IPL 2019: The 'Impact Player' for each franchise

T20 cricket is about individuals and individual brilliance more than any other format of cricket. In no other format of cricket can one quick cameo or one fiery spell of bowling change the match the way it can in T20 cricket. With this in mind, the think tank of each IPL franchise aims to create a squad which consists of high-impact match-winners and utility players who can play around these match-winners.

These match-winners do not occupy one position or one role. They range from opening batsmen to late-order finishers and from searing pace bowlers to crafty mystery spinners. However, each of these players has one common trait: on their day, they can take completely carry their side to victory single-handedly. This article looks at one impact player from each franchise, who can, on any given day, turn the match on its head.

Royal Challengers Bangalore - Virat Kohli

Virat Kohli is the top predator among the batsmen in the world

Virat Kohli, who is almost undoubtedly the best batsman in the world, has enjoyed a lot of success in the IPL: he has played in three finals (including one as captain), scored 972 runs and four centuries in one IPL season, and he is currently the second highest run-getter in the history of the tournament. However, despite all this success, an IPL title has eluded the Indian captain, and he will certainly be looking to change that this season.

In the backdrop of the World Cup, the IPL may acquire lesser importance in the eyes of a few, but for Virat Kohli, this will be another opportunity to finally lead his side to victory. Given that the Royal Challengers Bangalore side was unable to find a settled opening pair last season, Kohli may decide to reprise his role as an opener and take charge of games the way he did in 2016.

Rajasthan Royals - Jos Buttler

Buttler was Royals' star performer last season

The Royals' star player from last season, Jos Buttler has enjoyed unarguably his finest year in international cricket since then. He finds himself back in the test squad as a regular and is as potent a force as ever in the limited overs game. Further, he has also become one of the leaders of English cricket and serves as the vice captain of the national side across all three formats of the game.

While, as usual, English players will not be available throughout the season, Buttler will certainly contribute significantly to the side while he is available, just as he did last year. He will be coming into the IPL on the back of some good form in T20 cricket. In his stint with the Sydney Thunder in the Big Bash League, Buttler enjoyed a decent outing, scoring 273 runs in 7 innings while opening the batting.

Sunrisers Hyderabad - Rashid Khan

Rashid Khan is coming off of yet another productive Big Bash stint

The Sunrisers Hyderabad's squad consists of many match-winners, among them David Warner, Kane Williamson, and Bhuvneshwar Kumar. However, over the past two years, Rashid Khan has transformed himself from a promising young leg-spinner to a global T20 phenomenon who is redefining the game. He is widely regarded by many as one of the best bowlers to have played the T20 games, if not the best. His style of bowling quicker at a flat trajectory, quicker through the air has proved to be extremely potent. This style gets the ball to skid off the pitch, and this keeps it out of the batsman's arc, resulting in Rashid coming out on top more often than not.

Rashid, who plays in virtually every T20 league around the world, is coming off of yet another productive Big Bash stint with the Adelaide Strikers. In 14 matches in the Big Bash, he took 19 wickets and a spectacular economy rate of 6.14. Further, his batting abilities have improved significantly over the past year and he can slot into any side as a bowling all-rounder and not just as a pure bowler.

Chennai Super Kings - Suresh Raina

In a squad as deep as Chennai Super Kings' which consists of multiple Indian and International stars, it is difficult to single out just one player who will be the 'impact player' for the franchise. However, purely on the basis of his consistency in the IPL, 'Mr. IPL', as he is called, makes the cut.

Raina, who is the highest run-getter in the history of the tournament, currently finds himself out of favour with the national team selectors; however, history has shown that regardless of Raina's form in any other format, he invariably performs in the IPL. Slotting in at the crucial number three position for the Chennai Super Kings, Raina contributes not only with his explosive batting but also with his remarkable fielding and occasional canny off-breaks. A stellar showing in the IPL could give him an outside chance to be included in India's World Cup squad, so he will be especially keen to perform well.

Mumbai Indians - Rohit Sharma

The past few editions of the IPL have not seen the best of Rohit Sharma for a variety of reasons, chief among those injury concerns and the innocuous decision to make the most destructive limited overs opener in the world bat in the middle-order. However, the past year in international cricket has been as good as any for Rohit Sharma and he will be looking to carry that momentum into the IPL.

Rohit has established himself as unarguably the finest white-ball opener and arguably the finest white-ball player in the world. With Virat Kohli often rested from the T20 internationals, the Mumbai Indians captain has become India's go-to man in the format, and since the 2015 World Cup, has struck 1587 runs in just 50 innings at an average of 33.76 and a mammoth strike rate of 144.40. Rohit, who is the highest run-getter in T20 internationals and has struck the most centuries (4) in the format, will hopefully open this season and showcase his T20 prowess in the IPL as well.

Kolkata Knight Riders - Dinesh Karthik

While Dinesh Karthik has just recently been dropped from India's ODI side, his stock as a T20 player continues to move up and up, and he will be crucial in the Kolkata Knight Riders' IPL campaign this year. Over the past year, Karthik has transformed himself into one of world cricket's finest finishers, particularly in the T20 format.

Since the start of 2018, in T20 internationals for India, Karthik has scored 219 runs in 12 innings at an average of 73.0 and a strike rate of 156.4, and has been dismissed only thrice in this period. These numbers are earth-shattering for a finisher and many have made comparisons of Karthik's newfound finishing ability to the finishing ability MS Dhoni possessed in his prime. The KKR captain, who is still said to be in the scheme of things for the World Cup later this year, will be extremely keen to make a mark in the IPL and further showcase his finishing abilities.

Delhi Capitals - Rishabh Pant

It is safe to say that Rishabh Pant, the blue-eyed boy of Indian cricket, has finally arrived on the global stage. After a stupendous show in IPL 2018 - where he ended up as the second highest run-getter in the tournament - Pant was called up to the Indian Test side. Since then, thanks in large part to destructive centuries in both England and Australia, he has established himself as the first-choice keeper in the side. Further, his incredibly destructive batting has led to him being in contention for a place in the Indian limited-overs side as a batsman.

While Pant is certainly in contention for a spot in India's squad in the World Cup, he is by no means a certainty in the side. He will be looking to replicate his exploits from last season to not only help the Delhi Capitals progress far in the tournament but also to help his chances of making the squad for the big tournament.

Kings XI Punjab - Mujeeb ur Rahman

Rahman's economy rate of 6.04 in the BBL was second to none

Much like his compatriot Rashid Khan, the teenage spin prodigy Mujeeb ur Rahman has established himself as one of the most sought-after players in T20 leagues around the world. Even though, unlike Rashid, he is a single-skilled player, he is extremely impactful and batsmen around the world struggle to read his bowling.

The young mystery spinner from Afghanistan impressed one and all his debut IPL season, and he will be looking to build on his good performances from last year. His most recent T20 stint, which was in the Big Bash with the Brisbane Heat, was also fairly successful. While his 12 scalps in 12 games did not set the world on fire, his economy rate of 6.04 was second to none. His economical style of bowling gives the team a great degree of freedom to employ him in different parts of the innings, and he could be used as a lethal weapon at the death, just as he occasionally was last season.

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