Former West Indies captain Dwayne Bravo currently holds the record for picking the most wickets in T20 cricket.

The right-arm medium pacer has bagged 625 wickets in 573 matches at an average of 24.29 and an economy of 8.24. He is the first and the only cricketer to reach 600 wickets in the T20 format.

Apart from playing for the West Indies cricket team, Bravo has donned the jersey of several franchises in the Indian T20 League, Caribbean Premier League, Big Bash, Vitality T20 Blast and Bangladesh Premier League. 

Since making his T20I debut against New Zealand in 2006, Bravo has been a vital cog in the West Indies team in the shortest format of the game, winning the ICC World T20 titles in 2012 and 2016.

In his stellar T20 career, the Trinidad and Tobago-born cricketer has claimed the most wickets for Team Chennai in the Indian T20 League, picking 183 wickets in 160 matches at an impressive average of 23.73.

Bravo is followed by Afghanistan's Rashid Khan and West Indies all-rounder Sunil Narine.

Yuzvendra Chahal is the only Indian player to feature in the list of top 10 wicket-takers in T20 cricket.

Besides Bravo, three players - Rashid, Narine and Tahir - have scalped 500 plus T20 wickets. 

Interestingly, when T20 cricket was introduced by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) in 2003, it was believed that spinners would be clobbered all around the park in the shortest format of the game.

However, since the inception of T20, spinners have played an important role in most games. Five spinners are currently in the top 10 list for most wickets in T20 cricket.

Most wickets in T20 cricket

Player	Matches	Wickets	Best Figures	Average	Economy
Dwayne Bravo	578	630	5/23	24.28	8.25
Rashid Khan	441	600	6/17	18.25	6.47
Sunil Narine	519	557	5/19	21.55	6.12
Imran Tahir	405	502	5/23	19.95	6.96
Shakib Al Hasan	444	492	6/6	21.49	6.79
Andre Russell	512	462	5/15	25.12	8.67
Wahab Riaz	348	413	5/8	22.63	7.54
Lasith Malinga	295	390	6/7	19.68	7.07
Sohail Tanvir	388	389	6/14	26.36	7.49
Chris Jordan	368	386	4/6	27.21	8.60

Featured photo: NOAH SEELAM / AFP

The Indian T20 League, since its inception in 2008, has been a bystander to some of the most breathtaking bowling performances over the years. Right from Lasith Malinga’s inch-perfect yorkers to the devastating pace lengths of Harshal Patel, the spectators have been duly entertained by something extremely miraculous.

The nature of the league or the format per se is such that you are bound to stay connected right till the end. But what makes the league even more interesting is the fight to win the individual awards. In context, the Indian T20 League honours the bowler with the most number of wickets with a Purple Cap at the end of every season.

2008: Sohail Tanvir (Rajasthan)

Pakistani players played only the inaugural season of the league, and that was enough for Sohail Tanvir to assert his claim. Representing Rajasthan in 2008, the left-arm pacer played a key role in his side’s route to the final. During the course, he picked 22 wickets in 11 games at an impressive average of 12.09.

2009: RP Singh (Deccan)

RP Singh was an absolute revelation in the second edition of the tournament. Applauded for his mesmerizing in-swingers and an ability to find a gap between the pad and the bat, he notched up 23 wickets in 16 games to earn the Purple Cap that year.

2010: Pragyan Ojha (Deccan)

After two mediocre seasons, left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha finally burst onto the scene in 2010 with a blistering performance for Deccan. Picking up 21 wickets in 16 games that year, he not only won the Purple Cap but also won the hearts of many.

2011: Lasith Malinga (Mumbai)

Four-time Indian T20 League winner with Mumbai, Lasith Malinga won the Purple Cap in only his third season of the tournament. In 2011, the Sri Lankan pacer returned with a total of 28 wickets in 16 games at a mere economy of 5.95.  

2012: Morne Morkel (Delhi)

Delhi have always been known for their strong overseas bowling core. In 2012, Morne Morkel delivered what was promised as he went on to pick 25 wickets in 16 games, but that, unfortunately, wasn’t enough as his side crashed out of the play-offs stage.

2013: Dwayne Bravo (Chennai)

In 2013, Chennai made it to their second consecutive Indian T20 League finals. While their batting was top-notch that year, their bowling contingent oozed similar confidence and a certain Dwayne Bravo was at the pinnacle of it. The West Indies all-rounder picked a whopping 32 wickets to win his first Purple Cap of the Indian T20 League. His figures in 2013 remain the best for any bowler in a single season.

2014: Mohit Sharma (Chennai)

Mohit Sharma arguably remains one of the finest finds of the Indian T20 League. In 2014, the medium-pacer topped the bowling charts after picking 23 wickets in 16 games for Chennai

2015: Dwayne Bravo (Chennai)

For the third time running, a Chennai bowler emerged as the highest wicket-taker of the Indian T20 League. In 2015, Dwayne Bravo became the first player to win the Purple Cap twice after he scalped 26 wickets in 17 games to take his team all the way to the final. He even took the joint-most catches - 13 - in that edition.

2016: Bhuvneshwar Kumar (Hyderabad)

Bhuvneshwar Kumar was a headache for the opposition batsmen in 2016. Playing for Hyderabad, his perfect line and length culminated in him picking 23 wickets in 17 games at an economy of 7.42 to win the Purple Cap that year.

2017: Bhuvneshwar Kumar (Hyderabad)

Hyderabad failed to defend their title in 2017, but Bhuvneshwar Kumar once again topped the wicket-taking chart, becoming only the second player to win two Purple Caps. That year, he picked 26 wickets in just 14 games.

2018: Andrew Tye (Punjab)

Australian pacer Andrew Tye impressed one and all with his breathtaking performance in the 2018 edition of the tournament. That year, his three four-wicket hauls took his total tally to 24 wickets in just 14 games, which was enough to have a Purple Cap on his head. 

2019: Imran Tahir (Chennai)

Known for his extravagant celebrations, South African spinner Imran Tahir defeated his fellow countryman Kagiso Rabada to win the Purple Cap in 2019 after picking 26 wickets in 17 games at an economy rate of 6.69.

2020: Kagiso Rabada (Delhi) 

After missing out on the Purple Cap in 2020, Kagiso Rabada won the Purple Cap as he scalped 30 wickets in 17 matches at an economy rate of 8.34. The South African fought off competition from Mumbai's Jasprit Bumrah to finish as the leading wicket-taker in the 13th edition of the T20 extravaganza.

2021: Harshal Patel (Bangalore)

Harshal Patel had a season to remember in Indian T20 League 2021, as he matched Dwayne Bravo's record for most wickets in a single campaign (32). Patel also scripted history as the bowler with most wickets during the league phase of an Indian T20 League season, surpassing Lasith Malinga's 27 scalps in 2011.

Purple Cap winners in Indian T20 League

Player	Year	Wickets
Sohail Tanvir	2008	22
RP Singh	2009	23
Pragyan Ojha	2010	21
Lasith Malinga	2011	28
Morne Morkel	2012	25
Dwayne Bravo	2013	32
Mohi Sharma	2014	23
Dwayne Bravo	2015	26
Bhuvneshwar Kumar	2016	23
Bhuvneshwar Kumar	2017	26
Andrew Tye	2018	24
Imran Tahir	2019	26
Kagiso Rabada	2020	30
Harshal Patel	2021	32

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Sajjad Hussain

Ten franchises, 204 players. This was the number recorded by the end of the Indian T20 League 2022 mega auction. 

Big bucks were splashed as wicket-keeper batsman Ishan Kishan bagged a whopping INR 15.25 crore contract while pacer Avesh Khan broke the record for the most expensive uncapped player in the history of the competition. The former Delhi bowler was snapped by new franchise, Team Lucknow, who decided to pay INR 10 crore for the 25-year-old.

While young players stole the limelight throughout the auction, the 2022 edition saw several big names and seasoned T20 players going unsold. Here, we take a look at five of them.

Suresh Raina (India)

The fourth leading run-getter of the Indian T20 League failed to find a suitor as Suresh Raina went unsold after entering with a base price of INR 2 crore. At 35 years of age, the left-handed batter still has a lot left in his tank, but his price tag of INR 2 crore proved to be the stumbling block.

On top of that, his last season’s tally of a mere 160 runs in 12 matches at 17.77 didn’t help his cause either. It’s interesting to note that this is the first time in the Indian T20 League history that Raina failed to find a suitor in the auction.

“Raina has been one of the most consistent performers for Chennai for the last 12 years,�?said CEO Kasi Viswanath after being asked why the team decided not to bid for Raina. 

“Of course, it was very difficult for us, no to have Raina but at the same time you should also understand that the team composition depends on the form and kind of team which any team would like to have so that’s one of the reasons why we thought he may not fit into this team,�?he added.

Aaron Finch (Australia)

Australia’s limited-overs captain Aaron Finch was another one of the high profile players who didn’t get a bid from any franchise. 

In all fairness, Finch hasn’t really performed at his full potential in the Indian T20 League in recent years. Finch, who has played for as many as eight Indian T20 League teams in the past, guided Australia to their maiden ICC T20I World Cup win last year and is the fifth-highest scorer in T20Is, having scored 2,616 runs in 84 outings.

While his international figures are supreme, his record in the Indian T20 League has been anything but. His last appearance in the competition came in the 2020 edition where he scored just 268 runs in 12 matches at 22.33.

Eoin Morgan (England)

England’s white-ball captain, Eoin Morgan entered the auction at a base price of INR 1.5 crore, but failed to garner a single bid. For someone who guided his team, Kolkata, to the Indian T20 League final last season, it's a sheer disappointment, but judging by his returns with the bat, it does not really look as a surprise.

Last season, the 35-year-old scored just 133 runs in 17 matches at an average of 11.08. This is probably why the teams decided not to get their hands on the England captain. 

Imran Tahir (South Africa)

Veteran spinner Imran Tahir is enjoying life in the Pakistan Super League but he will be gutted after going unsold in the Indian T20 League mega auction. The 42-year-old, who played a solitary game last season, entered with a base price of INR 2 crore and maybe that was the reason why teams decided not to indulge in the bidding process.

Despite being over 40 years of age, the leggie has picked 12 wickets in seven PSL games so far in the campaign and is bowling at an economy of under seven.

Tabraiz Shamsi (South Africa)

Entering at a base price of INR 1 crore, world’s number two T20I bowler Tabraiz Shamsi failed to attract any suitor as teams decided not to gamble on the South African. It is probably down to the fact that the spinner, despite performing decently in the past, hasn’t really enjoyed playing the Indian T20 League.

The 31-year-old has appeared in just five games in the past, picking three wickets at an economy of over nine.

Featured photo: AFP / Arun Sankar

This is the tenth in a series of features where we will be taking a detailed dive into the various factors that stood out during the course of the Indian T20 League 2020 season.

The 2020 edition of the Indian T20 League saw teams adapt to new surfaces in UAE and find personnel suiting their change requirements. A part of the challenge was also in identifying this core group that would take them forward and in doing so, quite a few glaring omissions stood out. At the end of one of the most exhilarating Indian T20 League seasons, we look at a few players who deserved more chances.

“I don't envy the captain and team management who have to decide who plays and who doesn't in any given match," said Lee.

"However, I must say that there were a few players who I feel were perhaps not used as well as they could've been. Like Imran Tahir, the highest wicket-taker last season, yet Chennai barely used him this time, especially during the latter stages of the season when the pitches slowed down.

"Then there's Chris Lynn, who Mumbai could not think of playing because of the strong showing of their batsmen right through the tournament. Bangalore though could have used Moeen Ali more, both with the ball on slower decks and also to pad the middle-order to pinch-hit before or after AB de Villiers,�?he added.

Chris Lynn

The title winners acquired Chris Lynn from Kolkata with the clear aim of having him for the Wankhede wicket. However, with venues moved and his weakness against spin, Lynn never even received a single game. Mumbai played just 15 players through the season, and Lynn was someone who could’ve got a few chances at the top to see how he goes. Lynn has an average of 33.68 in the powerplay and a strike-rate of 140.65, but his recent form in the Caribbean Premier League must have gone against him. That said, being a game-changer, Lynn could’ve been given a few games at least.

Moeen Ali

Bangalore took a long time to figure out their best XI and it played a part in their eventual ouster in the eliminator. Moeen Ali, who was among the quickest run-scorers in the middle overs last two seasons, remained on the bench even as Bangalore struggled with their scoring rate in the middle. Add in his worthy bowling and Moeen could have been used to take down leg-spinners who turn into him and also help free up AB de Villiers more.  His bowling was an added bonus, but somehow Bangalore took quite a while to figure this out.

Imran Tahir

One of the most talked-about on the bench, Imran Tahir was controversially benched by Chennai for all but three matches. Following a stunning CPL, Tahir was expected to be a lock for one of Chennai’s overseas slots, but they chose to go with local spinners to try and strengthen the fast bowling core and top-order batting. While this was needed, they sorely lacked the impact Tahir could have made in the middle overs by using Dwayne Bravo who appeared well past his prime. Tahir is a T20 legend and his numbers prove the same. In 58 Indian T20 League games, Tahir has 80 wickets at an average of 21.08.

David Miller

Purchased by Rajasthan, David Miller was benched for the most part of the season and was especially deemed surplus to requirements after Ben Stokes arrived. Miller played just one game and scored 0 in it, but never got another chance. While he has had some ordinary returns in T20s of late, Miller catered to one specific area Rajasthan had to plug �?late-order hitting and finishing. Jos Buttler, at his own insistence, later moved down the order, but could Rajasthan have tried handing over the captaincy to Buttler and benching Smith to play Miller who could have plugged a hole? Guess we will never know.

Chennai completed a league double over Punjab for the second time in three years, this time defeating KL Rahul's team by nine wickets to end their run in this year's Indian T20 League.

Chennai, who decided to field, restricted Punjab to 153/6 after a brilliant bowling effort from Lungi Ngidi and their spinning contingent. In turn, Chennai lost a solitary wicket as Ruturaj Gaikwad scored his third consecutive half-century to end Chennai's tenure on a high. 

Having said that, let's have a look at things we learned from the game:

Tahir finally gets Gayle

Imran Tahir has been a part of the Indian T20 League setup since 2014, but not even once in these six years has he managed to bag Chris Gayle's scalp. In fact, before today’s game, Gayle has smashed the South African spinner for 39 runs in 16 deliveries, hitting at a strike-rate of 243.75 in three innings. On Sunday though, Tahir was exceptionally lustrous, especially against Gayle. Not only did he concede a boundary but also restricted the hard-hitting West Indian to just six runs off 10 deliveries against him.

There were other personal battles as well, as it was the second time this season that Shardul Thakur got the better of Nicholas Pooran. In these two games, Pooran has scored a solitary run in three deliveries against the 29-year-old.

Deepak Hooda’s effort in vain

Neither Gayle, KL Rahul nor Mayank Agarwal did enough to build momentum for the lower-order batsmen on Sunday. The trio, in fact, combined for just 67 runs and Chennai looked well on course to dismantle the rest of the order. Deepak Hooda walked in as Punjab were scoring at a measly rate of 6.08, having posted 73/4 in 12 overs. They were in a dire need of someone’s hard-hitting prowess and Hooda was arguably the last man they would have expected to take them to a respectable total, given that his last half-century in the Indian T20 League came way back in 2015 against Delhi.

The 25-year-old Rohtak native took his time to settle, but once he did, took the entire Chennai bowlers by storm. Despite getting least support from the other end, Hooda took Punjab’s run-rate from 6 to 7.65 while also completing his half-century in a mere 26 deliveries. An unbeaten 62 off 30 balls - a whopping 40.52 percent of his team’s total - is now his best ever score in the Indian T20 League. But while it was a commendable effort from the 25-year-old, the bowling contingent failed to deliver on the day as Chennai took home two points.

Chennai have got 99 problems, but Punjab isn't one of them

1: Number of wickets Punjab have taken against Chennai in two games this season.

The aforementioned data underlines the supremacy of Chennai over Punjab, not just in the current edition, but since the inception of the league. The fact that MS Dhoni’s side has won 14 of their 23 meetings against Punjab is further testament to their prevailing authority. The last time these two sides met, Punjab posted a commendable 178/4 only to see their bowlers failing to keep Chennai in check. Their best bowler on that night was Ravi Bishnoi, who conceded at an economy of 8.25. Chennai eventually won the game by 10 wickets and 14 balls still to spare.

The game on Sunday was all about Ruturaj Gaikwad’s third consecutive half-century. After Faf du Plessis departed for 48, Gaikwad continued with his steady approach to take his team to glory.

Feature image courtesy: Twitter / @IndianT20League

The South Africans have been in terrific form in Indian T20 League 2020. They have two representatives in the top 10 of the batting charts, one outrageous impact player in the batting strike-rate chart, the leading wicket-taker and one of the quickest bowlers of the season.

Aside from the aforementioned names, quite a few others have also stepped up and proved to invaluable to their side this season. With South Africa set to take on England in a T20I series later in November, the form of their players will inspire much confidence.

How South Africa potentially line up for the T20Is immediately after and possibly the T20 World Cup next year has been a subject of immense interest right through the season after the incredible performances of their players. But a lot of that will ride on a few other factors too.

Is de Villiers still in contention?

AB de Villiers was set to make a comeback to the national team after retiring in 2018. He had announced that he would be targeting the 2020 T20 World Cup - that is now moved - to make a return to the team and had discussions with head coach Mark Boucher and the skippers before the pandemic struck a blow to those plans.

A lot of de Villiers' return was put down to his form then and the Indian T20 League was the one platform he could showcase his match readiness in. After the kind of stellar season de Villiers has had, it would have been a no-brainer for him to be in the XI if the T20 World Cup were in 2020.

However, with it moved to late 2021, it raises further questions on his availability then, one year down the lane and with potentially another Indian T20 League season in between. If he isn't keen to stretch till then, do South Africa pick him now for the T20Is vs England?

A similar quandary for Morris and Tahir

Chris Morris and Imran Tahir are two others who could form a core part of the bowling attack. While Morris has been in superb fun for Bangalore right through the season with Virat Kohli singling him out as one of their biggest differences this season, Tahir hasn't had game time at Chennai but did quite well in the Caribbean Premier League earlier this year.

Morris had volunteered out of the last few T20I series South Africa played to play around the globe, and his availability remains a question mark. There are no other questions on the pace bowling front with it sporting some of the finest bowlers in recent times in this format.

Imran Tahir, on the other hand, will be 42 when the T20 World Cup kicks off next year and isn't a sure-shot starter if he continues to be sidelined in franchise cricket. South Africa too have preferred to play Tabraiz Shamsi over him in their last couple of series.

Where does Faf bat and does Miller get a look in?

Faf du Plessis is possibly best fit to open the batting, given that he takes time to get going when batting in the middle-order. But South Africa have preferred the likes of Reeza Hendricks and Janneman Malan in the recent past and du Plessis, if he is still in their plans after giving up the captaincy, might be a better choice at the top of the order.

The other question is around David Miller who seems to have lost his reputation quite a bit in franchise cricket too. The large promise he came with hasn't been fulfilled and with Rassie van der Dussen and Heinrich Klaasen having taken on Miller's role. Finally, the southpaw's time in international colours might be coming to a close.

A potential XI if all go in South Africa's favour:

Janneman Malan, Quinton de Kock, Faf du Plessis, AB de Villiers, Rassie van der Dussen, Heinrich Klaasen, Chris Morris, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, Imran Tahir/Tabraiz Shamsi.

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Christiaan Kotze

If Kolkata want to keep their 2020 Indian T20 League playoff hopes alive, they must beat Chennai when the two teams square off in Dubai on Thursday. The two-time champions dropped out of the top four spots after losing to in-form Punjab in their last game and they will be aware that another defeat will all but ensure that they don’t finish in the playoff spots.

Bottom-placed Chennai, on the other, are already out of the playoff reckoning and have nothing to lose heading into the clash against Kolkata. Their last match saw them get the better of second-placed Bangalore and the three-time champions will be hoping for another win on Thursday as they look to end the tournament on a high.

Chennai can also take heart from the fact that they enjoy a better head-to-head record against Kolkata. The two teams have squared off 21 times in the Indian T20 League with Chennai winning on 13 occasions and Kolkata winning eight times. That said, Kolkata did beat Chennai in their earlier encounter this season and they will be hoping for more of the same on Thursday. Here, we look at a few key players and battles that could have a bearing on the outcome of the game.

Dinesh Karthik versus Imran Tahir

While it’s no secret that Dinesh Karthik hasn’t enjoyed the best of seasons so far, that’s unlikely to change against Chennai. Karthik handed over the Kolkata captaincy to Eoin Morgan midseason in a bid to rediscover his batting form but that has done little to improve his fortunes. After 12 matches this season, Karthik has managed to score just 148 runs at an average of 13.45 �?damning stats for any player, let alone an experienced campaigner and the former captain of the team. 

His chances of a turnaround in fortunes against Chennai don’t seem very likely either, especially considering the three-time champions�?ace spinner Imran Tahir’s past record against the Indian wicketkeeper. Not only has Karthik struggled to score runs against Tahir in the Indian T20 League, but he’s also been dismissed by him in three of the six innings he’s faced the South African. Tahir’s record against Kolkata’s powerful all-rounder Andre Russell isn’t bad either.

Batsman	Innings	Runs Scored	Dismissals	Strike Rate
Dinesh Karthik	6	31	3	114.81
Andre Russell	4	26	2	96.29

Table: Imran Tahir against Dinesh Karthik and Andre Russell in the Indian T20 League.

Players to watch:

Chennai �?Ruturaj Gaikwad

After below-par displays in his first three matches of the season, Chennai’s Ruturaj Gaikwad finally repaid the faith shown in him by the team management this year by scoring an unbeaten 51-ball 65 against Bangalore. He smashed four 4s and three 6s during his knock and was adjudged the Player of the Match as Chennai picked up a morale-boosting win over Bangalore. With some runs finally under his belt, the 23-year-old right-hand batsman will be eager to kick on in the clash against Kolkata and will be in a confident frame of mind heading into the contest.

Kolkata �?Lockie Ferguson

Despite joining the team late, New Zealand pacer Lockie Ferguson has been a valuable addition to Kolkata since coming into the side and has frightened several opposition batsmen with his raw pace. He has already bowled 21 out of the 100 fastest deliveries in the Indian T20 League this season �?third most after Jofra Archer (41) and Kagiso Rabada (28). The Kiwi bowler has taken six wickets and has the second-best economy (5.93) among the 41 pacers who have bowled more than 10 overs this year. Ferguson’s ability to get rid of the top-order batsmen has also proved to be valuable for Kolkata with five out his six wickets so far coming against batsmen from positions 3-5.

Stats to watch out for:

0: Kolkata have never defeated Chennai twice in a single Indian T20 League season.

1: Catch required by Ravindra Jadeja to complete 50 catches in the Indian T20 League for Chennai.

3: Eoin Morgan is 3 fours away from completing 100 fours in the Indian T20 League.

9: Runs required by Dinesh Karthik to become the sixth player to score 500 runs against Chennai in the Indian T20 League.

18: Runs required by MS Dhoni to become the seventh player to score 500 runs against Kolkata in the Indian T20 League.

Writer’s pick:

Chennai will know that the pressure will be on Kolkata to come away with a win and the southerners will be hoping to capitalize on that. However, Kolkata have played better cricket over the course of the tournament than Chennai and will be looking for a repeat of the performance that saw them beat the southerners earlier in the season. With plenty of gifted international players, who have played in big pressure matches before, as well as some in-form domestic talents in their ranks, Kolkata should have just about enough to beat Chennai.

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Dibyangshu Sarkar

Necessity is the mother of invention, and in the case of some Indian T20 League teams, it can lead to the discovery of sheer genius on the cricket pitch. When their backs were against the wall, these teams took a chance on change and it paid off in spades.

We look at five instances where replacement players unlocked the key to hidden fortunes for teams that took the chance on them.

Imran Tahir replaced Mitchell Marsh (Pune 2017)

2016 was not a kind year to Pune when it came to injuries and 2017 seemed to follow in the same thread as Mitchell Marsh was out of the picture even before the season got underway. As a replacement, Pune brought in leg-spinner Imran Tahir and the decision seemed to have been the harbinger for a much-needed change in fortunes for the squad, as we'll learn when we go to our next pick. The South African bowled crucial spells, bagging scalps with ruthless efficiency during the middle overs. It culminated in a season that saw him be the best bowler of the team in half the 12 matches he played in, picking up 18 wickets as Pune finished second in the points that season.

Washington Sundar replaced Ravichandran Ashwin (Pune 2017)

The same year as Tahir came in as a super-sub for Pune, they also enjoyed the services of another replacement in Washington Sundar, who was brought in after Ravichandran Ashwin was yet another to have been put out by injury that season. The Indian U-19 player was a boon to sort Pune's opening quandaries that saw their average Powerplay score balloon to as high as 60 till then. Bowling with sublime precision as an opener, Sundar helped Pune clamp their bleeding during Powerplay, finishing the season with an economy rate of 6.16.

Lendl Simmons replaced Jalaj Saxena (Mumbai 2014)

In 2014, Mumbai got off to a start that was highly uncharacteristic of the now four-time Indian T20 League champions, coming up on the losing end in the opening five matches of the season. It was during this phase that they brought in Lendl Simmons to replace Jalaj Saxena to open their batting. The move paid off. Playing with a measured approach, Simmons got Mumbai off to much better starts, with a century against Punjab standing out in particular, and rounded out the season with a 394-run haul from eight matches.

Simmons continued his form the following year, striking up a good partnership with Parthiv Patel at the top and finishing the season second in runs scored behind David Warner and helping Mumbai win their second title.

Doug Bollinger replaced Jacob Oram (Chennai 2010)

Like they are in 2020, Chennai had a wretched start to the season ten years ago in 2010, losing five of their first seven matches, and subsequently, Doug Bollinger was brought in to replace the injured Jacob Oram. Right off the bat, the move paid off, as in his first game, he bowled at 3.75 and bagged the prized scalp of Shane Watson and then took out Yusuf Pathan, changing the course of the contest in Chennai's favour. Then, he beat Deccan in the semi-finals with a 4-1-13-4 spell and topped it off with another outstanding performance to help his side win the final. Bollinger went on to play a key role in Chennai defending the title the following year, as he picked up 17 wickets.

Chris Gayle replaced Dirk Nannes (Bangalore 2011)

Bangalore snared up Chris Gayle at the last moment in 2011 after most of the other teams gave him a miss due to his international commitments that were soon to become a non-factor anyway after he fell out with the Windies Cricket Board. Living up to his surname, Gayle brought in a storm of runs for Bangalore and won the Orange Cap that year and the next. Between 2011-13, Gayle racked up an astounding 2049 runs in 43 matches, peppered by four tons and 14 half-centuries.

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Sajjad Hussain

While each new Indian T20 League season introduces exciting new talent showcasing their game on the grandest T20 league of them all, it also brings down the curtain on old favourites who finally decide to call it time on their career, or worse, the teams make the decision for them.

Here, we look at five players for whom the 2020 edition might be their last Indian T20 League season.

Chris Gayle

There's not much left to be said about the flamboyant personality that is Chris Gayle. One of the best examples of walking the talk, the 'Universe Boss' was once one of the most entertaining openers in the Indian T20 League, and as he showed in his comeback match in 2020, can still get it done. However, he is no longer at his prime (he turned 41 in September) and the interest in his services has waned, as evident during the auctions when just one team was going after him.

Shane Watson

It's been four years since Shane Watson stopped playing for Australia but his T20 career has been running on all cylinders. Having competed in all but one season of the Indian T20 League, he has been the most valuable players twice. However, his versatility took a hit when he switched to batting only, and a poor 2019 led many into predicting that 2020 would be his swan song. But Chennai have been known to stick it out with their players through thick and thin, so the call remains with Watson, we suppose.

Dale Steyn

The 'Steyn Gun' Dale Steyn is one of the most legendary pacers in the annals of cricket history and always give it both barrels every time he runs up to bowl. However, that has also seen him be prone to injury in recent years, including during the 2019 Indian T20 League season. With the postponed T20 World Cup 2021 looming next year, the South African might just decide to give the 2021 Indian T20 League season a miss in order to keep himself in ship-shape for the international competition.

Imran Tahir

Another South African bowler, Imran Tahir is cresting the fag end of his illustrious career. Despite his 42 years of age, the leg-spinner still sprights around without a care in the world every time he bags a wicket. He is also quite active in the international cricket scene. However, with age, form tends to slip away, and for the man we've yet to see play a game during the ongoing season, we might just have a longer wait still if he or the team decides it's time to call it a career at the end of this year.

MS Dhoni

2011 World Cup and three-time Indian T20 League-winning captain MS Dhoni has been almost as synonymous with the men in yellow as he is with the men in blue. However, with him calling time on his national duties this year, many feel the 2020 Indian T20 League season might be his last, with some in the know suggesting he could take over a management role at Chennai and guide the team's future ahead. Certainly, with the 2020 season shaping to be one to forget for the three-time champions, along with the disgusting threats toward Dhoni's young family by unhappy 'fans' of the squad, one would understand, whatever his decision.

Feature image courtesy: Twitter.com / Indian T20 League

With conditions in UAE rather alien, it can certainly be difficult to make the call on who to take in your team. Well, look no further, as we help you with five picks that are guaranteed to do well this season.

Player: Sunil Narine

Team: Kolkata

The West Indies all-rounder is a cheat code. Since he’s opened the batting for the Kolkata Knight Riders, Narine has scored over 500 runs in the last two seasons and picked up 27 wickets in just 28 matches. If he doesn’t get the opposition with the bat, he gets them with the ball. In the CPL, Narine played just five matches and scored 144 runs and picked up six wickets, further showcasing his ability to affect the game with both bat and ball. A no-brainer pick and a favourite to be your team’s captain.

Player: Glenn Maxwell

Team: Punjab

Punjab, the United Arab Emirates and Glenn Maxwell? It’s a throwback to 2014 when the Australian all-rounder smashed 300 runs in just five matches and eventually went on to pick the MVP award. The 31-year-old is coming into the tournament on the back of a good series against England, where he scored 187 runs in three matches, which includes a match and series-winning ton in the final ODI. Maxwell has already showcased that his game is well-suited to the conditions in the UAE and with the entire season scheduled to be conducted in the gulf country, the Australian could prove to be an excellent pick for your fantasy squad.

Player: Imran Tahir

Team: Chennai 

The South African spinner continues to age like a fine wine. Tahir picked up, a mind-boggling 26 wickets last season at a good economy rate of 7.88. In his most recent endeavour in the Caribbean Premier League, Tahir finished with 15 wickets in 11 matches at a ridiculous economy rate of 5.82.

With pitches in the UAE excepted to be conducive to spin, expect Tahir to have another big season in yellow for the Chennai.

Player: Yuzvendra Chahal

Team: Bangalore

Speaking of spinners, few in the game are as good as Yuzvendra Chahal in T20s. His knack of challenging the batsman to go after him by relentlessly throwing looped deliveries has yielded 30 wickets in the last two Indian T20 League campaigns. Despite playing half of his matches the Chinnaswamy Stadium, which is rather infamous for its short boundaries and high-scoring matches, Chahal has managed to keep his economy under eight in the past three seasons, showcasing that he’s not only capable of picking wickets but is also street-smart and can curb the scoring rate.

A great pick for your fantasy team.

Player: KL Rahul

Team: Punjab

It’s hard to argue a case against KL Rahul being the best Indian batsman in the Indian T20 League since 2018 because there simply isn’t one. The newly-appointed Punjab skipper has scored 1,252 runs at an incredible strike rate of 146.60 and a scarcely believable average of 56.90. Since leaving Bangalore and batting at his preferred position at the top of the order, Rahul has blossomed into one of the nation’s finest batsmen in limited-overs cricket and the responsibility of captaincy will only help him grow as a player and lead by example on the field.

If there is one batsman that is must-have, it’s KL Rahul.

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Punit Paranjpe

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