IPL 2021: Dry run in the desert ahead of the T20 World Cup | Cricket News – Times of India

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A two-phase Indian Premier League (IPL) was the dream of some top Indian administrators who ruled world cricket over the last decade. That dream is coming true with the second phase of the 14th edition starting with the Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians match in Dubai on Sunday, but the circumstances that led up to it have not been ideal.
The first phase was called off in early May after the second wave of Covid struck and BCCI had to use all its resources to convince boards to send their players for the remainder of the tournament.
Still, some key players across franchises like Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler (Rajasthan Royals), Johnny Bairstow (Sunrisers Hyderabad) and Pat Cummins (Kolkata Knight Riders) have pulled out citing personal reasons, bubble fatigue being one of the key issues.

Bubble life is exhausting and these players, Stokes apart, probably have the T20 World Cup in mind, which is going to start in the United Arab Emirates right after IPL. But for many others, this IPL is a brilliant practice tournament for the T20 World Cup which follows.
The top Indian players have come straight from England and most of them may well have forgotten the last time they played on slow tracks against good spinners.
The IPL will allow the likes of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and the others to get used to the pace and bounce of tired UAE tracks, where run-scoring isn’t always as easy as it is at the Wankhede or Chinnaswamy.

While the batsmen and the spinners should enjoy this opportunity and make the most of it leading up to the T20 World Cup, it’s the fast bowlers who will feel the heat.
Mumbai Indians are currently fourth on the table and it is a given that Jasprit Bumrah, who had a long English summer, will have to turn up day in and day out for his franchise if they are to harbour hopes of a third consecutive title run.
It’s the same for Mumbai’s Trent Boult or Punjab Kings’ Mohammed Shami, who will have to give their heart and soul and still maintain their fitness for the big event.

However, for one player who will be in action on Sunday, Hardik Pandya, the IPL will be a big test.
Hardik’s bowling fitness has been under the scanner for a while now and he didn’t bowl at all in the first phase in April. The Mumbai Indians man still has got the nod ahead of an in-form Shardul Thakur of CSK because he has informed the selectors and the team management that he is fit to bowl at least four overs every game.
During the course of the next one month, we will know whether the all-rounder is actually up for it.

Like with Hardik, for the Indian spinners selected for the T20 World Cup — Rahul Chahar, R Ashwin, Varun Chakravarthy and Axar Patel — the IPL will be a chance to test where they actually stand. However, the likes of Shardul and Shikhar Dhawan will look to prove a different point.
They have been overlooked for the showpiece event and both would like to show the selectors that it wasn’t the right call. And then, with the Covid threat looming round the corner, a few good performances can suddenly throw up chances for the fringe boys.

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