IPL 2021: Team-wise one player who might be benched for whole season

The Indian Premier League is one of the most loved sports among the fans. Since it is a shorter format, the excitement never stopped among the fans as they love to watch the game without missing any moments of it.

Coming to the point, cricket is a game where every player in the team should do the best on the field. But on certain occasions, it is likely unfair as only a few show off their best to take their side over the victory line.

While some players dominating on the field the others have been warming the bench throughout the whole season. In addition to that, Imran Tahir who is the Purple Cap winner of the 12th edition was played only 3 games for his franchise as he warmed the bench on many occasions.

So, let's see the eight players from each side who might warm the bench throughout the competition.

Rajasthan Royals - David Miller

The left-handed batsman from South Africa is one of the best players to have ever played the game. He can score quickly in any kind of situation and has the ability to win the game single-handed for his side.

However, he had been sidelined in the previous season as the latter went on to play only one game and remained on the bench. The Englishman Tom Curran had been added in the playing xi for his all-round abilities with both the bat and the ball. David Miller has played 80 matches in the cash-rich contest and scored over 1800 runs that he played at an average of around 34 including a hundred to his name.

In the 14th edition, he might be sidelined again due to the presence of the wicket-keeper batsman Jos Buttler, Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer. The remaining slot will be filled by Chris Morris as he has been bought for a whopping price of INR 16.25 crore during the IPL Auction 2021 which held in Chennai. Considering that, David Miller might warm the bench in the upcoming season as well.

Sunrisers Hyderabad - Kedhar Jadhav

The Indian all-rounder Kedhar Jadhav had been one of the regular fixtures in the Chennai Super Kings side. But things had changed in the 13th edition of the league where Kedhar Jadhav failed on many occasions due to his lack of contribution with the bat in the lower-order.

During the season, Jadhav scored 62 runs from eight matches with a strike-rate of below a hundred. He has played 87 games in IPL and has scored 1141 runs at an average of 22.82 with a healthy strike-rate of 120 plus.

The management of the yellow army decided to release him ahead of the IPL 2021. After that Jadhav represented Maharashtra in the SMAT 2021 where he piled up 193 runs from just five matches at an average of around 50 including two half-centuries to his name. As a result, he has been bagged by Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL Auction 2021 for his base price of INR 2 crore.

Still, it might be difficult for Jadhav to get into the line-up of Sunrisers Hyderabad as they have some efficient all-rounders like Vijay Shankar and Mitchell Marsh who might be the first choice for them. According to that, there is no surprise if Jadhav remains on the bench for the whole season.

Kolkata Knight Riders - Tim Seifert

Tim Seifert who came as a replacement for injured Ali Khan in the 13th edition of the Indian Premier League has been retained by Kolkata Knight Riders for the upcoming edition. In IPL 2020, the wicket-keeper batsman didn't get a single chance to show off his skills as he warmed the bench throughout the competition.

Seifert has played 32 matches for NewZealand in T20I and scored 672 runs at an average of 25.84 and a very good strike-rate of 137.14 respectively. However, the team management would prefer Dinesh Karthik as their first choice wicket-keeper batsman likewise the previous edition.

The overseas slots would be likely given to the experienced English cricketer Eoin Morgan, Andre Russell, Sunil Narine and Pat Cummins. So, Tim Seifert might be found on the bench for the whole season and has to wait for his first match if there is any underperformance by Dinesh Karthik or co.

Delhi Capitals - Tom Curran

The young pacer from England had a decent outing in the previous edition of the tournament and was released ahead of the IPL 2021 by Delhi Capitals. Tom Curran represented Rajasthan in five matches and scored 83 runs with a strike-rate of around 134 and plucked only 3 wickets with the ball.

Still, Delhi wanted Tom Curran in their squad and had a bidding war with Sunrisers Hyderabad before bagging the Englishman for an amount of INR 5.25 crore in the 2021 IPL Auction. Tom Curran has been added to the squad as a backup option for the Australian all-rounder Marcus Stoinis who is in outstanding form with both the bat and the ball.

Moreover, Curran might find it hard to get into the playing xi as they already have some effective overseas players like Steve Smith, Anrich Nortje, Marcus Stoinis, Kagiso Rabada and a few more. Thus, we can find the English pacer warming the bench throughout the whole season of the tournament.

Punjab Kings - Sarfaraz Khan

Fondly known as ''Panda" Sarfaraz Khan came to the spotlight during the IPL 2019 when he was scalped by the then Kings XI Punjab for an amount of INR 25 lakhs. During that season, Sarfaraz Khan had scored 180 runs from eight games at an average of 45 and a healthy strike-rate of 125.87.

After that, he was retained by the then Kings XI Punjab ahead of the IPL 2020. However, he went on to play only five matches in the competition and scored just 33 runs as he didn't get enough time to make an impact on the turf. In IPL Sarfaraz Khan has played 38 matches and piled up 441 runs that he played at an average of around and a strike-rate of 140 respectively.

In the upcoming season, Sarfaraz Khan is unlikely to get into the line-up as the Punjab Kings already have some top players in their ranks like the skipper KL Rahul, Chris Gayle, Mayank Agarwal, Nicholas Pooran and more. Moreover, they have bagged another young talent with the name of Shahrukh Khan who is known for his heroics in the domestic circuit. Let's see how it goes for the Mumbai born in the 14th edition of the league.

Royal Challengers Bangalore - Josh Philippe

Josh Philippe is one of the finest batsmen of the T20 format who has capable of playing match-winning knocks for his side. In BBL 09 the 23-year-old has been in exceptional form with the willow as he amassed 487 runs at an average of 37.46 with a strike-rate of well around 130.

As a result, Royal Challengers Bangalore bagged him in the IPL auction 2020 at his base price of INR 20 lakhs. In the 13th edition of the cash-rich contest, the Australian wicket-keeper batsman has played five games and scored just 78 runs which made him warm the bench for the rest of the competition.

However, the latter has been retained by Royal Challengers Bangalore ahead of the IPL 2021 after watching his fabulous form in the BBL 10 where he plundered 499 runs with a staggering strike-rate of well above 150.

Still, he might be in and out from the playing xi due to the presence of top players like AB de Villiers, Glenn Maxwell who were known for their unorthodox and hard-hitting skills. Josh Philippe has to do his best if he gets a chance or otherwise he might warm the bench for the rest of the season.

Mumbai Indians - Chris Lynn

Chris Lynn was once a regular fixture in the Kolkata Knight Riders squad before being bought by the five-time champions Mumbai Indians during the 2020 IPL Auction for his base price of INR 2 crore. Lynn is the kind of batsman who can start scoring from the very first ball he plays.

But the scenario was different in the Mumbai Indians squad as they have the most competitive squad when compared to the other franchise. In the IPL 2020, Lynn didn't get a single chance to play as they have Quinton de Kock and Rohit Sharma who have dominated the opposition on many occasions.

Surprisingly, Lynn has been retained by the defending champions ahead of the 14th edition of the T20 extravaganza. In addition to that, Lynn is one of those players who got stuck into the four foreigners policy of IPL. With Quinton de Kock opening the innings along with his skipper Rohit Sharma the other slots will be given to Kieron Pollard, Trent Boult and Adam Milne or Coulter Nile. It seems like the Aussie has to warm the bench for one more season.

Chennai Super Kings - R Sai Kishore

The Tamil Nadu based player came to the spotlight when he bagged 20 wickets from 12 games during the 2019-20 SMAT competition. He was scalped by one of the most loved teams in the IPL Chennai Super Kings for an amount of INR 20 lakhs.

However, he had been sidelined during the tournament along with the Purple Cap holder Imran Tahir who went on to play only five games for his side. After that, Sai Kishore didn't live up to the expectations as he picked up only 8 wickets from eight matches during the recently concluded Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.

He has retained by the Chennai Super Kings for the upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League. And without any doubt, we can find Sai Kishore on the bench as they have Imran Tahir, Ravindra Jadeja, Mitchell Santner and the newly added Moeen Ali and Krishnappa Gautham.