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Kagiso Rabada and Arshdeep Singh. (Photo Source: Twitter)
The sixteenth edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is just a few days away, and all ten teams are gearing up to deliver their best in the tournament for almost two months. Gujarat Titans (GT), who will go to the competition as the defending champions, will start their campaign against four-time title-winners Chennai Super Kings (CSK), who didn’t perform up to expectations in the last installment of the league.
In the upcoming tournament, the franchises expect their fast bowlers to deliver their best, as the records indicate that the teams with quality pacers have tasted success in the league. Back in the past, Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), Chennai Super Kings (CSK), and Mumbai Indians (MI) clinched their titles in 2016, 2018, and 2020 respectively, due to sensational bowling displays from their pace department. Considering these facts, the franchises will look forward to getting incredible bowling figures from their speedsters in the forthcoming mega event.
Here are team ratings based on the fast bowling depth
10. Lucknow Super Giants (LSG)
Avesh Khan and Mohsin Khan (Photo Source: Twitter)
Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) played their debut season in the 2022 edition. After the league stage, they ended up in the third position under KL Rahul’s captaincy. They will look to improve and emerge as the best team in the competition by lifting the trophy. In the 2022 season, the absence of Mark Wood didn’t affect LSG, as their pacers, Avesh Khan and Mohsin Khan, looked efficient with the ball.
The bowling duo clinched 32 wickets for the team and got appreciation from league watchers. LSG will bank on them again to fare well in the competition. The franchise also reserved the services of Daniel Sams, Naveen-ul-Haq, and Romario Shepherd in the 2023 mini-auction to reinforce the pace battery. In the competition, the franchise will lean on them to be in top-notch form.
Eyes will be set on another huge name Mark Wood, who will debut for the franchise. The England player couldn’t participate in the last season as he got ruled out of the tournament due to an elbow injury. Along with premier pacers, Marcus Stoinis and young Yudhvir Singh will also look to deliver solid bowling figures to the team.
9. Chennai Super Kings (CSK)
Mukesh Choudhury and Deepak Chahar(Photo Source: Twitter)
Chennai Super Kings (CSK) delivered their worst in the last year’s competition. They ended in the ninth spot with only four wins in 14 matches. For the four-time IPL champions, young Mukesh Choudhury and Dwayne Bravo jointly became their most successful bowler in the previous edition, picking up 16 wickets apiece.
Their economy rates are debatable as both splurged runs in the tournament with more than eight runs/over. However, leaving the past behind, Super Kings will back themselves to clinch their fifth title in the upcoming tournament. In the 2023 IPL auction, they fetched dashing England stalwart Ben Stokes, who will serve CSK with both bat and ball.
The England Test skipper will be in charge of the CSK bowling unit and will require the support of Deepak Chahar, Mukesh Choudhary, Tushar Deshpande, and Rajvardhan Hangargekar to strengthen the pace department of the team.
8. Mumbai Indians (MI)
Jason Behrendorff and Jofra Archer (Photo Source: Twitter)
The 2022 IPL season was the worst for Mumbai Indians (MI), as they ended up at the bottom of the points table. With only four victories in 14 games, the most successful IPL team couldn’t deliver according to the expectations of their supporters. In their horrendous journey, their pace attack looked entirely out of colours.
Their fast bowlers, Tymal Mills, Daniel Sams, Basil Thampi, and Jaydev Unadkat, failed to support Jasprit Bumrah, who looked decent with the ball, taking 15 wickets in 14 games at an economy of 7.18. This time, the last year’s non-performing fast bowlers won’t be part of the MI, as the management got rid of them ahead of the 2023 auction.
With fresh faces Jason Behrendorff, Duan Jansen, and Kumar Kartikeya, the team’s endeavors will be to lift the trophy for the record sixth time. This time, the presence of Jofra Archer could also bring a massive difference in the squad. However, with doubts about Jasprit Bumrah’s participation due to a back strain, the franchise’s fans are a bit anxious about the fate of their bowling department.
7. Rajasthan Royals (RR)
Trent Boult and Kuldeep Sen. (Photo Source: Twitter)
Rajasthan Royals (RR) had an incredible season in 2022, as the team qualified for the league finals after 14 years. Riding on swashbuckling performances from Jos Buttler, Yuzvendra Chahal, and Prasidh Krishna, Royals dominated a majority of teams in the league round and ended up next to Gujarat Titans (GT), getting placed in the second position on the points table and ended as runners-up later in the competition.
Continuing their 2022 edition’s form this time, RR will look forward to bringing joy to the faces of the franchise’s supporters by lifting the trophy after a long time. Prasidh Krishna, the highest wicket-taking pacer for the team last year, won’t take part in the upcoming season owing to a stress fracture surgery.
In Krishna’s absence, there will be a responsibility on speedsters Trent Boult, Obed McCoy, Kuldeep Sen, Navdeep Saini, and Sandeep Sharma to be efficient. Boult, actively playing a lot of league cricket, will spearhead the team’s pace attack, utilizing his vast experience and skills.
6. Gujarat Titans (GT)
Mohammed Shami and Shivam Mavi (Photo Source: Twitter)
Gujarat Titans (GT) were phenomenal in their debut season under Hardik Pandya. The team played an aggressive brand of cricket throughout the competition and won the title. Pandya, who handled the captaincy mantle for the first time in the league, led his team from the front. The 29-year-old delivered great numbers to his team with both bat and ball.
Another GT stalwart, Mohammed Shami, who spearheaded the bowling unit, ended up as the highest wicket-taker for his team. Following his previous season’s record, GT will want him to take the charge of the bowling attack in the upcoming T20 event and deliver tremendous solid figures to the team with his fiery pace bowling.
In the 2022 mega-auction, they bought a few speedsters to bolster their fast bowling unit. The franchise roped in Joshua Little, Odean Smith, and Shivam Mavi for the tournament. Now, these players will look to do justice with their role in the team under the leadership of Pandya, who will also be active with the ball.
5. Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR)
Shardul Thakur and Lockie Ferguson( Photo Source: Twitter)
The two-time IPL champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) will look to be at their best in the upcoming marquee event. In the past few editions of the tournament, their performance was underwhelming, but this time, they will back themselves to compensate for their poor display with a trophy.
Shreyas Iyer, the franchise’s captain, might remain absent in the 2023 edition tournament due to his lower-back injury. Captaining the side for the first time in the previous installment, he couldn’t take the team to the knockouts. However, their pace bowlers Tim Southee, Andre Russell, and Umesh Yadav were sensational with the ball.
In the upcoming T20 extravaganza, these three bowlers will again be the prime faces of KKR’s pace attack. The franchise also signed Shardul Thakur and Lockie Ferguson, who have played a lot of cricket in the international circle and the league. Both veterans will charge themselves to give their best for their new side, along with the old servants of KKR.
4. Delhi Capitals (DC)
Anrich Nortje and Khaleel Ahmed. (Photo Source: Twitter)
In the last few years, Delhi Capitals (DC) have emerged as the better side in the tournament. From 2019-21, they consistently featured in the knockout stages under their skipper Rishabh Pant. In 2022, MI halted their journey by thrashing them by five wickets in their last league game.
David Warner will hold the team’s reins in Pant’s absence in the forthcoming event. The franchise showed faith in their old stalwart Ishant Sharma to get his services for the forthcoming edition. The team already has incredible star-studded speedsters such as Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, Khaleel Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, and Kamlesh Nagarkoti.
With these big names in their arsenal, they will try to put up a ferocious fight against the opponents and get their hands on the trophy for the first time. Capitals will kick off their journey in the upcoming league against KL Rahul-led Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) on April 1, 2023, at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow.
3. Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB)
Mohammed Siraj and Josh Hazlewood. (Photo Source: Twitter)
Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) fans will expect their team to quench their thirst to win the trophy. After Virat Kohli’s resignation as skipper in 2021, South Africa player Faf du Plessis got the captaincy mantle. Leading the squad for the first time, the Proteas star succeeded in taking the team to the playoffs.
Josh Hazlewood, the leader of the bowling attack, became the leading wicket-taker with 20 wickets in 12 matches at an economy of 8.10. He received immense support from Harshal Patel, who bagged 19 wickets in 15 matches at an economy of 7.66. Noting impressive numbers of both bowlers, RCB will rely on them to get essential breakthroughs from them.
The franchise has in-form Mohammed Siraj, who can wreak havoc on batters with swing, bounce, and movement. Conversely, RCB has veteran Siddharth Kaul, who can trap batters with his cutters, knuckleballs, yorkers, and slower ones. The three-time runners-up in the mega T20 event will depend on these four premier speedsters to boost RCB’s arsenal.
2. Punjab Kings (PBKS)
Kagiso Rabada and Arshdeep Singh. (Photo Source: Twitter)
Punjab Kings (PBKS) will strive to shut down their critics in the 2023 edition by grabbing the distinguished trophy for the first in IPL history. Since 2008, the inception of the league, they have made it to the knockouts only twice. In 2014, under George Bailey’s leadership, they came close to winning the title against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the final but riding on the fabulous batting cameo from Piyush Chawla (13 runs off five deliveries), the dream got shattered.
For the upcoming edition, the team management has assigned Shikhar Dhawan the captaincy duties. The veteran will actively look forward to getting remarkable bowling numbers from his fast bowlers. In 2022, Kagiso Rabada looked brilliant with the ball for the Kings, claiming 23 scalps in 13 games at an economy of 8.46.
In the 2023 Player Auction, the franchise picked up star England player Sam Curran at a hefty amount of INR 18.5 crore, and now the team’s avid supporters are keen to watch their bowling shows. Along with the overseas pacers, PBKS will want their local talent Arshdeep Singh, Baltej Singh, and Vidwath Kaverappa, to be impactful.
1. Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH)
Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Umran Malik. (Photo Source: Twitter)
Under their new skipper Aiden Markram, Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) will back themselves to repeat their 2016 performance and crown themselves as IPL champions. Forgetting their below-par in the last couple of seasons, the franchise will move forward to doing great in the forthcoming marquee event.
SRH’s pace bowling arsenal will be crucial for their campaign in the next few months. With the veteran Bhuvneshwar Kumar at the helm of the bowling unit, Sunrisers will be expecting their pacers to exude confidence with the ball and turn themselves into a force that becomes too hot to handle for their rivals.
Under the guidance of Bhuvneshwar, Kartik Tyagi, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Marco Jansen, and Umran Malik will be seen fortifying Hyderabad’s bowling attack. Serving the team in 2023, these bowlers will look to take advantage of this opportunity by delivering economical and wicket-taking spells.
