IPL 2020: 5 Overseas Cricketers Who Could Warm The Bench for The Major Part Of The Season

The 13th edition of the Indian Premier League [IPL] is all set to take place in the United Arab Emirates between September 19-November 10. The first game will see defending champions Mumbai Indians lock horns with the three-time winners and the most consistent side in the history of the competition in the form of Chennai Super Kings.

One of the hardest things to do while zeroing on the playing combination of an IPL side is the slotting of overseas cricketers. With only four places up for grabs and so many options to choose from, it often leads to some foreign cricketers [even celebrated ones sometimes] warm the bench for a majority of the season.

Here’s a look at five such overseas players who could warm the benched for the better part of the IPL 2020-

Also Read- IPL 2020: Analyzing The Weak Links Of Each Of The 8 Teams

Josh Hazlewood- Chennai Super Kings

Josh Hazlewood is a mighty fine bowler and one of the first locks for any side in the long forms of the game. But the same cannot be said about T20 cricket. Hazlewood recently featured in a T20I for Australia for the first time since the 2016 T20 World Cup. The right-hander has played just 7 T20Is for Australia, claiming eight wickets at an economy rate of 9.60.

Hazlewood was picked by the Chennai Super Kings for a sum of Rs 2 Crore in the 2020 IPL auctions but it looks highly unlikely that he will get a chance to feature in the playing 11 [unless there is an injury] considering the fact that CSK has a strong contingent of overseas players like Shane Watson, Faf du Plessis, Imran Tahir, Dwayne Bravo, Mitchell Santner, Sam Curran and Lungisani Ngidi.

Chris Green- Kolkata Knight Riders

Chris Green has impinged his name as one of the most sought after names in franchise-based T20 leagues. The uncapped Australian off-spinner has thus far featured in 82 T20s, claiming 65 wickets at a miserly economy rate of 6.77.

Green was brought in as an injury cover for off-spinner Sunil Narine in the 2020 IPL auctions, but with the likes of Tom Banton, Eoin Morgan, Andre Russell, Pat Cummins, Sunil Narine, already there in the Kolkata Knight Riders set-up, Chris Green is likely to warm the bench throughout the 2020 season.

Joshua Phillipe- Royal Challengers Banglore

Joshua Phillipe struck gold in the 2020 IPL auctions when he was picked up by the Virat Kohli-led Royal Challengers Bangalore for a sum of Rs 20 Lakh.

The swashbuckling Australian wicketkeeper-batsman was rewarded for his performances in the 2019 BBL, where he finished as the third-highest run-getter in the tournament, paving way for a triumphant campaign for the Sydney Sixers.

Phillipe was picked as one of the many opening options by the RCB but given the fact that they already have the likes of Aaron Finch, Devdutt Padiakkal, and Parthiv Patel in the mix and the availability of overseas cricketers like AB de Villiers Dale Steyn, Chris Morris, Moeen Ali and Isuru Udana, is going to be increasingly difficult for the young Australian to break into the starting XI, unless, of course, there is a stark change in their strategy.

James Pattinson- Mumbai Indians

Mumbai Indians surprised one and all when they picked Australian fast bowler James Pattinson as a replacement for Lasith Malinga, who pulled out of the tournament due to ‘personal reasons’.

That is because, in Jasprit Bumrah, Trent Boult, Mitchell McClenaghan, and Nathan Coulter-Nile, the defending champions have enough pace bowling options in their set-up. Another thing that makes the selection baffling is the pace of Pattinson might not be ideal for the conditions that will be on offer in the UAE.

Nevertheless, with the likes of Quinton de Kock, Kieron Pollard, Chris Lynn, and the aforementioned overseas fast bowlers already in their set-up, it anyway looks highly unlikely that Pattinson will get much game-time in the 13th season.

Andrew Tye- Rajasthan Royals

Andrew Tye won the Purple Cap in the 2018 edition of the Indian Premier League but since then batsmen around the world seemed to have figured out his variations. The right-hander had a dismal 20219 IPL season, where he claimed just three wickets in six games at an economy rate of 10.59.

Tye suffered a shoulder injury later in the year and he hasn’t played a competitive game since last October. This, combined with the fact that Rajasthan Royals probably has the strongest contingent of overseas cricketers like Steve Smith, Jos Buttler, Ben Stokes, Jofra Archer, and fast bowling backups like Tom Curran and Oshane Thomas, it looks highly unlikely that he will get much game-time in IPL 2020.

Honorable Mentions- Sherfane Rutherford, Hardus Viljoen, Lockie Ferguson, Mitchell Marsh