Rachin Ravindra (Chennai Super Kings):
Rachin Ravindra had amassed more runs in an ODI World Cup than any batter from New Zealand has ever scored, but he wasn’t a lock to start in the Chennai Super Kings’ XI or XII (allowing for the Impact Player) when he was bought in December of last year for INR 1.8 million (about USD 217,000). Although he hasn’t done much in T20 cricket, Devon Conway’s thumb injury, which will keep him out until May, has allowed Ravindra to take his place at the top of the order. Along with Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ravindra isn’t a powerful hitter like his Wellington and New Zealand teammate Conway, but he can be a deft disruptor at the top. The 24-year-old’s ability to bowl rather fast left-arm fingerspin provides CSK’s bowling assault with more padding, particularly if Chennai’s grounds stay spin-friendly.
Sameer Rizvi (Chennai Super Kings):
Normally, CSK doesn’t spend a lot of money on uncapped players, but because of Sameer Rizvi’s dominance with the spin game, they offered INR 8.40 crore (about $1 million) for him during the auction. In a Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 match played in Dehradun on a sluggish field, Rizvi nearly single-handedly sent Uttar Pradesh to victory, scoring an undefeated 75 off 46 balls against a potent spin attack from Tamil Nadu, which included Varun Chakravarthy, R Sai Kishore, and Washington Sundar.
Gerald Coetzee (Mumbai Indians):
Gerald Coetzee, a South African, was once a replacement player for the Rajasthan Royals. This season, he and Tim David may be Mumbai’s first-choice foreign players. Coetzee, an all-around fast who can reach speeds of up to 150 kph, made his debut at the 2023 ODI World Cup by taking 20 wickets at a strike rate of 19.05.
However, Coetzee’s versatility extends beyond his raw speed; he also possesses some clever modifications. Jos Buttler can tell you all about his leg cutter. Coetzee is an especially explosive bundle since he can also take a solid swing at the order. During the 2023 SA20, Coetzee was even given a pinch-hitting opening batsman opportunity by the Johannesburg Super Kings in a knockout game. However, Coetzee’s injury kept him out of the 2024 SA20 season, and he’ll be hoping to recover for the IPL.
Nuwan Thushara (Mumbai Indians):
Over the years, it has been commonplace to witness Lasith Malinga outwitting batters with his sling movement in the IPL. It’s time for another slinger from Sri Lanka to turn heads in Mumbai’s blue and gold. The 29-year-old Nuwan Thushara has experience in the PSL and LPL but has never participated in the IPL. He spent time at MI Cape Town during the most recent SA20, which helped him ease his way into the Mumbai lineup. Malinga, the original slinger, will be in his dugout.
In international cricket, Thushara made waves by taking five wickets against Bangladesh in Sylhet earlier this month, including a hat-trick. Kusal Mendis, the captain of Sri Lanka, was reminded of Malinga (who else?). The match between Thushara and Matheesha Pathirana, a fellow slinger from Sri Lanka, may intensify the rivalry between Mumbai and CSK.
Azmatullah Omarzai (Gujarat Titans):
The Gujarat Titans will not have Hardik Pandya? Presenting Azmatullah Omarzai, the Hardik Pandya of Afghanistan. The 23-year-old Omarzai is able to stroke the new ball on the powerplay and float in the batting lineup. During the ODI World Cup, Sachin Tendulkar’s wrist position and swing bowling so impressed him that he was reminded of players like Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Praveen Kumar. Omarzai trapped Josh Inglis with an outswinger ball after dismissing David Warner with an inswinger, but Glenn Maxwell stopped the hat-trick and performed a miracle for Australia at the Wankhede.
Kumar Kushagra (Delhi Capitals):
At the December auction, CSK, Delhi Capitals, and Titans engaged in a heated bidding war for Jharkhand’s hard-hitting wicketkeeper Kumar Kushagra. In the end, the Capitals won the deal for INR 7.20 crore, or around USD 867,500. Though Parth Jindal, the co-owner of the Capitals, had previously hinted that Pant will play as a batter for the first half of the season, Rishabh Pant has been approved by the BCCI medical team to begin IPL 2024 as a wicketkeeper-batter. Then Kushagra, who is 19 years old, might play goalie.
Sourav Ganguly, the director of cricket for the Capitals, was pleased by Kushagra during the 50-over Deodhar Trophy last year and also during the trials. Later, he destroyed Maharashtra’s 355 in Jaipur by hitting 67 off 37 balls at No. 6 in the 50-over Vijay Hazare Trophy. He played for India A against the England Lions in preparation for a possible IPL debut.
