Five players set to make IPL 2014 their own

The T20 bandwagon will be moving on in the form of the IPL. With teams having been formed afresh, it is again an exciting time for coaches to try out different winning combinations in conditions that are almost India-like sans the vociferous support. With the first leg slated to be played in the Middle East, which has presented teams with turning tracks offering very little help for fast bowlers; team strategies will most likely fall on spin power. It also means that batsmen with good technique stand greater chance of success. Player fitness emerges as a facet of major importance because the searing desert heat and the grind of continuous matches offer them almost no respite and a chance to look back at their personal game. With this in mind, I have tried my best to pick out 5 players to watch out for in this IPL.

Corey Anderson: This Kiwi six-hitting-machine is in the fray now. Having been snapped up by a money splurging Mumbai Indians, he is ready to deposit cricket balls into the Arabian desert in the beginning stages of this IPL. Time for Bedouins to try helmets now. His 36-ball hundred against West Indies has certainly raised eyebrows, and popped some eyes out; his ability to hit high and far is undisputed. A clever bowler that he is, it makes the Mumbai Indians bowling a little more foxy with Zaheer Khan and Malinga already in the battery. Yes, there will be games when his hitting will not work as much as his bowling, but a destructive presence in the lower middle order with Kieron Pollard is a sure nerve-freezer for other bowlers.

Cheteshwar Pujara: Might seem like an odd choice, but his watertight technique is only going to work in his favor as he steps up to play his first major Limited Overs tournament with all of the country watching. Widely tipped to be the successor to the great Rahul Dravid, Pujara is now a regular feature in the test squad. People are now starting to expect a big score from him and are equally eager to see him in a more aggressive avatar. In a star-studded KXIP side, Pujara is expected to take up a pivotal role along with Bailey in holding the game during the dead stage of 9-15 overs. People might question his ability to adjust to a faster paced game, but it goes without argument that a perfect technique is an antidote to any compatibility issue in this game.

Quinton De Kock: Another South African, this time a wicket keeper batsman, De Kock has shown what he can do when demolished India thrice in three games by making three centuries. De Kock might look short to the trained eye, but he packs a punch with his cavalier attitude and a grip that enables him to do so. Known to be a good wicket keeper, he could give Dinesh Kartik respite from the said duty, something which will help him extend his purple patch. De Kock could be the key for Delhi Daredevils to get back their mojo.

Pervez Rasool: With expectations of teaming up with Amit Mishra to form a potentially destructive spin pair for the Sunrisers, Pervez Rasool is a fantastic buy given the conditions in UAE. We did get a glimpse of his abilities when a destroyed the touring Australian side in a match played before the they were routed 4-0. Rasool is a middle order batsman of high caliber who can nudge the ball around the gaps and let more destructive players like Dhawan, Finch and Warner play to flay. Rasool’s success is all the more important because of the possible political implications, much like what Muralitharan’s success meant for the largely alienated Tamils in Sri Lanka.

Glenn Maxwell: Mad Max is here-look no further. On the back of his ability to launch cricket balls into orbit, Glenn Maxwell a threat to Gayle’s monopoly over said ‘Ball launch vehicles’. Glenn Maxwell will be an indispensible member of the KXIP squad. Along with his skills in sending the balls out the ground via any posture possible, Maxwell is most likely to man the crucial long-on and long-off boundaries and hold on to screamers. Besides, him ball-tweaking abilities on responsive tracks make him a contender for the Man of the Tournament. This IPL could be the infection point that KXIP has been desperately looking for and it could have found just the right player in Maxwell, to get them there. With all-round potential and a role as a key member, Maxwell will be followed more closely than anyone else this IPL.