IPL 2021: 3 reasons why another transfer window would benefit franchises
Mumbai Indians have been the best side in the IPL by a country mile and one of the biggest reasons behind their consistent run has been their scouting, selection and sticking with players they believe in. Players are assigned a role, there is a clear brief and nothing is left to chance. In Rohit Sharma, they have one of the sharpest minds in the business and the right-hander is very thorough when it comes to studying and understanding match-ups before every game.
This might not be the case with the other sides and now, with the IPL all set to resume in the UAE, there are several teams in the league that need a reshuffle and they need new blood, new tactics and possibly a bit of juggling. They should look at trading players and identifying slots and positions for specific roles.
We take a look at the 3 reasons why another transfer window could benefit these franchises:
1.) Plugging gaps on an ad-hoc basis
Before the IPL was called off, Delhi Capitals were the leaders while Sunrisers Hyderabad was struggling towards the bottom of the table. One of the biggest reasons behind their struggles was the lack of an attacking Indian middle order batsman. In Manish Pandey, they do have quality, but he takes time to get going and often consumes a lot of balls.
Hence, they could do wonders with a more attacking option and this is where, a player like a Sarfaraz Khan can come in handy. The right-hander can be a good addition and he is just one example of how a player can help paper over the cracks.
2.) More opportunity for untested players
In the IPL, sides do not often like to change their players a lot and this leaves a lot of players cooling their heels. While this might not be a big deal for overseas players who will have other opportunities to showcase their mettle. For uncapped Indian players, this might well lead them to missing out on a bid in subsequent auctions.
A transfer window makes all the more sense as we will have a mega auction next year and a number of Indian uncapped players would want a platform to showcase their pedigree and hope for better and bigger things when the franchises convene for the auctions next year.
3.) Teams can change captains if need be
Kolkata Knight Riders and Sunrisers Hyderabad are the two sides that have appointed overseas players as captains of their respective side. However, Eoin Morgan (KKR) has lost his form and this puts the side in real jeopardy. This is where a transfer window can come in real handy. For instance, KKR can rope in an overseas player, replace Eoin Morgan with the new player and then appoint a brand new skipper.
Quite often, if an overseas captain does not perform, the balance of the side goes south and the management is left fumbling for options. A transfer window at this stage of the competition might open and shake things up.