Matchup Monday #7 - 📊 Every IPL Teams' Analysis

1. KKR - HIT ✅

This team has been a hit all IPL, proving they are able to win high pressure matches (e.g. the 1 run win against RCB) with an equally strong bowling and batting lineup, both working seamlessly to provide KKR with the highest possibility of success.

KKR have been one of the few teams that have nurtured and brought the best out of uncapped players, such as Harshit Rana who is among the contenders for the Purple Cap, Ramandeep Singh who has demonstrated he has the potential to be a big striker/finisher for India and Rinku Singh, where after Yash Dayal session last year, he was able to secure a spot internationally.

Batting Lineup - 9/10 (No Phil Salt for the Playoffs)

Bowling Lineup - 8.9/10 (Mostly consists of all-rounders, Starc not in best form)

2. MI - FLOP ❌

Well. Well. Well.

What went wrong?

First off, their overseas players might as well have been back in their own country with the contribution they brought to the team. Tushara (expensive, not good fitness, USP is Malinga-like action 😬), Tim David (wasn’t able to get going, stagnant), Nabi (too old to have an x factor within the team), etc…

There have been talks about strategic mishaps with management and with captain Hardik Pandya as well, adding more fuel to the fire.

If things weren’t bad enough, none of the batsmen were in form, most were able to get to a start, but not get high enough to convert it consistently. Although this is a similar case with RCB, there are a couple points of difference that led RCB to go to the playoffs.

1. When RCB players make a start, the team carries on the momentum, with usually one of the higher order batsmen playing their role as an aggressive-anchor successfully.

2. Kohli.

Batting Lineup - 6/10 (Looks good on paper, execution is unsuccessful)

Bowling Lineup - 6.8/10 (saved by Bumrah and Chawla)

3. SRH - HIT ✅

Although there has been some hype regarding the comeback of this team, it isn’t all great.

The batting lineup is the best in the competition, no debate about that. There is no separation between upper and middle-order, they are all capable of striking the ball as a late power-hitter up till Pat Cummins at 9.

But that is the issue, their bowling attack is something that has gone under the radar. If you analyse their wins, people disregard the amount that the opposition gets, which is often 230+ when chasing down SRH’s absurd totals, something that is commendable.

The bowlers are expensive. There are no stand out bowlers as there is Arshdeep Singh for PBKS, Bumrah for Mi, Boult/Chahal for RR, etc.

Batting Lineup - 9.3/10 (occasions where they go too hard and collapse)

Bowling Lineup - 7/10 (broadly a solid attack, but nobody special)

4. PBKS - FLOP ❌

Not just this IPL, but in nearly all of the IPL seasons, this team just feels like a filler, just another team in the mix to make the playoffs seem competitive when we know they won’t make it in the first place.

The astonishing fact is, their player sheet is one of the most impressive in the tournament. Players such as Prabhsimran Singh, Shashank Singh, Bairstow, and world-class bowlers such as Kagiso Rabada, Sam Curran and Harshal Patel.

But no matter how good the lineup is on paper, the players have to not only coexist with each other, but have distinct, separate roles that don’t conflict but instead support each other to nail each aspect to win the game.

This team didn’t do it.

Batting Lineup - 7.1/10 (Bairstow, Shashank and Prabhsimran are highlights)

Bowling Lineup - 8.7/10 (Wicket-taking pacers, let down by the spinners)

5. RR - HIT ✅

Despite the team having a recent minor setback, RR remains one of the highest contenders to win the IPL Trophy. From Samson’s anchor like consistency, Riyan Parag’s ability to keep the score ticking and Powell’s raw power to send the ball flying, the team has it covered from the batting end. In the bowling, Chahal is their lead spinner and Boult as their lead pacer, both sharing multiple years of international experience and expertise.

This is a team where there are no key players, however all are playing a high standard of cricket.

Batting Lineup - 8.6 (No Buttler, Strike Rate could be improved)

Bowling Lineup - 8.2 (Boult, Chahal are wicket-takers)

6. GT - FLOP ❌ 

This team has been the biggest flop in the entire IPL. Coming from back-to-back final entries, GT didn’t even qualify for the playoffs. This is mainly due to, the lack of performance from the bowling department, lot of batsmen out of form and Gill being new to captaincy.

Batting Lineup - 6/10 (Sudharsan only good player in form)

Bowling Lineup - 5.4/10 (Expensive bowlers, Rashid not in form)

7. RCB - HIT ✅

Kohli. Kohli. Kohli.

Whatever he touches, turns to gold. This team has done a complete 180, from 10th in the table, losing 6 on the trot, to winning 6 on the trot.

Nothing more to say.

Batting Lineup - 9.3/10 (KING KOHLI)

Bowling Lineup - 5.9/10 (Yash Dayal 😬)

8. LSG - FLOP ❌

This team misses some performance from the Indians, most of the weight bearing on the shoulders of overseas players such as Stoinis. The cause of this problem is similar to Murali Vijay, the opener creating trouble and stress for the middle order to endure and clean up due to early dismissals or poor strike rate. The man is the skipper himself, KL Rahul.

Batting Lineup - 5.8/10 (KL, QDK, Badoni and Padikkal are let-downs)

Bowling Lineup - 7.1/10 (Bishnoi and Thakur are highlights)

9. CSK - HIT ✅

This team has been extremely unlucky. Gaikwad has been an exemplar for what upcoming batsmen-captains should be, where both areas are excelling. With the mentorship and hitting ability of Dhoni, the team is left feeling assured and backed, where players such as Deshpande have succeeded.

It’s just the big matches that they fell in, such as the recent match against RCB, where the bowlers permitted RCB to reach a total of 218 and Gaikwad falling out for a golden duck, building pressure for the middle order.

Batting Lineup - 8.8/10 (Dube now losing a bit of form)

Bowling Lineup - 8.2/10 (Pathirana exit hurt them)

10. DC - AVERAGE 😑

This team showed immense promise in the beginning, with their overseas players such as Marsh, Warner and Stubbs displaying their class.

That’s exactly where things went wrong and right for them. Players such as Fraser-McGurk really shook things up for the team, but that left a whole for the rest of the Indians to fill, which they were unable to.

Batting Lineup - 8.7/10 (Overseas players playing integral role)

Bowling Lineup - 8.3/10 (Mukesh Kumar letting them down)