MS Dhoni and CSK kicked aside as Graeme Smith names his winner of IPL 2024

Legendary South African captain Graeme Smith picked the top contenders for victory in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. Graeme Smith overlooked the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the race for the IPL 2024 trophy.

The Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians (MI) are the two most successful teams in the history of the tournament, having secured five titles each. However, Royal Challengers Bengaluru has failed to secure a title despite participating in all IPL seasons.

CSK aims to secure their record sixth title with Ruturaj Gaikwad as the new captain, succeeding MS Dhoni before the start of the season. Meanwhile, RCB endeavors to replicate their female counterparts’ success in the WPL 2024 by clinching their maiden IPL title.

IPL Is Going To Be Very Competitive – Graeme Smith

In his Betway Insider blog, Graeme Smith identified the Mumbai Indians and Rajasthan Royals as his top contenders for victory in the IPL 2024. Smith emphasized the balanced composition of both squads, with a mix of talented Indian and international players.

“As always, the IPL is going to be very competitive. But I really like the balance of the Mumbai Indians and Rajasthan Royals squads. They have a strong mix of talented Indian players and impactful international stars, which should give them a good shot at going deep in the tournament,” Smith wrote.

The Mumbai Indians, under the leadership of Hardik Pandya, are yet to secure their first victory this season. Mumbai suffered a narrow 6-run loss in their first game against the Gujarat Titans, followed by a 31-run defeat to Sunrisers Hyderabad in the next game.

Rajasthan Royals have won both matches played in the tournament, placing third in the points table behind CSK and Kolkata Knight Riders. The Sanju Samson-led side maintains a lower net run rate (NRR) compared to the top teams, despite their strong performance.

Jasprit Bumrah Is A Strong Contender For The Purple Cap – Graeme Smith

“For MI, the leadership change from Rohit Sharma to Hardik Pandya will be interesting to see how it plays out. They had issues with their seam bowling attack last year, but getting Jasprit Bumrah back is a massive boost. In fact, I think he’s a strong contender for the purple cap,” Smith added.

Rajasthan Royals Had A Good Squad – Graeme Smith

Graeme Smith highlighted Jos Buttler and Yashasvi Jaiswal’s formidable opening partnership and their potential as strong contenders for the Orange Cap. He praised the bowling prowess of Trent Boult, as well as Ravichandran Ashwin and Yuzvendra Chahal.

“Rajasthan had a good squad last year. Jos Buttler and Yashasvi Jaiswal are an incredible opening partnership. Both are serious contenders for the orange cap. You’ve got Trent Boult with the new ball, followed by a fantastic spin duo in Ravi Ashwin and Yuzvendra Chahal. Chahal, in particular, could give Bumrah a run for his money in the purple cap race. They have options for all phases of the game, making them a well-rounded team,” he added.

The Rajasthan Royals secured the title in the inaugural edition in 2008. However, they have failed to secure the title since then. The Jaipur-based team came close in the 2022 edition but suffered a heartbreaking defeat to the Gujarat Titans in the final clash.

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