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The 16th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is just around the corner and fans all over India and the rest of the world are eagerly awaiting the tournament, which features some of the best players in the world.
The players themselves will be looking to bring their A-game to the fore because of the exposure that performing in a big tournament like the IPL brings.
However, for some players, this season will be one which could define their future in the tournament. A good showing in the season will come as a huge boost, while the opposite could spell trouble. Here, we look at three players for whom IPL 2023 will be a make-or-break season:
#1 Manish Pandey
Since his remarkable breakthrough, Manish Pandey hasn't been able to realize his potential as a batter, which is reflected in his Indian Premier League record as well. Pandey has played 30 games over the past three seasons, scoring 805 runs at an underwhelming strike-rate of 124.03.
2022 was a particularly tough year for him as he only featured in six games, scoring 88 runs at a strike-rate of 110.
Pandey will represent the Delhi Capitals this year, who need him to fire in the absence of Rishabh Pant. He was bought for a huge amount of 2.4 crores, which highlights the Capitals' desperation for an experienced Indian batter. However, a poor showing this season will further dent his profile and could be the final straw for IPL franchises.
#2 Ajinkya Rahane
Ajinkya Rahane's career has been on a downward spiral lately as he has lost his place in the Indian Test side and was also omitted from the BCCI's annual contract list. His stock as a T20 player has also fallen quite drastically. This year, he will represent the Chennai Super Kings, who bought him for his base price of 50 Lakhs at the mini-auction in December.
Rahane's numbers in the IPL have been quite underwhelming of late. Since 2020, he has only played 18 games in which he has scored 254 runs at a poor strike-rate of 104.52. A good showing in IPL 2023 is essential for Rahane to expect future opportunities in the tournament.
#3 Jaydev Unadkat
While his record in domestic cricket is sensational, Jaydev Unadkat hasn't been able to replicate the same form in the cash-rich IPL. Since 2018, he has featured in 44 games in the IPL and has managed to pick up only 35 wickets, that too at an extremely high economy rate.
Unadkat's best economy rate in the last five seasons was in 2021 when he gave away 7.63 runs per over. However, he played only six games that year and his economy rate was over 9.50 in the other four seasons.
The 31-year-old was picked by Lucknow Supergiants at the mini-auction for just 50 Lakhs, which highlights his downfall in the IPL. It is imperative that he performs well this year as there might not be too many opportunities in the future.
