IPL BUZZ

Bowlers expected to make an impact
A look at top five bowlers, who are expected to make a difference in 15th edition of IPL

Kagiso Rabada: After spearheading the bowling unit for four seasons at the Delhi franchise, where he also won the Purple Cap in 2020, Rabada will now turn out for Punjab Kings. Known for his breathtaking fast bowling and toe-crushing yorkers, South Africa’s premier pace bowler Rabada has established himself as a force to reckon with.

Yuzvendra Chahal: In the past few years, Chahal has established himself as a vital cog in the RCB set-up, becoming the backbone of the team’s bowling line-up. He enters the new season on the back of a good run of form and could be bowling match-winning spells in tandem with senior India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin for the Rajasthan Royals, especially on the the spin-friendly Wankhede track.

Jasprit Bumrah: One of the best bowlers in modernday cricket across all formats there is no denying that Bumrah is an impact player. The death overs specialist and perhaps the best T20 bowler around the world right now, Bumrah has been a consistent performer for Mumbai Indians with an ability to take wickets at will.

Rashid Khan: After serving as the bowling mainstay of Sunrisers Hyderabad since his arrival in the league in 2017, Rashid Khan will now ply his trade for new entrants, Gujarat Titans. He is known to choke the opposition for runs every time his captain hands him the ball, as batters often just opt to play out his four overs without taking any risks.

Harshal Patel: Having made his IPL debut way back in 2012, Patel enjoyed his breakthrough season last year with RCB. He picked up a record-equalling 32 wickets in 15 games to win the Purple Cap in 2021 edition. He was extremely effective in the death overs, a department RCB had lacked in before and that was the reason why the franchise shelled out a whopping Rs 10.75 cr to secure his services once again.