IPL 2020: One overseas player from each team who might warm the bench for most of the season
The cricketing spectacle, that is the Indian Premier League (IPL) is not far away. We are reaching the end of January and it's time we analyse different squads before the 13th edition begins.
IPL is a considerably long tournament, played in the hottest months across India so it's quite obvious why teams usually want big squads to deal with their tight schedule. Because of those considerably big squads, we have often seen some talented Indian and overseas players warming the benches for a large part of the tournament, as they are considered as back-ups and not starters.
These players also tell us about the depth and quality of every team. If a recognised international player can't get into an IPL team, it just tells you the quality of that particular team and how good their squad is. Here, we are going to concentrate on the overseas players and take a look at one such player from each team who might not get a spot in the starting XI right away next season.
#8 Rajasthan Royals - Tom Curran
Tom Curran didn't play last year's IPL to prepare for the World Cup but this year, after being released by Kolkata Knight Rider (KKR), he was picked up at his base price by Rajasthan Royals (RR).
Now, RR already have a bunch of overseas fast bowlers and one can't help but think that Curran might be the last in line among them for a spot in the XI. In IPL 2018, he played 5 games for KKR, picking up 6 wickets, at an economy rate of almost 12.
The 24-year-old is a genuine fast bowler, but his discipline is a matter of concern. The likes of Oshane Thomas and Andrew Tye might be preferred over him if Jofra Archer needs rest or gets injured.
#7 Royal Challengers Bangalore - Joshua Philippe
Joshua Philippe is an unknown commodity in the IPL and he will be playing his first-ever season. The Australian is only 22-years-old and if you have followed Australia's domestic cricket, you might know that Philippe is a beautiful striker of the cricket ball and has the ability to strike the ball hard and long. It will be interesting to see how the youngster does in Indian conditions.
It's highly likely that Philippe will be the second choice or third choice wicket-keeper and he will only play if Parthiv Patel gets injured or underperforms drastically. Nevertheless, Philippe is highly talented and he might surprise everyone if he gets a chance.
Note: All statistics as of January 23, 2020