IPL 2021 has started on a great note. There have already been quite a few games that have gone down the wire. All the teams have played at least one game each. Batsmen and bowlers have left their stamp on the IPL. Mumbai and Chennai have hosted all the 13 completed games till now. Mumbai has witnessed high-scoring matches while Chennai has produced low-scoring thrillers.
Challenge for teams:
IPL 2021 has done away with the concept of home and away. All teams are required to play in neutral venues. This has negated the curated strength of the squad to a certain extent. Despite all odds, few players have put in striking performances. Few such players must have gone unsold in the fantasy auctions earlier. It is time you make a note of such key players and include them in your StumpsandBails fantasy team.
IPL 2021: PK vs SRH preview
Punjab Kings up until now have played all their 3 games at the Wankhede in Mumbai. They registered a thrilling win over Rajasthan Royals in the opening encounter. PK posted a mammoth total (221) and scraped home by 4 runs in that game. But since then the Punjab franchise have flattered to deceive. They were completely outplayed by CSK in their second game. While they went on to lose against DC even though they were in a dominant position. PK’s problems have been confounded with their captain KL Rahul’s conservative approach. They will be hoping for him to play his natural game and set the tempo. The Chennai pitch will test the PK team even more. It will be interesting to see how they counter this challenge.
Sunrisers Hyderabad on the other hand have played all their games at the Chepauk, Chennai. They are the only winless team in the tournament. They lost all 3 games from a position where they could have won the match. SRH’s infamous middle order has again proved to be their Achilles heel. They literally seem to have no answers to the batting collapses. David Warner and Jonny Bairstow have played great cameos but they haven’t helped the team win a game yet. But SRH will fancy their chances against PK as they are more familiar with the conditions than them. It will be an interesting contest.
IPL 2021: Players to have in your StumpsandBails Fantasy Team
Deepak Hooda:
Deepak Hooda started the tournament with a bang. He smashed a quickfire fifty to help Kings to a mammoth total. Hooda has fizzled out after that splendid start. He will be eager to make his presence felt in the game. The Chennai pitch will aid his game. Hooda is a fantastic player of spin. If he gets going then it will be fireworks for Kings. His hitting ability will be put to test against the skill of Rashid Khan. Hooda is a must-have in your fantasy team.
Vijay Shankar:
Vijay Shankar picked out two crucial wickets in the last game. He dismissed two of the best limited-overs batters (Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav) in the previous game. Shankar’s ability to take the pace of the ball remains a vital asset in the Chennai wicket. He has had his fair share of brickbats over the past couple of seasons. But Shankar’s contributions as an allrounder to SRH remains understated. If he clicks with the bat, SRH’s middle-order woes will be sorted.
