The 16th edition of the IPL (Indian Premier League) gets underway this Friday, and we have a few tweaks for this season.
Traditionally, the tournament started of as a Round Robin, where all 10 teams played each other twice, and the top four teams would qualify for the play offs.
However, this season, the 10 teams will be split into two groups of five.
Five-time winners, Mumbai Indians will be in group A, alongside 2008 Champions Rajasthan Royals, 2012 and 2014 Winners Kolkata Knight Riders, Delhi Capitals, and the Lucknow Supergiants.
Group B features Five-time Champions, Chennai Super Kings, 2022 Winners Gujarat Titans, 2016 Champions Sunrisers Hyderabad, Royal Challengers Bangalore, and the Punjab Kings.
Any New Rules?
While 2023 introduced the impact substitute rule, in 2024, bowlers are now allowed two bouncers in an over instead of one.
Speedster Starc Gets Huge Price Tag
Embed from Getty ImagesThe Knight Riders have splashed the cash on the tall left-arm speedster from Australia for £2.3million.
Embed from Getty ImagesStarc has 74 wickets in 60 T20 Internationals, and 34 in 27 IPL games in his time with RCB and is hoping to make the most out of the price tag, by knocking over some batters in this year’s tournament.
“It’s always a bit of a circus when it is the best T20 league in the world. It’s definitely a new challenge. Yeah, it’s going to be exciting. So, yeah I look forward to it,” “I guess my memories are a few and far between of back in 2014 and 2015 with RCB, but yeah, really excited to get stuck in. Obviously, a new group of players. A bunch of guys I certainly haven’t met or been able to work with before,”
Starc: India Today
Starc had a memorable Let’s see how many polls ha can knock over this time round?
Embed from Getty ImagesMeanwhile, his National Team Captain Pat Cummins is expected to take charge of the Captaincy.
“I think we’ve got a great mix. We’ve got a couple more experienced guys like Bhuvi (Bhuvneshwar Kumar). Obviously, Aiden Markram was captain last year. But we’ve got some exciting young talent,”
“I’m super excited to see guys like Abhishek (Sharma), Umran Malik, these guys I’ve only seen a little bit of but super excited. So, I think fans should be pretty pumped for the season ahead,”
Cummins: News18
So far Shane Warne with Rajasthan Royals and Adam Gilchrist with the Hyderabad Deccan Chargers, are the only two overseas captains to win the IPL. Can he be the third?
Rishabh’s Return
Embed from Getty ImagesAfter his horrific car accident in December 2022, it’s time to welcome back one of India’s most flamboyant wicket-keeper batters.
Rishabh Pant faced severe injuries to his head, back and leg, which kept him out of cricket for 16 months.
Pant will be Captaining the Delhi Capitals this year. Chairperson, Parth Jindal gave his compliments to the 26-year-old, and his road to recovery.
“We are delighted to welcome Rishabh Pant as our captain. His grit and fearlessness have always worked wonders for the franchise. I can’t wait to see him playing for Delhi Capitals,”
Jindal: Cricket Today
Pant is most renowned for explosive big hitting abilities with the bat, and his cheeky chatter behind the stumps.
He will be hoping to light up IPL 2024 with his flamboyance in his captaincy as well.
Last Dance for Dhoni?
Embed from Getty ImagesSince his retirement from international cricket in 2019, every time Mahendra Singh Dhoni finishes a season, he gets asked “Is this your last season?”
Yet he still comes back fitter and stronger as ever.
Dhoni, who Captained Chennai Super Kings, has made a record of 250 appearances in the IPL. 244 of them have come for the South Indian-based franchise.
This year, Captain Cool has wound back the clock in terms of his long silky hair style.
Embed from Getty ImagesThe former Indian captain underwent knee surgery in Mumbai in June 2023, for an ‘arthroscopic repair”
He played the entire season with an injury and led CSK to a fifth title, where they defeated Hardik Pandya’s Gujarat Titans by five wickets via the Duckworth Lewis method.
Embed from Getty ImagesThis year, he has decide to hand over the captaincy to Ruturaj Gaikwad, who opens the batting for CSK.
Embed from Getty ImagesGaikwad was the second highest run scorer for CSK with 590 runs at a strike rate of 137.5. His opening partner Devon Conway was the highest, with 672 at 139.7.
CSK confirmed the news via a statement on Cricbuzz.
“MS Dhoni has handed over Chennai Super Kings’ captaincy to Ruturaj Gaikwad ahead of the start of IPL 2024,” CSK said in a statement. “Ruturaj has been an integral part of Chennai Super Kings since 2019 and has played 52 matches in IPL during this period. The team looks forward to the upcoming season.”
CSK: Cricbuzz
The 27-year old also captains his state Maharashtra in the Ranji Trophy, which is the first class competition in India.
He also led India to a Gold medal at the Asian Games in 2022.
Can Gaikwad step up his captaincy skills in the world’s most popular franchise League?
Gill To Lead Gujarat
Embed from Getty ImagesWith Hardik Pandya moving back to Mumbai, this is the chance for Shubman Gill to show some of his leadership skills.
Gill, 24, will be the youngest captain to lead an IPL franchise. This will me a real test of his mentality of being an opening batsman, as well as a leader.
According to Wisden, Gill has had some stints as Captain, when he led India Blue in the Duleep Trophy, and India C, in the Deodhar Trophy.
He has also led India A on their tour to New Zealand, and a home Test against South Africa A.
The New Zealand tour which India A won the Series, was his last stint as Captain.
Titans Coach Ashish Nehra was full of praise and excited for Gill getting the chance to lead the Gujarat franchise.
“The whole of India, not only me,” “He is that kind of player. He is someone who is looking to play and looking to do well in all three formats. So we as a franchise, as a support staff, are really excited to help him grow as a person more than as a captain. If he grows as a person, then he will definitely be a better captain going forward.’
Nehra: Cricinfo
Can he live up to the fan’s expectations?
So that’s everything new about IPL 2024.
What are your thoughts on the new IPL season?
Image Credit: Deposit Photos