Cricket juggernaut set to roll

MS Dhoni’s potential ‘last dance’, Virat Kohli’s endless pursuit of elusive silverware and Rohit Sharma’s customary nonchalance could be the key talking points of the 16th edition of the Indian Premier League that will begin on Friday in Ahmedabad.

Innovations such as the ‘Impact Player’ rule and usage of DRS for wides and waist-high no-balls, the return of the home-and-away format and ‘TV vs Digital’ battle between broadcasting giants act as ingredients that will garnish the mouth-watering dish, which will be devoured by millions for more than 50 days. But, the product will remain the driving force and the players will be the main stakeholders.

Dhoni, nearing 42, has defied the law of diminishing returns when it comes to manic following as the CSK fans recently thronged the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai to see their ‘Thala’ hit towering sixes at an open training session. Many believe that 2023 will be his last year in the canary yellow jersey, but when it comes to MSD, never say never.

After bowing out in the first round in the previous edition, Dhoni and Super Kings will be keen to equal the Mumbai Indians record of five IPL titles. All-rounder Ben Stokes will add firepower to the batting unit while the returning pacer Deepak Chahar has been there and done that with the white Kookaburra ball.

Mumbai will eye redemption after finishing at the bottom of the table last year. A lot could depend on the batting form of skipper Rohit, Ishan Kishan and Suryakumar Yadav, who had a forgettable ODI series against Australia recently. Jofra Archer’s presence does boost the pace attack, but Jasprit Bumrah’s absence, to some extent, nullifies the advantage.

As for Kohli, he no longer has the burden of leading Royal Challengers Bangalore. With Michael Bracewell, Glenn Maxwell and Dinesh Karthik ready to do the heavy-lifting, Kohli will be free to play his game and help skipper Faf du Plessis in putting his best foot forward.

The forthcoming season will hold special significance for Gujarat Titans captain Hardik Pandya as the 16th edition will be a platform for the all-rounder to reach greater heights. Hardik would want the Rashid Khans, Mohammed Shamis and the Shubman Gills to maintain the tempo of last year, when the franchise defied odds to go all the way.

New Sunrisers Hyderabad skipper Aiden Markram will have the task of lifting a team that under-performed in the last two seasons. For Punjab Kings, which has appointed veteran opener Shikhar Dhawan as its captain and welcomed back Sam Curran, a good start to the season is vital. But, the absence of all-rounder Liam Livingstone and premier pacer Kagiso Rabada in the early stages could hurt its chances.

The KL Rahul-led Lucknow Super Giants has a balanced team and could be one of the top contenders for the play-off positions. Kolkata Knight Riders does not boast of a strong squad on paper and will massively miss the services of its regular skipper Shreyas Iyer.

Ditto for Delhi Capitals that does not possess a like-for-like replacement for its regular captain and wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant. Amid the chaos in some teams, Rajasthan Royals looks the most sorted outfit. Jos Buttler, Yuzvendra Chahal and Ravichandran Ashwin will look to ensure that the legend of skipper Sanju Samson grows exponentially.

Dhoni doubtful starter for season opener

Hardik Pandya’s leadership template could meet its match in MS Dhoni’s time-tested improvisations as defending champion Gujarat Titans clash with Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League 2023 opener here on Friday. But, there could be a dampener as Dhoni did not bat at the nets on Thursday owing to a knee injury he had sustained during a training session in Chennai, raising doubts over his participation in the tournament opener.

Franchise CEO KS Vishwanathan, though, said: “As far as I am concerned, Dhoni will play 100 per cent.” As for Hardik, he displayed a sense of calm throughout the previous campaign and would be eager to replicate it in the coming season. With highly-rated opener Shubman Gill in the form of his life, leg-spinner Rashid Khan not losing one bit of his consistency and Hardik having his worth weight in gold, Gujarat look settled.

David Miller will be missed in the middle-order, but Rahul Tewatia, who has improved by leaps and bounds batting-wise, could compensate for the South African’s temporary absence. After shifting from Sunrisers Hyderabad to Gujarat, the experienced Kane Williamson is expected to play the role of an anchor. In the bowling department, Rashid, Mohammed Shami and Alzarri Joseph could hold the key. The wicketkeeper’s slot could be a cause of concern for GT. While veteran Wriddhiman Saha was decent as an opener last year, KS Bharat can be looked at if needed.

At Super Kings, Ben Stokes is a welcome addition but the premier English all-rounder is unlikely to bowl in the early stages of the season. At the moment, Stokes, Moeen Ali and Devon Conway look the nailed-on overseas starters. Ravindra Jadeja, Ambati Rayudu and Dhoni will have key roles to play with the willow while domestic pace bowling unit of Deepak Chahar and Simarjeet Singh will have its task cut out. The 16th edition will be different from the previous ones as 12 players per team could take part in the pitched battle, with the ‘Impact Player’ rule coming into effect. Both GT and CSK could be cautious since teams need a few matches to get used to the new rule that was tested in the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy (domestic competition).