IPL 2020: 3 teams with the strongest bench-strength
IPL 2020 is going to be different this time around in more ways than one. The empty stands won't be a pretty sight for the players as the fans will miss the action from close quarters. The entirety of the tournament will be staged out of the country, which will be another significant change in the upcoming edition of the IPL.
With IPL 2020 being held in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, it will be important for all the teams to ensure that their players do not contract the dreaded virus and remain in optimum physical condition. In that regard, the bench-strength of every IPL team assumes significance.
Teams with strong bench-strength will definitely have an edge over the others in IPL 2020, as most of the players will be making a return to competitive action after a long break, which may increase the chances of injuries.
On that note, let us have a look at three teams with the strongest bench-strength in IPL 2020.
Three teams with the strongest bench-strength in IPL 2020:
#3: Chennai Super Kings
Strongest playing XI:
Shane Watson, Ambati Rayudu, Suresh Raina, MS Dhoni (captain and wicketkeeper), Kedar Jadhav, Dwayne Bravo, Ravindra Jadeja, Sam Curran, Harbhajan Singh, Imran Tahir, Deepak Chahar.
Chennai Super Kings are known as a team who doesn't believe much in chopping and changing. The IPL franchise generally backs its players and does not make changes in their playing-XI unless it is absolutely necessary, but that does not mean that they don't focus on their bench strength.
CSK will have a strong bench strength in IPL 2020, as has been the case in the other editions of the competition. While they have the experience of Faf du Plessis and Murali Vijay to fall back on, they also have the exuberance of youth in Ruturaj Gaikwad, who has been sensational for India A.
In the spin department, the 3-time IPL champions have Kiwi tweaker Mitchell Santner, Karn Sharma and an IPL veteran Piyush Chawla. Chawla was a key member of the KKR squad for years and can be crucial for CSK too.
CSK are well served in the pace department too where they have some dependable names to rely on. Shardul Thakur, who has done quite well in the limited opportunities he has received with the national side, is a handy player. Apart from Thakur, CSK have international stars like Lungi Ngidi and Josh Hazlewood in their roster.
#2: Mumbai Indians
Strongest playing XI:
Quinton de Kock (wicketkeeper), Chris Lynn, Rohit Sharma (captain), Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Kieron Pollard, Krunal Pandya, Rahul Chahar, Dhawal Kulkarni, Lasith Malinga, Jasprit Bumrah.
With a fairly settled squad that won them the IPL title last year, the focus of Mumbai Indians at the latest IPL auction in 2019 was to improve their bench strength.
The most successful side in competition history will enter IPL 2020 as one of the favourites as they have several impact players in their squad.
Batsmen like Rohit Sharma, Quinton de Kock, Kieron Pollard and Chris Lynn and talented youngsters like Ishan Kishan and Sherfane Rutherford on the bench add firepower to Mumbai India's much-vaunted batting. Ishan Kishan has played some important cameos for the 4-time IPL champions in the past fewyears and will be itching to have a go this year as well.
In the spin department, Jayant Yadav and Anukul Roy will be backup for Rahul Chahar who had a fruitful season last year.
However, Mumbai Indians' biggest strength is their pace attack. Trent Boult, Nathan Coulter-Nile and Mitchell McCleneghan are proven T20 players and can comfortably slot in should one of the regulars like Bumrah or Malinga get injured.
#1: Delhi Capitals
Strongest playing XI:
Shikhar Dhawan, Prithvi Shaw, Shreyas Iyer (captain), Shimron Hetmyer, Rishabh Pant (wicketkeeper), Marcus Stoinis, Chris Woakes, Ravichandran Ashwin, Kagiso Rabada, Amit Mishra, Ishant Sharma.
One side that will have some serious selection headaches in IPL 2020 will be Delhi Capitals. They have a problem of riches when it comes to the selection of their playing-XI.
The team management of the IPL franchise has left no stone unturned to make sure that they have every base covered.
They bought in the experienced Ajinkya Rahane who, along with Shikhar Dhawan and Prithvi Shaw, will provide the much-needed experience in the playing XI. Jason Roy, England's World Cup winner, is another opener who might have to warm the bench, though.
Delhi Capitals' all-rounders Axar Patel and Keemo Paul had a decent IPL season last year. But they might not be the team's first choice after the arrival of Marcus Stoinis, Chris Woakes and Ravichandran Ashwin.
Young Nepali spin sensation Sandeep Lamichhane might as well be in the reserves as he may not be played ahead of Ashwin. Indian pace-trio of Mohit Sharma, Avesh Khan and Tushar Deshpande will likely start IPL 2020 on the bench too.