IPL 2017: Top 10 bowlers to watch out for in the 10th edition
The 2017 Indian Premier League will have top bowlers from across the world aiming to stop the marauding batsmen. From Lasith Malinga to Mustafizur Rahman, from Ravindra Jadeja to Amit Mishra the stage is set for an intense contest between the bat and the ball.
The Indian Premier League (IPL) is not only about the batsmen. Against the terrific willow-wielders, the bowlers have quite often held their own to return with prized scalps.
A look at the top 10 bowlers who can take the IPL 2017 with storm.
Lasith Malinga - Mumbai Indians
Batsmen must arrange for some extra padding for their toes as Lasith Malinga is back in action. The Sri Lankan slinger is one of the most sought-after pacers in IPL. The 33-year-old, known for his toe-crushing yorkers, missed the last edition of the IPL due to a knee injury but is all set to spearhead the Mumbai Indians attack once again. Malinga, whose variations of pace helps him dry up runs in death overs, is just two matches away from completing 100 IPL games and needs seven more victims to cross 150 wickets — by far the most by any bowler in the T20 league. After missing almost a year of international cricket, Malinga returned to the Sri Lankan squad for the three T20Is against Australia last month, claiming two wickets in each of the games.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar - Sunrisers Hyderabad
The Sunrisers Hyderabad medium pacer was the top wicket-taking bowler in the 2016 edition. He turned out to be a death-over specialst as SRH went on to become the 2016 champions. He has been out of Indian cricket team playing XI for quite sometime and would hope to look at the IPL as a tournament that will seal his place in India’s playing XI.
Ravindra Jadeja - Gujarat Lions
Currently the top bowler in the ICC Test rankings, Gujarat Lions will expect the Saurashtra stalwart to make the most of home conditions in Rajkot, the team’s base, as they look to better their performance of 2016 when they had reached the playoffs. The left-arm spinner will be the go-to man for skipper Suresh Raina though he didn’t have a great season last year, claiming just eight wickets in 15 matches. Jadeja has done superbly for India since then and would be looking forward to making up for his limited success last year.
Amit Mishra - Delhi Daredevils
He may not be a regular in Team India but the leg-spinner is clearly a huge hit in the IPL. The first player to take three hat-tricks in IPL, he is the second highest wicket-taker in the T20 tournament with 124 wickets in 112 matches. An orthodox leg-spinner who uses flight, turn and change in pace to fox batsmen, Mishra can not only perform the containing role but has also been successful in taking wickets at regular intervals. Delhi Daredevils will have high hopes from this seasoned spinner in this IPL.
Ashish Nehra - Sunrisers Hyderabad
The veteran India pacer was almost forgotten but he got a second wind in the 2015 IPL, claiming 22 wickets in 16 matches with Chennai Super Kings to finish fourth on the wicket-takers’ list. That helped the Delhi and former India pacer to force his way back into the India T20 team, helping the hosts reach the semifinal of the ICC World T20 last year. This IPL remains crucial for the 37-year-old Nehra, who will be hoping to help Sunrisers Hyderabad defend their title. A good run in this edition could also put him in contention for the Champions Trophy in England in June.
Mustafizur Rahman - Sunrisers Hyderabad
Bangladesh’s most talented pacer in recent times, the 22-year-old left-arm seamer lived up to expectations in his IPL debut season when he finished with 17 wickets in 16 matches for Sunrisers Hyderabad. His ability to swing the ball at good pace and a deceptive cutter makes Mustafizur a lethal weapon for SRH. Having returned from shoulder injury recently, Mustafizur did well for Bangladesh in the recent Test series against Sri Lanka, troubling batsmen with his pace and reverse swing.
Dwayne Bravo - Gujarat Lions
The West Indian all-rounder is a valuable asset to any team and Gujarat Lions would be quite happy to have him in their ranks. Bravo is a good death overs bowler who keeps his calm in pressure situations. Very rarely has Bravo disappointed his captains whenever the ball is tossed to him in difficult situations. That is perhaps the reason why Bravo is in high demand in T20 leagues around the world. In the IPL, Bravo is the third most successful bowler with 122 wickets in 106 matches. He will be a vital cog in the Gujarat Lions’ attack.
Kagiso Rabada - Delhi Daredevils
The young pacer from South Africa will be keenly followed in his debut IPL season. Rabada, who can consistently touch speeds of 150kmph, has impressed in all the three formats of the game for South Africa, swinging the ball both ways. While he can torment batsmen with the new ball, Rabada is equally lethal in the death overs. No wonder Delhi Daredevils did not think twice before shelling out Rs 5 crore in the player auction to acquire the South African. More than pace, Rabada will have to depend on variations on the flat Indian wickets and the South African has enough of those to trouble the batsmen.
Tymal Mills - Royal Challengers Bangalore
After Australian pace ace Mitchell Starc pulled out of the IPL on the eve of the auctions, Royal Challengers Bangalore were keen to find a suitable candidate to fill his shoes. They went all out to acquire England’s Tymal Mills, who has impressed with his express pace in the three T20Is against India earlier this year. For someone who has played only four T20 internationals so far, the left-arm pacer is an exciting prospect to watch out for and will be keen to justify the Rs 12 crore splurged on him by RCB.
Mohammed Shami - Delhi Daredevils
One of India’s top pacers, the 27-year-old has not yet been able to set the IPL stage on fire. In 31 matches, Shami has claimed only 18 wickets at an economy rate of 8.85. His IPL stints have been marred by fitness concerns — he missed the 2015 edition due to an injury and played just five matches in the last edition. However, Shami seems to have recovered from those setbacks and has made it back to team India. If all goes well for him, Shami’s accuracy and ability to seam the ball can prove to be a lethal weapon in Delhi Daredevils’ armour.