KXIP will be aiming for their first title win in IPL 13.
The IPL 2020 will begin from September 19 onwards and will be played in the UAE across three bio-secure venues- Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Sharjah. The tournament will see ten double-headers being played.
One of the teams that did extremely well when the tournament was last played in the UAE, was the Kings XI Punjab. Led by George Bailey then, and motivated by Glenn Maxwell's batting, KXIP won all the five matches they played in UAE and went on to top the points table and played in the finals as well.
However, they have not yet found the right formula to make a title-winning side despite participating in all the 12 seasons so far. They have tinkered too much with their side over the years a lot and thus have not found stability in their side.
IPL 2020: Journey of Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) in IPL in numbers
In IPL 2020 as well, the KXIP side is going in with a new captain and a new coach. Anil Kumble is their new coach, while KL Rahul, their premier most batsman will lead them in this season.
With all this happening in their team, they will be looking for a stat that gives them hopes of winning IPL 2020. Team director Mike Hesson has tried to bring in calm and consistency into the team and will hope for rich results in IPL 13.
Team COC brings to you the top 5 players who can help KXIP win IPL 13
GLENN MAXWELL
‘The Big Show’, as Glenn Maxwell is fondly called, has to be the batsman for KXIP in the UAE. He had shown immense promise and performance the last time IPL moved out to the UAE and this has risen the expectations from him.
Maxwell had a topsy-turvy last 12 months in professional cricket. He could not perform according to the stands of T20 cricket. Then came the confession that he had gone in depression. However, he came out of it and now has come back to the cricket scene with a bang.
"I would love to be available for it," Glenn Maxwell looking forward to IPL 2020
In the IPL, Maxwell has 1395 runs in 68 innings at an average of 22.90 and a strike rate of a whopping 161.13. His big-hitting in the death overs will be crucial for KXIP as they don’t have an array of finishers on their side.
He can actually be used as a floater with the likes of KL Rahul and Chris Gayle opening the batting with Mayank Agarwal and Karun Nair being slotted in the middle order.
If the openers set the right platform, KXIP can make hay by sending out Maxwell or they can use him at the back end to finish the innings off on a high note.
KL RAHUL
KL Rahul, the new KXIP skipper has a huge responsibility on his shoulders of bringing much-eluded success to the team. He has been thrust upon the responsibility because the management is aware of his firepower and they believe in him to take the team forward positively.
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The Karnataka-lad has been the leader with the bat for KXIP for the past couple of seasons. In 2018, he scored 659 runs with 6 half-centuries and ended up third on the highest run-getters list in the tournament.
In 2019 too, he narrowly missed the Orange Cap, scoring 593 runs with 6 half-centuries and a century to his name. He has been in a terrific form since then, even for the Indian team, and will need to get back to it as the IPL 2020 begins.
He will be the mainstay for the side with the bat as well as the gloves. Along with Chris Gayle, he forms one of the best opening pairs for IPL 13. The right-left combination with the ability to play according to the match situation is frightening for the other sides.
CHRIS GAYLE
Chris Gayle refers to himself as the 'Bradman of T20 cricket', something which he has proved as he is the highest run-getter in the format, has the most centuries, the highest score, and has hit the most sixes as well.
In both of the last two seasons for KXIP, where KL Rahul was the highest run-getter for KXIP, the dangerous southpaw from Jamaica was second on the list.
In 2018, Gayle scored 368 runs including a century and 3 half-centuries. He scored these runs at an average of 40.88 and a menacing strike rate of 146.03. The next year, he got even better. He registered 490 runs in the season and ended up sixth on the highest run-getters list of IPL 2019.
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He scored these runs at an average of 40.83 and a rate of 153.60 runs per 100 balls.
If the 40-year-old has an above-average season according to his standards, KXIP will be an extremely dangerous side. He has also developed good fitness since switching to the Punjab-based franchise, and this will benefit him in the UAE more than anywhere else.
Spinners, watch out for this man – as you would know when not to bowl.
MUJEEB UR RAHMAN
Talking about spinners, KXIP has one of the best in their ranks, in Afghanistan's Mujeeb Ur Rahman, who has shown great potential for the franchise. He has carved a niche for himself, putting him on a different level altogether when compared to his much-celebrated Afghanistan teammates Rashid Khan and Mohammad Nabi.
In 2019, he got to play only 5 games because their skipper R Ashwin was already the premier spinner in the side and the pitches in India did not show signs of slowing down even as the tournament came to a closure.
Saliva-ban will impact spinners' ability to impart drift on the ball - Mujeeb Ur Rahman
Mujeeb could pick only 3 wickets in those 5 games. However, in 2018, he played 11 games and picked 14 wickets for the side at an average of 20.64, an economy of 6.99, and a strike rate of 17.71.
If the 19-year-old could better those numbers in IPL 2020, given the drier pitches which assist the spinners and may hay while the sun shines, which it does a lot in UAE.
KRISHNAPPA GOWTHAM
Karnataka all-rounder K Gowtham has made quite a mark in the IPL thanks to his performances for Rajasthan Royals and in domestic cricket as well. He has shown what he can do with the bat as well as with the ball on a few scattered occasions.
He is a street-smart cricketer and will be able to make good use of the pitch conditions in UAE. He will definitely be used as a finisher by the KXIP, who doesn't have a designated one yet. He is also a gun fielder.
Krishnappa Gowtham credits Shane Warne for his transformation at Rajasthan Royals
In 2018 and 2019, he played for the Rajasthan Royals before switching to the Kings XI. In 2018, he picked 11 wickets in 15 games at a strike rate of 21.81 and scored 126 runs at a strike rate of 196.87. In 2019, he played only 7 games and could not perform up to the mark. Hence, he was sent back into the auction before 2020.
He will need to come good in IPL 13 to make KXIP a strong side in the points table and emulate the strength that it shows on paper.