IPL 2018: Talking Points

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Will this be RCB's year?

Perhaps, at the moment, no one needs the IPL trophy as much as Virat Kohli. Having come agonizingly close to IPL triumph three times, this season will again see RCB craving for their maiden IPL success. For most of first ten seasons, RCB had a lopsided squad - highly skewed in favour of batting. This year, they have put up a squad which in Virat Kohli's words is ''the most balanced RCB side in many years''. Rightly so, this year apart from a heavy batting lineup, the team is blessed with decent fast-bowlers and steadfast spinners. Umesh Yadav will lead the pace attack whereas Yuzvendra Chahal and Washington Sundar will constitute a spin attack. The presence of bona fide allrounders - Chris Woakes, Corey Anderson, Moeen Ali - will give RCB an edge. The heterogeneity of players means that RCB can form a playing eleven for every possible circs. The strong-will of Kohli doubled with a competent squad means anything less than the IPL trophy will be a huge disappointment for Bengaluru's fans.

The return of CSK 

Whilst RCB needs the IPL trophy, CSK wants it. CSK, who is returning to IPL after two years ban, will very much start from the point where it left in 2015. The main core apart from Ravi Ashwin has been retained. MS Dhoni will lead the side whereas Stephen Fleming, their coach will direct it. The batting will revolve around Suresh Rina, Kedar Jadhav, MS Dhoni whereas bowling lineup's heart rests in the spin department. The presence of Shane Watson, Dwayne Bravo grants them multifaceted players which are the soul of a T20 side.

CSK, likely first eleven, will be an embodiment of teams that Dhoni has captained during most part of his career - a plethora of batsmen to choose from, a variety of spinners, part-timers, and lineup with a dearth of fast bowlers.

Though CSK has an excellent IPL record (purely in cricketing terms), CSK fans will still want to have the IPL trophy this year not only just to celebrate their return but also for Dhoni - the most celebrated IPL captain - who may not have many IPLs left in him.

Ravichandran Ashwin - skipper and leg spinner  

Instead of wearing customary yellow, R Ashwin will be seen in red of Kings XI Punjab this season. Leading KXIP, Ashwin will have to lift a team that has mostly seen low so far. Another goal in Ashwin's sight is to revive his own limited-overs career.

The rise Ravi Ashwin the test bowler has concurred will fall of his limited-overs stocks. The underwhelming performances in ODIs and T20Is made selectors to first ''rest'' and then drop R Ashwin. So this IPL provides him an opportunity to show his relevance and for this, he will in his own terms bowl leg-spin in the upcoming season. This is indeed surprising because Ashwin is already blessed with many variations viz off-spin, carom-ball, slider, arm-bowl, top-spinner etc. Perhaps the desperation factor to try leg-spin is because of the success of legspinners around the globe. But even if Ashwin masters the craft of leg-spin then what will distinguish him from rest? He will become another wrist-spinner in T20 landscape. The art of wrist-spin and finge-rspin by and large require a different set of skills which are difficult - if not impossible - for an individual body to master.  

As a cricketer, R Ashwin is a thinker who likes to divulge deep into nuances of game. He has an astute brain and an insatiable hunger for success. These are traits KXIP have been longing for and now in Ashwin - though with less captaincy experience - they have a leader who is very much capable of turning their fortunes. Ashwin will make sure that no stone is left unturned in KXIP quest for IPL glory.