IPL 2021: 5 Players Who Would Have Played Every Match Had They Been With A Different Franchise

IPL 2021 got suspended after few players and support staff members tested positive for Covid-19. IPL 2021 only witnessed 29 matches but managed to entertain fans for a short period. All the 8 teams faced each other at least once before IPL 2021 got suspended. Delhi Capitals, Royal Challengers Bangalore, and Chennai Super Kings were three teams that showed magnificent performance in IPL 2021.

There is stiff competition among players for making it to the playing XI in IPL. Even for overseas players, there are only 4 spots and the best ones only get a chance in the playing XI. There were many players who were benched or not given more opportunities to play in IPL 2021 in spite of their great potential. However, these players would have got more chances if they were part of some other franchise. Here we talk about 5 players who would have played every match in IPL 2021 had they been with a different franchise.

IPL 2021: 5 Players Who Would Have Played Every Match Had They Been With A Different Franchise

Lockie Ferguson

Lockie Ferguson was part of Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL 2021. The New Zealand pacer did not play a single match in the tournament and was benched during all 7 matches of Kolkata Knight Riders. One of the reasons why Kolkata Knight Riders did not feature Ferguson in the playing XI is that they have a lot of overseas players.

Eoin Morgan is the skipper of the team so he can’t be benched in a match. Also, Andre Russell is a magnificent hitter and finisher and KKR can’t risk benching him. Also, world no.1 Test bowler Pat Cummins is one player who needs to be part of the playing XI. For the last overseas spot, KKR went with Sunil Narine in most of the matches. However, if Ferguson was part of some other franchise he would have been a regular part of the playing XI. He has played 14 matches in IPL so far and picked up 11 wickets.

Ishan Porel

Ishan Porel is a tall fast bowler who was part of Punjab Kings in IPL 2021. He was bought by Punjab Kings ahead of the IPL 2020 edition. However, he has not played a single match in IPL so far. In IPL 2021 too, he was benched in all 8 matches of Punjab Kings. Punjab Kings did not have a brilliant bowling show in IPL 2021 but they did not switch to other bowlers in the pace department.

Punjab Kings stuck to Jhye Richardson and Riley Meredith as the primary overseas pacers as they were huge buys of the team during IPL 2021 auction. Mohammed Shami was another crucial pacer for Punjab Kings in IPL 2021 and the team could not risk benching him. As a result, Ishan Porel did not find a spot in the playing XI in any game. Right-arm pacer Porel has superb stats at the domestic level. He has played 20  First-Class, 25 List-A, and 14 T20 matches and scalped 53, 41, and 16 wickets respectively.

Anukul Roy

Anukul Roy is part of Mumbai Indians. He did not play any match in IPL 2021. Roy is an all-rounder, a left-handed batsman and a left-arm spinner. However, since Krunal Pandya is the team’s primary choice for the left-arm spinner in the team, Roy has found it hard to make it to the playing XI.

Roy has so far played only 1 match in IPL 2019 in which he took 1 wicket. In ICC U-19 World Cup 2018, Roy was the joint-highest wicket-taker. At the domestic level, Anukul Roy has very good stats. In 27 List-A matches, he has scored 621 runs and picked 32 wickets. In 26 T20 games, he has scored 216 runs and grabbed 13 wickets.

Mayank Markande

Mayank Markande was part of Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2021 and he was benched in all 7 matches of the team during the tournament. Markande is a right-arm leg-break bowler. He showed a great performance in IPL 2018 when he picked up 15 wickets in 14 matches. He also did not feature in any match during IPL 2020 last year.

For the spinner’s spot, Rajasthan Royals went ahead with players like Shreyas Gopal, Riyan Parag, and Rahul Tewatia. Since Rajasthan Royals already had a lot of bowling options in many games, Riyan Parag and Rahul Tewatia were used as spin bowlers. As a result, Markande did not get any opportunity to play in IPL 2021.

Chris Lynn

Chris Lynn was part of Mumbai Indians in IPL 2021. The Australian cricketer only played one match for Mumbai Indians in IPL 2021. In the absence of Quinton de Kock, Lynn was given a chance to open with Rohit Sharma in Mumbai Indians’ first game. Lynn made a goof-up as he run-out Rohit Sharma in the match. He batted well in the match and scored 49 runs in a losing cause.

Later, as Quinton de Kock was available to play, Chris Lynn was benched in all the following games. Lynn is a big hitter and any other franchise would have picked him in all the matches. In 42 IPL matches so far, Lynn has scored 1329 runs with 10 half-centuries. He has a great average of 34 and a strike rate of 140+.