IPL 2018: 5 T20 specialists who have not yet played a single game in this year's IPL
During this year's IPL, we have already seen a lot of match-winning performances by foreign players. With just four such players allowed to be a part of each side, it becomes difficult for the team to make choices.
Teams prefer to choose players who are in form or they opt for horses for courses strategy to choose their respective squads. Due to this, quite a few good players have to warm the bench and wait for their opportunities.
Consider the case of Chris Gayle and Shane Watson. It was widely believed that both of them are at the twilight of their careers and would not feature regularly for their respective teams. They have proved all their critics wrong by scoring a century each. Teams have given opportunities and they have grabbed it with both their hands. There are a few world-class players on each side waiting for getting an opportunity to show their skills in this year's IPL.
Here are the top 5 T20 specialists who are waiting to play for their side. Only time will tell if they can justify their place in the side by playing some match-winning knocks.
5) J P Duminy
The 34 year old South African has played in a lot of franchise T20 Leagues across the globe but is yet to feature in this year's IPL. He is a valuable asset to any team he plays in and has emerged as one of the effective T20 players of this generation. Primarily a batsman, his off-spin and excellent fielding skills are a huge boost and they make him a complete player.
During the auctions, he was bought by Mumbai Indians at a price of ₹ 1 crore. He has been a consistent performer in the IPL and has amassed 1993 runs at a healthy average of 39.86. Notably, in his prior stint for Mumbai, he had one of the highest averages in the IPL, more than Sachin Tendulkar and Sanath Jayasuriya.
With Mumbai Indian teams in doldrums, it would be wise to draft an experienced campaigner like JP Duminy. His ability to finish the innings along with his bowling and fielding skills would give the Rohit Sharma led team more options.