The 13th IPL is just around the corner, and it is set to be the most viewed edition of all time due to the ongoing COVID-19 situation. The first match is scheduled on 19th September as two IPL giants, Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings, will face off at Abu Dhabi. The tournament will end on 10th November, and a new champion will be crowned.
Cricket is a game of bat vs. ball, and although there is no shortage of quality bowlers, it is safe to say that every fan loves to watch a high scoring affair. While most of the run-scoring is done by the batsmen, certain bowlers have emerged as successful pinch hitters over the years. At times a quickfire 30 off 10 balls by a pinch hitter is more valuable than a half-century by a regular batsman.
Here I take a look at 5 such pinch hitters to look out for, ahead of the 2020 IPL season:
[Read here: Probable Playing Combinations for all 8 IPL teams]
5. Jofra Archer
Jofra Archer rose to fame while playing for the Hobart Hurricanes in the Big Bash. Rajasthan Royals splashed a whopping 7.2 crore to acquire his services a few years ago due to his heroics with both the bat and ball in the Big Bash, which gave him global recognition.
Many West Indians have taken the IPL by storm like Pollard, Bravo, Russell, Narine, and Gayle. Archer, who was born in Barbados, has enjoyed two fruitful seasons as far as bowling is concerned, but he is yet to perform with the willow in the IPL. Like the other Caribbean stars, he could prove to be a great all-rounder in the season.
As Rajasthan Royals’ lower middle order is void of any big names, the Steve Smith-led side could afford to send Archer higher up the order, which in turn will make the batting line up deeper. This could be a viable strategy when they are chasing a high total.
4. Shardul Thakur
This spot was a toss-up between Shardul Thakur and Deepak Chahar, but I decided to go for the Maharashtra-born medium pacer. MS Dhoni has been known to make unorthodox decisions in the past, and that is why I see him using Shardul or Deepak as pinch hitters if required.
Chennai Super Kings used Harbhajan Singh at number 5 and Deepak Chahar at number 6 in a match against KXIP in IPL 2018 ahead of MS Dhoni, Dwayne Bravo, and Ravindra Jadeja to target their lead spinner Ravichandran Ashwin. Shardul’s recent heroics for India with the bat cannot be ignored.
Thakur smashed an 8-ball 22 against Sri Lanka in a T20I to help India go past 200 and played a handy knock of 20 from 15 balls against New Zealand in a match that ended up as a tie. In his school days, Shardul has hit 6 sixes in 6 balls in an over, which solidifies his ability as a handy batsman.
3. Keemo Paul
The Guyana-born bowler has excellent control over his bowling and offers a raw pace during the death overs. Apart from his bowling credentials, he can also contribute with the bat. Delhi Capitals have plenty of options when it comes to Indian players, but their overseas setup isn’t the strongest.
Keemo Paul could be used as a finisher as he holds the aces to clear the boundary rope. Like many West Indian players, Keemo is also equipped with the ability to hit huge sixes. It can be validated from his highest ODI score of 46, which came against India at the end of last year.
The 22-year old Guyanese cricketer can also rotate the strike cleverly while his ability to go after the spinners can put the opposition under the pump. Even in the L, he has exhibited his power game on multiple occasions. So now, there is no doubt that Paul can also be viewed as a game-changer with the bat in his hand.
