bowling make him a valuable asset for his team. Still, he will most likely be used as a backup option for RCB given that they have enough Indian spin bowling options in their squad and all-rounders in the form of Collin de Grandhomme and Chris Woakes. Ali will have to wait for an opportunity to showcase his skills in his maiden IPL stint.
T20 stats:
Matches 109, Runs 2139, Ave 22.51, SR 128.85, 100s 0, 50s 11
Wickets 69, Eco 7.38, Ave 26.79