IPL 2019: Three teams that could be in contention for Luke Ronchi

IPL 2019 auction is just around the corner and the front-offices of all the teams are getting themselves ready to get some players into the squad who can fortify their chances of winning the title. The player auction is scheduled to be held on 18 December 2018 at Jaipur.

Some really good players who have set the stage on fire in T20 leagues all around the world are expected to be available at this year's auction, along with players who went unsold in the last year's auction.

This is a golden opportunity for franchises to get better and the teams will be really looking forward to this event. Luke Ronchi is a wicketkeeper-batsman and led the Islamabad United to PSL 3 title earlier this year. He was also named the Player of the Series for his consistent performances throughout the tournament. In this article, let us take a look at three teams that could be in contention for Ronchi.

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#3 Delhi Daredevils

Delhi Daredevils

Let us be honest. With Rishabh Pant on the team, Ronchi might not get to feature in the playing XI. However, it is to be noted that most of the teams in the IPL already have set wicketkeepers and backups who are performing consistently.

Although Pant is their go-to wicketkeeper-batsman, they can still use Ronchi's hard-hitting abilities as a batsman and get him some room. Considering the fact that the Daredevils' batting line-up is filled with inexperienced players, it makes sense for Delhi to go at Ronchi and bolster their lineup.

Ronchi is known for his ability to play the finisher role to perfection and that is exactly the role that is open in Daredevils team. They are in serious need of a hard-hitting finisher who can lift the team to a huge total in the death overs. It will be interesting to see if Daredevils' front-office shows interest in him at the auction.

#2 Royal Challengers Bangalore

Royal Challengers Bangalore

Royal Challengers Bangalore definitely have a requirement for wicketkeeper-batsman after trading Quinton De Kock to the Mumbai Indians in the trade window. De Kock played in 8 matches last season and scored just 53 runs and did not perform up to the expectations of the RCB management.

With De Kock gone, the team has only one wicket-keeper in Parthiv Patel, who is an 11-year IPL veteran. Last season, he featured in 6 matches and scored 153 runs at a strike rate of 140.36 and gave some solid starts at the top of the order.

He looked really good in the few matches that he was part of and made use of the opportunities. However, the team will be definitely looking to add another wicket-keeper to the scheme of things and there is no one better than Luke Ronchi who can help this team immensely.

Ronchi has the ability to open the innings and also play as a middle-order batsman which he did for the most part of his international career. Although he went unsold last year, due to his recent performance in Pakistan Super League where he carried the Islamabad United to the title, he will definitely attract the franchises at the auction this year.

#1 Sunrisers Hyderabad

Sunrisers Hyderabad

Although a player like Luke Ronchi can be a huge boost to any team in need of an aggressive wicketkeeper-batsman, no one would benefit as much as Sunrisers Hyderabad would if they could get him a place in the squad.

In the last season, the two wicket-keepers Sreevats Goswami and Wriddhiman Saha failed to perform and were a huge disappointment. The two combined for a paltry 174 runs in as much as 17 innings and could never get it going.

In the 2018 Pakistan Super League, Ronchi amassed 435 runs in 11 innings at an eye-catching strike rate of 182.00. This includes 5 half-centuries and he was subsequently awarded the Man of the Series award for his heroics throughout the tournament that helped the Islamabad United team win the tournament.

Ronchi has all the credentials and is a very experienced cricketer who can change the course of the game single-handedly with his aggressive mindset. Not having a reliable wicketkeeper-batsman has hurt the Sunrisers last year and they are expected to throw in their hat for Ronchi at the auction in December.