IPL 2017 team by team preview (Part 2) - Mumbai Indians, Kolkata Knight Riders, Gujarat Lions, Rising Pune Supergiant
Mumbai Indians
Last season
An unsuccessful title defence was all but confirmed with defeat against Gujarat Lions in Mumbai's final game, with the 2015 champions relying on other results to go their way for a chance to retain their crown.
Despite the failure to even qualify in one of the top four positions, eventually finishing fifth, there were positives to take for the two-time champions.
The emergence of Krunal Pandya, in a similar style to that of his brother Hardik the previous year, provided the batting with an extra dimension as well as another bowling option.
In that game against the Lions, young batsman Nitish Rana bludgeoned an impressive 36-ball 70 in a brief showcase of what he can do with a view to claiming a place this season.
There were, however, some teething problems that in the end led to Mumbai's failure to qualify.
The big overseas names in Jos Buttler and Kieron Pollard did not quite make the impact that they are capable of, while Hardik had a nightmarish 11 games with bat and ball.
Key players
Rohit Sharma
Remarkably consistent, Rohit is one of the premier IPL players along with the likes of Virat Kohli and Suresh Raina.
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| Rohit (left) and Bumrah are two key players for Mumbai (PHOTO: Indranil Mukherjee) |
Incredibly, and in a testament to his consistency, Sharma has never failed to pass 350 runs in a season.
Perhaps his poorest season came in South Africa in 2009 for the Deccan Chargers where, despite scoring 362 runs and averaging almost 28, he could only pass fifty once while striking at a lowly 115.
Since then, Rohit has gone from strength to strength and is a reliable top order performer for Mumbai.
Jasprit Bumrah
In the absence of one of the most feared death bowlers in the world, Lasith Malinga, Bumrah took the mantle with aplomb.
After an impressive showing in the World t20 for India, the 23-year-old took that form into the IPL by taking 15 wickets.
Key auction buys
Mitchell Johnson
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| Johnson was back to his best in Scorchers colours after disappointing seasons in the IPL (PHOTO: Paul Kane) |
After another disappointing IPL in 2016, Johnson went into the Big Bash League with the Perth Scorchers with a point to prove.
He proved a point and a fair few more as he produced the kind of form that once saw him as one of the most feared bowlers on the planet.
With Malinga, Tim Southee and Mitchell McClenaghan as rivals for a place in the starting XI, the 35-year-old's resurgence over the festive period may well swing in his favour, although the Kiwi duo performed well in 2016.
Saurabh Tiwary
There were big things expected of Tiwary after his breakthrough tournament in 2010 where he struck 419 runs for the franchise he has now returned to.
However, the 27-year-old has failed to hit the heights that he had promised as a 20-year-old making his ODI debut for India against Australia seven years ago.
That being said, Tiwary has always managed to pass 100 runs at an average of at least 23 in every season following that 2010 campaign.
He made two half centuries for Pune last year and scored 109 runs in six unbeaten innings in 2015 and there will certainly be scope for the imposing batsman to get a run in the side this year.
Potential starting XI
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| Malinga was once the most feared bowler in IPL cricket - he is still the leading wicket taker in the competition (PHOTO: Hamish Blair) |
Squad analysis
There is depth to the homegrown batting options, with Rana and Tiwary sure to be knocking on the door for a place in the side ahead of the likes of Parthiv Patel or Ambati Rayudu.
Nicholas Pooran offers a similar to profile to his overseas rival Buttler as a powerful striker and wicket-keeping option.
Karn Sharma and Jagadeesha Suchith are viable options to rival the Pandya brothers in terms of offering up a bowling all-rounder option.
Verdict
Mumbai Indians have strength in a lot of areas, particularly in the overseas pace bowling department.
It remains to be seen, however, how the top order will be able to play and whether there is enough to complement Rohit consistently and not put pressure on the likes of Buttler and Pollard.
Kolkata Knight Riders
Last season
The Knight Riders snuck into fourth place to set up a meeting with Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Eliminator, but did not have enough to overcome the eventual champions.
With one of the best squads in the tournament, the Knight Riders relatively early exit would have been a major disappointment.
It was a second successive disappointment for the two-time champions of the IPL, after narrowly missing out on qualification in 2015 following their title triumph in 2014.
Robin Uthappa, Gautam Gambhir and Manish Pandey were typically consistent, Andre Russell was typically dangerous and Sunil Narine was typically economical, but it did not quite click at the right times for KKR.
Key players
Robin Uthappa
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| Uthappa is key member of the KKR top order (PHOTO: Sportskeeda) |
Despite not having his best season last time out, Uthappa is still a key piece of the Knight Riders batting order.
The 31-year-old generally gives the Kolkata-based franchise impetus at the top of the innings along with captain Gambhir.
His 2014 season was his best to date, after he compiled 660 runs with remarkable levels of consistency, scoring eight consecutive 40+ scores.
Sunil Narine
The Trinidadian is one of the best t20 bowlers in world cricket, taking wickets regularly without conceding runs - a potent combination.
He can bowl anywhere in an innings, often operating within the powerplay as well as at the death.
His first three seasons were ridiculously fruitful, taking 67 wickets in just 47 games at a scarcely-believable economy rate of 5.78.
His next two weren't as successful following problems with the ICC regarding his bowling action, although his economy was still impressive.
Key auction buys
Colin de Grandhomme
While technically not an auction purchase, Kiwi de Grandhomme has been signed by the Knight Riders as a replacement for the suspended Russell.
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| de Grandhomme has a big reputation in t20 cricket for being a big hitter (PHOTO: Marty Melville) |
It is not just his strike rate that is impressive, but de Grandhomme's career average of 26.05 is impressive considering his big-hitting ability.
He has now finally got the chance to show why he holds these sorts of numbers in the shortest form of the game, after surprisingly going unsold at the 2017 auction.
Rishi Dhawan
The 27-year-old was snapped up by the Knight Riders after his release from Kings XI Punjab during the off-season.
He performed well during Punjab's run to the Final in 2014, taking 13 wickets in as many games.
He struggled for gametime in the following two seasons, playing just seven times for Kings XI while playing four times for India either side of IPL 9 last year.
He will offer a good option for KKR in terms of having an extra Indian seam bowler in the squad to supplement the bowling attack.
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| Chris Lynn is one of the most exciting batsmen in world cricket (PHOTO: Michael Dodge) |
Potential starting XI
Uthappa, Gambhir, Pandey, Lynn, Shakib, de Grandhomme, S Yadav, Chawla, Narine, Kuldeep, U Yadav
Squad analysis
As usual, Kolkata have a particularly strong squad with a whole range of profiles.
It hasn't quite happened yet for Australian Chris Lynn, playing just five matches in the IPL across three seasons, but if he brings the form he has shown in the recent editions of the BBL then KKR will suddenly be a whole lot stronger.
There is a strong all-round aspect to the Knight Riders squad, with de Grandhomme joined by Shakib Al-Hasan, Chris Woakes and Rovman Powell for genuine all-rounder status.
Yusuf Pathan and Piyush Chawla offer strengths in batting and bowling along with competence with the ball and bat respectively, while the Indian force at the top of the order is typically strong.
Verdict
With such variety in their squad, along with a fairly consistent first XI, it is unlikely that KKR will struggle this year.
This team has been relatively unchanged in the past few seasons and another qualification should be well within their grasp, even without the all-round status of superstar Andre Russell.
Gujarat Lions
Last season
The Lions' debut season got off to a dream start, winning six of their first seven games to top the table at the halfway point.
They won just three of their following seven, but it was still enough to finish first.
Their form was to prove fatal as they were first beaten in Qualifier 1 by the Royal Challengers, before losing the following Qualifier against the Sunrisers to be knocked out of the tournament.
An explosive batting order was often let down by a weaker bowling attack, which is an area they will have to address if they are to progress further this year.
Like Rohit, Raina has shown remarkable consistency throughout his IPL career and up until the last two years, had not failed to pass 400 runs.
One of the premier t20 players on the planet, Bravo brings athletism in the field, flamboyant aggression with the bat and deadly variety with the ball.
He has the second most appearances for a foreign player with 106, trailing only AB de Villiers (120).
The 33-year-old is also third on the list of all time wicket takers with 122, behind just Malinga and Amit Mishra.
The variety that Bravo offers the teams he represents makes him a key member of any squad, shown in the success of the West Indies and Chennai Super Kings in the past few years.
There is, however, a slight worry that Bravo will not be fit for the start of the tournament after his hamstring injury sustained in the BBL for Melbourne Renegades.
Despite not having yet played an IPL game, Singh was picked up by the Lions upon his release from Mumbai Indians.
Although he has only played 14 t20 matches to date, Nathu's statistics are very eye-catching.
His economy is a shade under six, while he averages just 14.45 having taken 22 wickets for his home side Rajasthan.
The 21-year-old has also been in good recent form for Rajasthan in limited overs cricket and he will be hoping to make a name for himself for the Lions and force his way into the side.
Roy, McCullum, Raina, Finch, Karthik, Bravo, Jadeja, Kishan, P Kumar, Kulkarni, Nathu Singh
Gujarat have ridiculous options in terms of batting firepower, with at least one big name likely to miss out.
Their bowling is again not the strongest, although they have reinforced their attack with veteran Munaf Patel as well as fellow quick Manpreet Gony.
James Faulkner may be called upon to provide the balance between bat and ball, and if that proves to be the case then another high-profile batting talent will likely find themselves watching on.
Dhawal Kulkarni has been somewhat of a revelation in the past two seasons, with last season proving to be his best yet as he took 18 wickets from 16 games and he will likely spearhead the attack once more.
The addition of Roy will give yet more firepower to an already impressive batting order, with last season's powerful lineup helping Gujarat to a number of wins.
A disappointing first season for the new Pune franchise led by Indian hero MS Dhoni saw them finish in seventh, with only Kings XI below them.
Injuries to three key batsmen in Steve Smith, Faf du Plessis and Kevin Pietersen seriously threatened to derail any sort of momentum they had managed to gather in the first few games of the tournament.
Usman Khawaja and George Bailey were good replacements but neither did enough to genuinely warrant their places, with both averaging 21.
The other overseas players did not fare much better, although Thisara Perera provided some fireworks with the bat.
In the end, there were too many changes within the setup for a host of different reasons, and Pune were unable to string a consistent set of performances together.
The most expensive player to be bought at the 2017 auction, Stokes will make his IPL bow for RPS after being sold for £1.7 million.
A bruising left-handed batsman, Stokes will provide plenty of middle order fireworks along with the likes of Dhoni and Christian.
He will also provide a strong asset in the bowling ranks, particularly important given the huge loss of Ravichandran Ashwin.
It will be more than interesting to see one of England's premier players plying his trade in the IPL for the first time.
Having not played in the IPL since 2013, Christian was picked up in the auction for around £150,000.
Like Stokes, he is a big-hitting all-rounder capable of finding the boundary at ease.
He has played a number of blistering innings in his t20 career, no more so than his imperious 129 for Middlesex in 2014.
The masterful hitting that he showcased in that innings, scoring 67% of his side's runs and hitting 84% of his runs in boundaries, suggests what type of player Christian is and what he can bring to Pune.
Rahane, du Plessis, Smith, Manoj Tiwary, Dhoni, Stokes, Christian, Bhatia, I Pandey, Unadkat, Dinda
On paper, the Pune franchise have a number of potential match-winners in the likes of Smith, Dhoni and Stokes which could help shape their season.
The loss of Ravi Ashwin will likely be a huge one, with a lack of genuine quality Indian bowlers in the lineup.
The spin options have enhanced with the post-auction signing of Imran Tahir, a surprising non-selection originally.
Tahir is joined in the squad by fellow leg-spinner Adam Zampa, who impressed greatly in his five matches for RPS last year, taking 12 wickets at an economy of 6.76.
There are further overseas options in Aussie batsman Khawaja and New Zealand pacer Lockie Ferguson who will help to provide extra depth to the batting and bowling.
They won just three of their following seven, but it was still enough to finish first.
Their form was to prove fatal as they were first beaten in Qualifier 1 by the Royal Challengers, before losing the following Qualifier against the Sunrisers to be knocked out of the tournament.
An explosive batting order was often let down by a weaker bowling attack, which is an area they will have to address if they are to progress further this year.
Key players
Suresh Raina
Up until the last season, Raina was the undisputed leading run scorer in the history of the IPL.
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| Raina is one of the most celebrated batsmen in IPL history (PHOTO: Sportskeeda) |
Even last season, the 30-year-old compiled 399 runs in his first season for Gujarat after eight years with CSK.
Even though he has been surpassed, for now, in the run scoring stakes by Kohli, he is still the man with the most IPL appearances, currently four clear of Rohit and Mahendra Singh Dhoni.
Dwayne Bravo
He has the second most appearances for a foreign player with 106, trailing only AB de Villiers (120).
The 33-year-old is also third on the list of all time wicket takers with 122, behind just Malinga and Amit Mishra.
The variety that Bravo offers the teams he represents makes him a key member of any squad, shown in the success of the West Indies and Chennai Super Kings in the past few years.
There is, however, a slight worry that Bravo will not be fit for the start of the tournament after his hamstring injury sustained in the BBL for Melbourne Renegades.
Key auction buys
Jason Roy
The Lions added even more firepower to their top order with the capture of England opener Roy.
An aggressive right-hander who doesn't tend to hang around, the potential to set him free with Brendon McCullum at the beginning of an innings is a mouthwatering prospect.
Although his numbers in international t20 cricket do not quite do the 26-year-old justice, his overall t20 record shows just how good he is.
With four hundreds and a strike rate north of 144, Roy will be looking to bring his aggressive style into the IPL, with potential link ups with the likes of McCullum, Raina, Aaron Finch and Dwayne Smith creating an even more exciting lineup than the one that excelled in 2016.
Nathu Singh
Despite not having yet played an IPL game, Singh was picked up by the Lions upon his release from Mumbai Indians.
Although he has only played 14 t20 matches to date, Nathu's statistics are very eye-catching.
His economy is a shade under six, while he averages just 14.45 having taken 22 wickets for his home side Rajasthan.
The 21-year-old has also been in good recent form for Rajasthan in limited overs cricket and he will be hoping to make a name for himself for the Lions and force his way into the side.
Potential starting XI
Roy, McCullum, Raina, Finch, Karthik, Bravo, Jadeja, Kishan, P Kumar, Kulkarni, Nathu Singh
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| Kulkarni will be an important figure in a weak bowling attack (PHOTO: Indian Express) |
Squad analysis
Gujarat have ridiculous options in terms of batting firepower, with at least one big name likely to miss out.
Their bowling is again not the strongest, although they have reinforced their attack with veteran Munaf Patel as well as fellow quick Manpreet Gony.
James Faulkner may be called upon to provide the balance between bat and ball, and if that proves to be the case then another high-profile batting talent will likely find themselves watching on.
Dhawal Kulkarni has been somewhat of a revelation in the past two seasons, with last season proving to be his best yet as he took 18 wickets from 16 games and he will likely spearhead the attack once more.
Verdict
The addition of Roy will give yet more firepower to an already impressive batting order, with last season's powerful lineup helping Gujarat to a number of wins.
The fear, again, is the bowling lineup with Kulkarni, Bravo and Ravindra Jadeja needing to be on form if they are to support their batsmen.
It would be foolish to write off a side packed with such talent, though they will have need to negotiate the initial absence of their two star all-rounders, Bravo and Jadeja.
The absence of the middle order duo could be crucial in terms of the way in which the Lions start the tournament, which was such a big reason behind their qualification last year.
Rising Pune Supergiant
Last season
Injuries to three key batsmen in Steve Smith, Faf du Plessis and Kevin Pietersen seriously threatened to derail any sort of momentum they had managed to gather in the first few games of the tournament.
Usman Khawaja and George Bailey were good replacements but neither did enough to genuinely warrant their places, with both averaging 21.
The other overseas players did not fare much better, although Thisara Perera provided some fireworks with the bat.
In the end, there were too many changes within the setup for a host of different reasons, and Pune were unable to string a consistent set of performances together.
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| Dhoni will not skipper Pune in 2017, handing the reins to Steve Smith (PHOTO: Indian Express/BCCI) |
Key players
MS Dhoni
Despite his often lowly position in the batting order, Dhoni has never scored less than 280 runs in a single IPL season.
A lot of the time for CSK, Dhoni brought himself in lower down the order as a finisher, which is a good reason as to why his average is so high (39.40) and another reason why he perhaps has never passed 70 in an innings.
His role as captain in nine IPL seasons has come to an end for this upcoming season, as he hands over the RPS reins to Aussie skipper Steve Smith.
Dhoni was always seen as the ice-cool captain, capable of match-winning tactics as well as his calmness under pressure.
He will remain a more than key member of the side, however, and will arguably be Pune's main man once more.
Steve Smith
The new captain of Rising Pune Supergiant, Smith will be hoping to take his leadership qualities he has shown for Australia into the IPL.
Before injury curtailed his season last year, the 27-year-old had been in sparkling form as he hit 270 runs in eight innings, including a brilliant 101 in a narrow defeat against Gujarat Lions.
Indeed, Smith does boast an impressive overall IPL record following stints at Pune Warriors India and Rajasthan Royals before moving back to Pune to play for the new franchise.
The Australian batsman averages a healthy 36.20 while striking at just below 136 but he will be hoping to add to his two half-centuries and solitary hundred when he takes to the field in his new role as skipper in IPL 10.
Key auction buys
Ben Stokes
The most expensive player to be bought at the 2017 auction, Stokes will make his IPL bow for RPS after being sold for £1.7 million.
A bruising left-handed batsman, Stokes will provide plenty of middle order fireworks along with the likes of Dhoni and Christian.
He will also provide a strong asset in the bowling ranks, particularly important given the huge loss of Ravichandran Ashwin.
It will be more than interesting to see one of England's premier players plying his trade in the IPL for the first time.
Dan Christian
Having not played in the IPL since 2013, Christian was picked up in the auction for around £150,000.
Like Stokes, he is a big-hitting all-rounder capable of finding the boundary at ease.
He has played a number of blistering innings in his t20 career, no more so than his imperious 129 for Middlesex in 2014.
The masterful hitting that he showcased in that innings, scoring 67% of his side's runs and hitting 84% of his runs in boundaries, suggests what type of player Christian is and what he can bring to Pune.
Potential starting XI
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| Ashwin will be a huge miss for Pune this year (PHOTO: Times of India/AFP Photo) |
Squad analysis
On paper, the Pune franchise have a number of potential match-winners in the likes of Smith, Dhoni and Stokes which could help shape their season.
The loss of Ravi Ashwin will likely be a huge one, with a lack of genuine quality Indian bowlers in the lineup.
The spin options have enhanced with the post-auction signing of Imran Tahir, a surprising non-selection originally.
Tahir is joined in the squad by fellow leg-spinner Adam Zampa, who impressed greatly in his five matches for RPS last year, taking 12 wickets at an economy of 6.76.
There are further overseas options in Aussie batsman Khawaja and New Zealand pacer Lockie Ferguson who will help to provide extra depth to the batting and bowling.
Verdict
Save for perhaps Dhoni, Smith and Stokes, it is hard to get excited about this Supergiant team.
Ashwin will be a massive loss for Pune and it will remain to be seen how they cope in his absence.
There may be a case for Zampa or Tahir to come in, but it is difficult to see who else would come in, given there are so few all-round Indian options.
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