Predicted Lineups Of All IPL Teams Ahead Of IPL 2020-Check Out Your Favourite Team's Possible Lineup.

 IPL Cricket is back and less than 24 hours to go by and Sports Curator is really very curious about how the teams would line up in their respective first games.  That is what I have prepared, I have predicted the possible lineups of all IPL teams.  Please note that this predicted line up is for the First match of the respective teams because Kolkata Knight Riders will not have Morgan and Cummins and Tom Banton as they have to undergo a 6 day quarantine, Teams may change their lineups as the tournament folds by, So here are the Predicted lineups of all the eight IPL teams ahead of this IPL.

We are going to list down the teams based on the Positions we had given in our other post about the Predicted finishes of all IPL Teams If you haven't seen it yet please click the link, IPL Prediction-Predicting The Points Table. 

Let us start from first that is Delhi Capitals.

1.  DELHI CAPITALS:

                      The Delhi Capitals have a really strong squad with variety of options in both Indian and Overseas players.  So let us see how they would line up,

1. PRITHIVI SHAW
   
2. SHIKHAR DHAWAN
3. SHIMRON HETMYER (OVERSEAS)
4. SHREYAS IYER (CAPTAIN)
5. RISHABH PANT (WICKET KEEPER)
6. ALEX CAREY (WICKET KEEPER) (OVERSEAS)
   
7. RAVICHANDRAN ASHWIN
   
8. KAGISO RABADA(OVERSEAS)
9. DANIEL SAMS(BOWLING ALL-ROUNDER) (OVERSEAS)
   
10. AMIT MISHRA
11. ISHANT SHARMA

                       So finally we have done it from a squad which consisted of really very good players in which everyone had a good chance to make it to the playing XI we have sorted out 11, if there are any mistakes or If some other players are good enough to play in XI then don't forget to drop a comment.  Coming to the squad, the main reason for leaving out Ajinkya Rahane is his need in this squad.  Because this squad is already really heavy in batting especially the top four. 

                        If I had to play Rahane then I have to push Rishabh and Shreyas one place down and that would see Alex Carey batting at number seven and we will be stumbling for lack of bowling resources, to bring more balance to the squad I have opted not to take Ajinkya.

  You may ask Why did you leave Axar Patel out?  The only reason is instead of playing with 3 spinners I have opted with only two.  Obviously the dusty surfaces of UAE will really favour spin, but I think two quality spinners like Ashwin and Mishra are Enough.  If Shreyas opts for more depth in batting then he could go for Axar and take out an Ashwin or Mishra.  But according to my opinion this playing XI looks more balanced.

2.  RAJASTHAN ROYALS:

                        As far as the Royals are concerned they have really good quality overseas players and have a lot of backup options as well so lets get straight into the starting line up.

1. JOS BUTTLER (WICKET KEEPER) (OVERSEAS)
2. YASHASVI JAISWAL
3. SANJU SAMSON (WICKET KEEPER)
4. STEVEN SMITH (CAPTAIN) (OVERSEAS)
5. ROBIN UTHAPPA (WICKET KEEPER)
   
6. BEN STOKES (ALL ROUNDER) (OVERSEAS)
7. RIYAN PARAG (ALL ROUNDER)
8. SHREYAS GOPAL 
9. JOFRA ARCHER (OVERSEAS)
10. MAYANK MARKANDE
11. JAYDEV UNADKAT 

                     Mm.... the Rajasthan Royals, as we saw they also have a lot of options while it comes to the Playing XI.  But they have a lot of Bowling Options.  Their reserve batsmen do not look very decisive but they have a really good Bowling attack both in the Playing XI and in the reserves.  They also bat deep down the order that is upto Jofra Archer.  The reason behind excluding David Miller is because once again like Rahane he is not needed by the team, because the team is already fully packed by overseas stars in the top 6 and you cannot exclude Jofra Archer as he is their best bowler, so how can you fill in David Miller.

  If he was in Prime like that during 2014 and 15 I would definitely remove Jos Buttler and replace him with Miller, because a David Miller at his prime is even better than a Buttler in his prime.  But sadly Miller is well past his prime so he is just another backup option.  

3.  CHENNAI SUPER KINGS:

                     Chennai Super Kings are not really expected to make any big changes to their playing XI so let us see how will they line up ahead of their Opening match versus their arch-rivals Mumbai Indians

1. SHANE WATSON (OVERSEAS)
2. AMBATI RAYUDU
3. MURALI VIJAY
4. MAHENDRA SINGH DHONI (WICKET KEEPER) (CAPTAIN)
5. KEDAR JADHAV
6. DWAYNE BRAVO (ALL-ROUNDER) (OVERSEAS)
7. RAVINDRA JADEJA (ALL-ROUNDER)
8. DEEPAK CHAHAR
9. SHARDUL THAKUR
10. IMRAN TAHIR (OVERSEAS)
11. JOSH HAZLEWOOD (OVERSEAS)

                        The Chennai Super Kings have always played FAF Du Plessis at the end of the season so I don't think he is going to get a place in the first match.  CSK have their bowling sorted out with In-form Josh Hazlewood, who is expected to make an IPL debut.

  But, if Dhoni Wants more depth in batting then he should drop a Hazlewood or Bravo and make way for Sam Curran.  But that is optional.  So this team looks final and Dhoni would make very few changes in the Squad as the tournament progresses.

4.  MUMBAI INDIANS:

                        Coming on to the defending champions Mumbai Indians they lack the prescence of Malinga but have some really good backup options and Captain Rohit as opener they have their Top order rock Solid, so let us see how they would line up against CSK in the IPL opener.

1. ROHIT SHARMA (CAPTAIN)
2. QUINTON DE KOCK (WICKET KEEPER) (OVERSEAS)
3. ISHAN KISHAN (WICKET KEEPER)
4. SURYAKUMAR YADAV
5. KIERON POLLARD (BATTING ALL-ROUNDER) (OVERSEAS)
   
6. HARDIK PANDYA (ALL-ROUNDER)
7. KRUNAL PANDYA (ALL-ROUNDER)
8. NATHAN COULTER-NILE (OVERSEAS)
9. RAHUL CHAHAR 
10. TRENT BOULT (OVERSEAS)
11. JASPRIT BUMRAH 

                            Mumbai's batting order looks very solid but they lack a quality second spinner.  You may say Why not?  There is Krunal Pandya!  But he doesn't even average a wicket per game.

  So Mumbai truly lack a quality second spinner in the dusty tracks.  They have really good depth in their batting as they bat upto Nathan Coulter-Nile.  If Rohit wants to play Lynn, then he has to go down to No.4 and remove either Coulter-Nile or Boult.  Me being an MI fan will never accept this as this team looks solid.

5.  KINGS XI PUNJAB:

                           The Kings have a really good squad with equal amount of bowling and batting resources.  

1. K.L.RAHUL (WICKET KEEPER) (CAPTAIN)
2. CHRIS GAYLE (OVERSEAS)
3. MAYANK AGARWAL
4. GLENN MAXWELL (BATTING ALL-ROUNDER) (OVERSEAS)
5. SARFRAZ KHAN
6. MANDEEP SINGH
7. JIMMY NEESHAM (ALL-ROUNDER) (OVERSEAS)
8. KRISHNAPPA GOWTHAM
9. MUJEEB UR RAHMAN (OVERSEAS)
10. MOHAMMED SHAMI 
11. ISHAN POREL

                              The Kings have really good backup options in terms of both bowling and batting.  But they lack quality Indian fast bowlers.  I have gone to Ishan Porel just because I wanted to play a second fast bowler.  Out of all Ishan porel is the decent bowler.

  As I said, If Rahul leads them well then they could go all the way and lift the IPL trophy.  With Glenn Maxwell in Mind Blowing Form the Kings really favour themselves.

        

6.  KOLKATA KNIGHT RIDERS:

                             A really big disadvantage for the Knights is that they will not have Cummins, Morgan and Banton for their first match versus Mumbai Indians.

  Because players coming to Abu Dhabi should complete a Six day quarantine.  The Six day quarantine takes us to the 24th whereas KKR have their first encounter in 23rd.  So this team for the first match will not have these three players.

1. RAHUL TRIPATHY
2. SUNIL NARINE (ALL-ROUNDER) (OVERSEAS)
3. SHUBMAN GILL
4. NITISH RANA (BATTING ALL-ROUNDER)
5. ANDRE RUSSEL (ALL-ROUNDER) (OVERSEAS)
6. DINESH KARTHIK (WICKET KEEPER) (CAPTAIN)
7. CHRIS GREEN (ALL-ROUNDER) (OVERSEAS)
8. SHIVAM MAVI
9. KULDEEP YADAV
10. PRASIDH KRISHNA 
11. LOCKIE FERGUSON (OVERSEAS)

                        The squad of Knight riders is simila to that of the Rajasthan Royals.  They also have a lot of depth in their bowling attack and have minimum resources when it comes to batting.  They have good side and with Morgan and Cummins definitely playing after the first encounter the team looks good, but should improve a lot in their bowling attack.

7.  SUNRISERS HYDERABAD:

                         The Sunrisers have a poor middle order as far as I can say.  They have the poorest middle order of all teams in the IPL.

1. DAVID WARNER (CAPTAIN) (OVERSEAS)
2. JONNY BAIRSTOW (OVERSEAS)
3. KANE WILLIAMSON (OVERSEAS)
4. MANISH PANDEY
5. VIJAY SHANKAR (ALL-ROUNDER)
6. ABISHEK SHARMA (ALL-ROUNDER)
7. RASHID KHAN (OVERSEAS)
8. BHUVNESHWAR KUMAR
9. SIDDHARTH KAUL
10. KHALEEL AHMED
11. SANDEEP SHARMA

                          The Sunrisers have a lot of talented Indian players but also Inconsistent players.  Players like Siddharth Kaul, Khaleel Ahmed, Sandeep Sharma, Vijay Shankar are really very inconsistent.  Warner can change things with his captaincy but as I said I expect a horrendous season for the Sunrisers Hyderabad this time.  They can try different things by replacing Abishek by Tamil Nadu Spinner Sanjay Yadav and Replacing Sandeep Sharma with Natarajan.

  So let us hope whether they can prove me wrong.

 8.  ROYAL CHALLENGERS BANGALORE:

                          RCB lack balance and really would have a disastrous season.  That is what I expect.  But Virat Kohli can defy all odds and maybe take them to the playoffs but that is very unlikely to happen.  

1.  PARTHIV PATEL (WICKET KEEPER)
2. AARON FINCH (OVERSEAS)
3. VIRAT KOHLI (CAPTAIN)
4. A.B.DE VILLIERS (OVERSEAS)
5. WASHINGTON SUNDAR (ALL-ROUNDER)
6. SHIVAM DUBE 
7. CHRIS MORRIS (ALL-ROUNDER) (OVERSEAS)
8. NAVDEEP SAINI
9. MOHAMMED SIRAJ
10. DALE STEYN (OVERSEAS)
11. YUZVENDRA CHAHAL

                             RCB really have inconsistecy in the form of Siraj and Dube.  To be frank, I have never hated a player to the level I hate Shivam Dube.  His worst technique and shaky bowling really irritates me.  I even Wonder, why did Virat take him to New Zealand.  Where Dube really tested everyone's patience.  The Spin attack is heavily reliant on Chahal.  Sundar is more of an economist.

  So the Wicket taker here is Chahal.  They also have an overseas option in the name of Adam Zampa but in order to play him the must sacrifice Finch or Morris.  

That is it Guys We have completed it and the IPL starts on the 19th and whole of India waited patiently for the past six months and finally we are here.  Everyone put your rivalries apart and enjoy good cricket.