Kings XI Punjab
Management of big players, and their egos, is a challenge magnified by tournaments like the IPL. Yuvraj Singh and Chris Gayle are two of the biggest names in world cricket, and Ravichandran Ashwin will be hoping coaches Brad Hodge and Virender Sehwag can assist in keeping the squad together. They’ve added international experience in Karun Nair and KL Rahul, having had three poor years. In Mohit Sharma and Andrew Tye, they have two very skilled and battle hardened T20 bowlers. David Miller, Aaron Finch and Manoj Tiwary provide additional clout to accompany Singh and Gayle. The key could be Gayle’s form. His recent ton at the World Cup qualifiers was his 23rd in ODIs, and a timely reminder that the 38 year old is a bit of a bargain here.
Tournament Chances: Batting heavy, with promise. Team Rating = 7/10
Player to watch: Barinder Sran – likened to Zaheer Khan by his teammate, Yuvraj Singh, Sran’s height makes him a tricky prospect for those looking to get after him.
Sunrisers Hyderabad
It remains to be seen whether David Warner will be at the helm, with Australia’s pious and vociferous defender of cricket’s values caught up in the recent ball tampering scandal. That aside, this is the strongest squad going this year. Tom Moody brings an abundance of T20 experience, and Sunrisers Hyderabad have the varied attack to adapt to different surfaces. In Billy Stanlake, they have a man capable of thunderbolts – impressive in the most recent Big Bash for the Adelaide Strikers. Spin options are plentiful with Shakib Al Hasan, Afghan superstar Rashid Khan and Mehdi Hasan of Bangladesh bolstering the ranks. Chris Jordan is great at the death, and electric in the field. In Warner and Shikhar Dhawan, they have the potential for consistent, blistering starts – although Warner’s form will be a concern. Kane Williamson and the experience of Mohammad Nabi gives them a strong chance.
