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The much-awaited Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 season is just upon us. In just a few hours from now, the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) will host the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the tournament-opener at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Friday, March 22.
All the 10 IPL franchises bolstered their squads at the IPL 2024 mini-auction, getting a combined total of 72 players at an overall cost of ₹230.45 crore. Mitchell Starc was the costliest buy, getting a record fee of ₹24.75 crore from the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).
How does the middle and lower-order batting attacks of all ten teams stack up ahead of IPL 2024?
The role of a middle-order or a lower-order batter is quite challenging, especially in T20 cricket. More often than note, those batters only get a few overs to make a mark and have to get into their groove quickly in order to put a strong finish to the innings.
IPL 2024 will see a host of great batters and all-rounders, who will don the finishing role for their respective franchises.
On that very note, let's rank all the ten IPL 2024 teams based on the finishing power they possess.
#10 - Delhi Capitals (DC) - 7/10
The Delhi Capitals (DC) have a power-packed top-order, with David Warner and Prithvi Shaw sharing the opening duties, with Mitchell Marsh and Rishabh Pant in the middle order.
However, much like last season, DC lack a strong set of finishers. They released Rovman Powell ahead of the IPL 2024 auction but failed to sign any out-and-out finisher. They did rope in Tristan Stubbs, who should get some game time at the franchise and can come in before Axar Patel.
Patel, who was the best player for the franchise in IPL 2023, will once again be a vital cog for DC. It is important to note that DC are yet to name a replacement for Harry Brook, who opted out of the tournament earlier this month.
The Rishabh Pant-led side should consider calling up a lower-order batter in place of Brook. The likes of David Wiese, Michael Bracewell and James Neesham are still available in the market.
#9 Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) - 7.2/10
Much like DC, the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) boast a formidable top-order with Virat Kohli, Faf du Plessis, Rajat Patidar, Glenn Maxwell, and Cameron Green.
However, concerns remain about their ability to close out close matches, as witnessed last season when Dinesh Karthik's form dipped. Fans will be hoping for a strong showing from the veteran wicketkeeper in his final IPL year.
RCB's finishing woes might not be completely addressed by Karthik alone. Cameron Green, acquired from Mumbai Indians, might slot in at No. 5, potentially a position lower than his usual role. To bolster their lower-middle order, RCB might also consider Mahipal Lomror, Suyash Prabhudessai, or Mayank Dagar.
#8 Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) - 7.5/10
On paper, the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) boast a strong squad with the addition of big names like Travis Head and Wanindu Hasaranga, alongside their leader Pat Cummins.
However, SRH already have three certainties in Cummins, Aiden Markram, and Heinrich Klaasen, meaning that they can only those one from Head or Hasaranga.
SRH will likely start with Head, which would necessitate an Indian all-rounder batting lower in the order. Their finishing role will be donned by the hard-hitting dasher Abdul Samad, Washington Sundar and Shahbaz Ahmed.
However, much of the finishing firepower will rely on Heinrich Klaasen, known for his aggressive batting style. Given Klaasen's red-hot form in white-ball cricket, his wicket would be extremely crucial for SRH.
in form, he can single-handedly dismantle bowling attacks. Conversely, his early dismissal could expose the lower order to pressure.
#7 Punjab Kings (PBKS) - 7.5/10
The Punjab Kings (PBKS) docked their heavy investment on Shahrukh Khan and released him ahead of IPL 2024 auction. While they didn't sign up any like-for-like replacement for him, they still have a number of players who can finish the game for them.
Much will be dependent on Jitesh Sharma, who eyes a fruitful season ahead to strengthen his prospects of being a mainstay in the Indian team at the T20 World Cup later this year.
Jitesh Sharma is one of those rare Indian batters who can dish out those quick-fire cameos on regular basis. He will be supported by PBKS' costliest player in Sam Curran, who can also tonk the ball a long way.
In addition to this, the Kings possess depth with players like Liam Livingstone, Sikandar Raza, and Chris Woakes. While only one of these three will likely find a place in the starting XI, their presence significantly strengthens the PBKS' batting unit.
#6 Gujarat Titans (GT) - 8/10
The most successful franchise since their inception in 2022, the Gujarat Titans (GT) boast a well-rounded lower-order with a good mix of experience and power-hitting, making them a force to be reckoned with in the death overs.
While skipper Shubman Gill will be up top, it will be David Miller who will spearhead the GT batting in the later part of the innings. His plethora of experience will be a huge advantage to GT, who also have Rahul Tewatia.
Tewatia has already won a couple of games on the back of his blistering cameos for GT in the last two seasons. The 2022 IPL champions splashed out ₹7.40 crore to acquire the services of Shahrukh Khan, who is renowned for his big-hitting prowess.
At last, GT also have another X-factor player in Rashid Khan, who has significantly improved his hitting game in recent times. The Titans have gelled extremely well so far, and their fans will be rooting for the same in IPL 2024 as well.
#5 Chennai Super Kings (CSK) - 8.2/10
A recent change in the captaincy means that MS Dhoni will play as a proper finisher for CSK, where he has excelled in the role with great competence since the league's inception in 2008.
Last year, he delayed his entry point in almost every match. This was largely due to the niggle he carried throughout the season but still managed to strike at a rate of 182.46, the best by an Indian in IPL 2023.
At 42 years of age, it still remains to see how Dhoni will fare in the upcoming season. He will have his long term partner in Ravindra Jadeja, who is himself an IPL legend but has a career strike rate of 128.62 in the league.
Depending on the wickets in hand, the likes of Shivam Dube and Daryl Mitchell would also be adding impetus for CSK. Dube had a remarkable IPL 2023, where he built his reputation as a dangerous six-hitter, smashing 35 maximums in 14 innings.
#4 Rajasthan Royals (RR) - 8.2/10
Rajasthan Royals (RR) unearthed a star in the making by giving opportunities to Dhruv Jurel, who enjoyed a superb campaign last season. Playing mostly as an impact sub, he made 152 runs at a strike rate of 172.73. He remained not out in four of the 11 times he batted.
With a fiery top-order that includes Yashasvi Jaiswal, Jos Buttler and Sanju Samson, RR now have a great middle and lower-order attack. However, they would need Shimron Hetmyer to fire on all cylinders.
They did themselves a huge favor by signing up Rovman Powell at the auction. Powell, who is the West Indian skipper in T20Is, has been on a roll in the recent past. Since 2022, the Jamaican has hit 422 runs at an impressive strike rate of 172.2.
Moreover, Riyan Parag would be rearing to showcase what he has got. IPL 2024 would be his golden opportunity to shine as well given how lethal he was during the recent months in domestic season. Parag had a breathtaking SMAT 2023, where he ended up as the highest run-getter with 510 runs at an astronomical average and strike rate of 85.00 and 182.20 respectively.
#3 Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) - 8.5/10
The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) boast a formidable duo in Andre Russell and Rinku Singh when it comes to finishing matches in IPL 2024.
Russell is a well-established force in T20 cricket due to his six-hitting prowess. His ability to clear the ropes with ease and score boundaries at will in the death overs makes him a nightmare for opposition bowlers.
Russell has scored 2,262 IPL runs at an outstanding strike rate of 174.00, which is the best in the history of the tournament.
Rinku Singh, on the other hand, has emerged as a breakout star for KKR. He has impressed everyone with his calmness under pressure and his ability to find the boundary consistently in the later stages of the innings. Unlike Russell's brute force, Rinku relies on his clean hitting and smart batting to accumulate crucial runs.
Apart from this, KKR are likely to play Ramandeep Singh lower down the order. Ramandeep, who was previously part of the MI setup, is an exciting batter, who can hit the ball long way and has a career strike rate of 155.50 in T20s.
#2 Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) - 8.7/10
The Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) are touted to be the dark horses in the upcoming edition, given they have most of their bases covered. Similar to CSK, they have also included numerous multi-dimensional players on their roster, lengthening their batting line-up brilliantly.
As reports suggest, KL Rahul is likely to bat in the middle order, which might delay Nicholas Pooran's entry point. An out-and-out match-winner, the Caribbean southpaw is one of the most threatening white-ball players around the globe and will be a vital cog for LSG.
Across two seasons now, Pooran has a struck at a rate of 172.95 for LSG, which is his best for any franchise (minimum 150 runs scored). He is likely to have two or three more partners in Marcus Stoinis, Ayush Badoni and Krunal Pandya.
All three of them have a defined role in the franchise and will provide the fireworks in the death overs of the innings. With this combination of power, experience, and calculated aggression, LSG have a strong chance of putting up big totals and chasing down even the stiffest targets in IPL 2024.
#1 Mumbai Indians (MI) - 9/10
Arguably the best batting line-up among all ten franchises, the Mumbai Indians (MI) will see a return of Hardik Pandya, who will lead the franchise for the very first time.
Pandya's explosive batting in the death overs has been a hallmark of MI's victories in the past, and his return to form with both bat and ball would be a huge boost for the team.
But Pandya isn't alone. MI boasts a well-rounded batting line-up that arguably makes it the strongest finisher group in the league. Tim David, the big-hitting Australian, has a reputation for taking bowlers apart in the later stages of an innings.
His ability to clear the ropes consistently makes him a nightmare for bowlers, especially at Mumbai's home ground, Wankhede Stadium, known for its short boundaries.
Adding another dimension is the young Indian prospect, Nehal Wadhera. While relatively inexperienced, Wadhera has impressed with his clean hitting and ability to play unorthodox shots under pressure last season.
Furthermore, the presence of Mohammad Nabi, the experienced Afghan all-rounder, provides even more depth to the finishing order. While his primary role might be as a bowling all-rounder, Nabi's experience in international T20 leagues makes him a handy finisher with a knack for finding boundaries when needed.
