IPL 2021 is in its last stage and the season has its fair share of ups and downs.
Facing the initial matches in the country, the tournament had to shift to UAE because of the situation with Covid-19 in the country during the respective time. The change in the situation did not seem to do very well for the batsman and a lot of teams and their batsman had to suffer on a huge account. It included teams such as Mumbai Indians, Punjab Kings, Rajasthan Royals and Sunrisers Hyderabad.
With two new teams joining the tournament with the mega auction coming in the coming month things might take different turns especially when the game returns to India in the next season.
Amidst all of this, there are reports that the captain of Punjab Kings, KL Rahul has secretively requested the franchise to release him ahead of the mega auction. KL Rahul is currently the orange cap holder with the leading run scorer in the present ongoing IPL season. He is also part of the Indian team for the T20 World Cup 2021.
The reports state that KL Rahul is interested in joining Royal Challengers Bangalore as a team and the franchise is also interested in him as they are looking for a new captain and a fiery batsman and KL Rahul seems to fit the bill. Along with that, KL Rahul is a Bangalorean. His family shifted there many decades ago and this move would be beneficial for both him and the team making it a hot topic of discussion for all.
This season of the IPL has not been so great for Ishan Kishan. The cricketer has not managed to score so well getting out at a low score in the tournament.
One can witness his condition from the way he shed tears after the match against RCB. One could see Virat Kohli approaching him after the match and consoling him.
Ishan seems to have recovered from this phase. The 23-year-old cricketer scored a fifty in the last game of Mumbai Indians against Rajasthan Royals. He was seen being brutal towards the bowlers with a strike rate of 200.0, scoring 50 out of 25 balls during the run chase. This included 5 fours and 3 sixes making Mumbai Indians win the match against Rajasthan Royals easily with 8 wickets in hand.
Amidst the win, Kishan’s rumoured girlfriend Aditi Hundia attracted the limelight with a story of her’s on Instagram. It involved a selfie of hers along with the caption “God’s delays are not God’s denials.” It was followed with a blue heart and joining hands emoji.
There have been rounds of her supporting her love towards Mumbai Indians.
Ishan in his talks stated that he has gained his confidence back. He credits the same to talking and chatting with the senior players that helped him in great regard. He in his post-match presentation stated, “I feel ups and downs are a big part of any sportsman. I was also not in good shape. Most of our batters were not getting runs like in previous seasons.”
“We had great support staff. Our captain [Rohit Sharma] too. In fact, I chatted with Virat bhai and Hardik Bhai, and everyone was there to support me.”
The rest of the IPL 2021 will begin on September 19 in the United Arab Emirates. The cricketing community, as well as onlookers, are all excited to see the action develop. Experts and former cricketers, on the other hand, have been making predictions about the team balance and results before of the event. Scott Styris, a former New Zealand cricketer turned broadcaster, is the most recent addition to the list.
The power rankings of the IPL franchises have been updated by Scott Styris. This isn’t the first time Styris has come up with this sort of thing. He had also forecasted the IPL team rankings in the past. He revealed his ranks on his official Twitter account. Mumbai Indians, the tournament’s most successful team, took the top place in Styris’ standings, as predicted.
The following teams were added to the list: RCB, Punjab Kings, SRH, KKR, and RR. The Rajasthan Royals, who are now in last place, responded to the former New Zealand player.
In the Indian edition of the IPL, the Rajasthan Royals haven’t had the best of luck. The club is presently in fifth place on the points standings, having won three of their seven games. In the UAE leg, the squad will be without Archer, Buttler, and Stokes, who are all out for the remainder of the competition.
As a result, Styris may have placed the team at the bottom of the list. The Rajasthan Royals franchise came forward to respond to Styris after he tweeted the rankings. They responded with a photo from the film Love Aaj Kal, which contains actress Sara Ali Khan’s speech. The wording on the photograph said, “Tum mujhe tang karne lage ho.” This intriguing response drew a lot of attention from Twitter users.
With the IPL’s second half about to begin, RR will be hoping to turn things around this time. The side will be eager to make an impact in the competition, thanks to some fascinating new additions.
The Rajasthan Royals were one of the unluckiest franchises in the 2021 edition of the Indian Premier League. In the United Arab Emirates, the second phase of the tournament began without four-star overseas players, such as Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler, Jofra Archer and Andrew Tye.
In addition to Archer’s injury recovery, Stokes is taking a mental well-being break, and Tye and Buttler have opted out due to personal reasons. As of now, the Royals have signed Evin Lewis, Oshane Thomas, Tabraiz Shamsi, and Glen Phillips as replacements. Another overseas player could miss the second phase of the IPL in 2021.
Liam Livingstone injured his shoulder during a county cricket match. While there is no official announcement on Livingstone’s participation in the IPL 2021, the Rajasthan Royals can replace Livingstone with any of the following five players if he misses the tournament:
1. Shaun Marsh
The former Orange Cap winner hasn’t played in the Indian Premier League for a long time. In the Indian Premier League, he was the first left-handed batsman to win the Orange Cap.
Marsh didn’t sell at the 2021 IPL auction. Liam Livingstone could be a suitable replacement for the Royals as a middle-order batsman.
2. Alex Hales
As part of the Rajasthan Royals‘ replacement signings, Liam Livingstone’s English teammate Alex Hales could return to the IPL. In the other T20 leagues, Hale has been exceptional.
He can change the game with his ability to score runs quickly. As an opening combination, Hales and Evin Lewis can destroy the best bowling lineups.
3. Colin Munro
While playing in the Pakistan Super League in the United Arab Emirates earlier this year, Kiwi all-rounder Colin Munro looked in fine form. Munro is a top-order batsman who can score runs quickly.
If the team needs his help in the bowling unit, he can also bowl part-time. Munro can replace Livingstone effectively in the RR squad.
4. Marnus Labuschagne
Marcus Labuschagne’s batting skills have been impressive. He scored the most runs at the inaugural World Test Championship, and he has also performed well in white-ball formats.
Labuschagne was an excellent all-rounder in the Big Bash League. RR could be a great team if he replaces Liam Livingstone if he does not play in IPL 2021.
5. Mushfiqur Rahim
Muhsin Rahim has never played for the Indian Premier League. But he is an experienced batsman. Additionally, he can keep wickets. As Mustafizur Rahman is already in the squad, the Royals may be able to add another Bangladeshi player to their team for IPL 2021.
While a lot has changed between phase 1 of the IPL and phase 2, one thing remains constant: the excitement that accompanies it. For IPL 2021 second phase, Rajasthan Royals have named West Indies opener Evin Lewis and pacer Oshane Thomas as substitutes for Jos Buttler and Ben Stokes. The event is scheduled to take place from September 19 to October 15 in the UAE and Oman.
Lewis has scored 1318 runs in T20Is for West Indies, including 103 sixes. In T20I cricket, only Chris Gayle (121) has hit more sixes for the West Indies. Lewis is currently playing for St Kitts and Nevis Patriots in the continuous CPL 2021 at Warner Park, where he has scored 6,62 and 30 so far.
In 2018 and 2019, Lewis has played for the Mumbai Indians twice in the IPL.
Thomas took five wickets for the Royals in 2019 at 7.90 economy rates. Thomas joins the Rajasthan Royals in the IPL as the second player from the Barbados Royals in the CPL. Jofra Archer was traded for Glenn Phillips of New Zealand recently.
Thomas can regularly bowl at speeds of 140 kph and recently bowled Gayle with a 142 kph dart at the CPL. Buttler and Stokes won’t be available for the Royals due to injury. Stokes has taken a break due to mental health issues while Buttler has quit due to the impending birth of his second child. Toxophilite also cannot play cricket for the remainder of the school year due to an elbow fracture.
On September 21, the Rajasthan Royals will face the Punjab Kings, ranked fifth in the focus table.
The English batsman for the Rajasthan Royals team, Liam Livingstone, has injured his shoulder. Sport Tiger reports that the Englishman may miss a few games in the second phase of the IPL 2021.
Livingstone suffered the injury while playing for Lancashire against Warwickshire in the Division 1 County Championship match on Monday. The Rajasthan Royals player injured his shoulder while fielding for Lancashire.
Because the T20 World Cup will follow the Indian Premier League in the United Arab Emirates, England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) may want a fully fit Liam Livingstone for the global event.
England cricketer Livingstone played exceptionally well against Pakistan in the T20I series earlier this year. His century was the fastest by an English player in T20 international history.
Additionally, Livingstone won the Most Valuable Player award at the recent Men’s Hundred 2021 event. The right-handed batsman scored 348 runs at a strike rate of 178.46 in Men’s Hundred 2021.
Liam’s performance in the Indian Premier League
Liam Livingstone has played in the Indian Premier League only for Rajasthan Royals. He has scored 70 runs in four matches, and his highest score was 44. Livingstone’s strike rate is close to 145 in the IPL.
Due to personal reasons, Livingstone pulled out of the IPL 2021 earlier this year. He was expected to return to the Rajasthan Royals in the second phase of the IPL 2021. As a result of his shoulder injury, it appears he won’t be available for the first few games.
This year’s IPL will begin in the United Arab Emirates on September 19. The management of the Rajasthan Royals has been tasked with another duty six weeks before the start of the competition. It is to find a replacement for Jofra Archer. Due to an injury, England’s fast bowler will be out for the rest of the year.
In addition, the Rajasthan Royals are also likely to be without Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler. Jofra Archer was IPL 2020’s most valuable player, so the Royals will try to sign a replacement soon. IPL 2021 has five possible replacements for Jofra Archer, as seen in the following list:
1. Sreesanth –
In the IPL 2021 Auction, Indian fast bowler Sreesanth did not sell. Auctioneer registered himself for the auction. However, none of the eight franchises were interested in hiring him. The Rajasthan Royals were Sreesanth’s last IPL team in 2013. After that, he was implicated in a match-fixing scandal and banned from all sports.
Sreesanth returned to the Kerala domestic cricket team in 2020/21. With the ball, he took wickets for the team during crucial matches. Even bowled a few deliveries as a leg-spinner. RR’s return to IPL in 2021 should be interesting to watch.
2. Dasun Shanaka –
The Sri Lankan T20I skipper Dasun Shanaka could be an excellent addition to the Rajasthan Royals squad. In the white-ball matches, Shanaka played brilliantly against India. The Rajasthan Royals’ overseas department could be a good fit for Chris Morris.
His career totals 2,208 runs at a strike rate of 143.9 from 108 T20 matches. In the shortest format of the game, his best score is 131*. Furthermore, he has taken 30 wickets at an economy rate of 8.71. Shanaka’s strengths in both departments could help the Royals.
3. Carlos Brathwaite –
Carlos Brathwaite is among the few players who have done well in other T20 leagues but haven’t performed well in the IPL. Brathwaite scored four back-to-back maximums in the ICC T20 World Cup 2016 Final to help West Indies defeat England. Right-handed bowlers can also use Brathwaite.
He has played in the IPL for the SunRisers Hyderabad, the Delhi Daredevils and the Kolkata Knight Riders. In 210 T20 games, Barbados-born player has scored 1,923 runs at a strike rate of 136.28 and taken 195 wickets at an economy rate of 8.14.
4. Mitchell McClenaghan –
Mitchell McClenaghan has had great success in the IPL. New Zealand’s left-arm fast bowler won the match for the Mumbai Indians. Despite this, Mumbai-based franchises have refused to engage its services in recent years. IPL Auction 2021 did not sell McClenaghan.
As the Kiwi pacer has IPL experience, he could replace Jofra Archer in the league. McClenaghan has played 203 T20 matches and taken 241 wickets at an economy rate of 8.53 during his career. He can also play in the batting order as a pinch hitter.
5. Fidel Edwards –
Jofra Archer and Fidel Edwards are express bowlers. He played for the Delhi Bulls in the Abu Dhabi T10 League in the United Arab Emirates. Additionally, he has returned to the West Indies T20I team.
Due to Edwards’ ability to trouble batsmen with his pace, the Rajasthan Royals may consider him as a replacement for Jofra Archer. In his T20 career, he has taken 109 wickets. Even in 2009, he won the IPL with the Deccan Chargers.
