With IPL being such a rigid format to plant a team’s best ever playing XI onto the park, often we have seen teams struggling to fetch out a right winning combination for them. Because of the selection policy being compact, even the best of them have warmed benches in this cricket’s biggest extravaganza. Teams like RCB or RR who mainly depend on their flashy stars have wrestled the most to get their ideal winning combination right.

Also in the IPL 2020, where the quality of cricket amongst the teams wasn’t the greatest, almost every team except MI with few wins here and there could have transpired into the top four. In totality, the previous edition hardly saw any gap or difference between the teams in terms of separating them from their bleak show and that’s the reason why entering into playoffs had become a close-fought round.

However, now with another IPL happening, this time the franchises would be surely aiming to explore enough so that they do start soaring early into the competition. For that, they might test some players who were mainly benched in the 2020 edition. Hence, taking a look at-

Team-wise one benched player in IPL 2020 who should get a chance in IPL 2021

1. Chris Lynn – MI

By carrying the reputation of being one of the most effervescent batsmen inside the global T20 circuit, Chris Lynn is yet to don the jersey of blue and gold. The Aussie right-hander was MI’s latest addition for the IPL 2020 but was mainly made to warm the benches because the franchise already had a stable opening combination of skipper Rohit Sharma and QDK. Therefore, Lynn was mostly anticipated to be in the reserves.

However, now with Pakistan’s tour of South Africa commencing days before the IPL, Quinton De Kock will be almost expected to miss the first half of the IPL. In the absence of De Kock, Chris Lynn, therefore, looks to be the viable replacement as the squad then doesn’t have to make any other changes in their playing XI.

As far as his recent form is concerned, then Lynn in his blistering form became the fourth highest scorer of the 2020-21 BBL. In his 13 matches, this stalwart scored a total of 458 runs including 5 fifties and 26 sixes. Along with a consistent average of around 35, his overall strike rate was found over 150. All in all, in the absence of De Kock at least, the MI fans will be highly anticipating Chris Lynn to continue with his rich BBL form and tower some ‘Lynnsane’ sixes in the IPL 2021.

2. Manan Vohra – RR

By getting fetched during the 2019 auctions by the RR camp at a base price of 20 Lakh, Manan Vohra is yet in due to play his first IPL match for them. Manan had first made his big mark in the IPL while representing KXIP and then was bought by RCB in 2018 for around 1 crore. But because of having a poor run in that 2018 IPL where he only scored 55 runs in his four games for RCB, the cricketer ever since then hasn’t played a single IPL game till today.

However, now with the RR camp already getting rid of Steve Smith and with skipper Samson mainly batting at no.3, there’s a possibility that the team might pair this right-handed batsman along with Jos Buttler. Although there’s also an option of once again trying the young Yashasvi Jaiswal but as Manan flaunted some red hot form in the 2021 Vijay Hazare Trophy, the management might get propelled to have him on top.

 With such a consistent run along with bearing the captaincy pressure for his home team, one can highly anticipate this cricketer to finally play his first IPL game in two years for RR.

3. Ishan Porel – PBKS

By being part of the squad that had lifted the U-19 World Cup back in 2018, this right-arm hit-the-deck fast bowler was fetched by KXIP in the 2020 auctions. As per the KXIP’s coach Anil Kumble, Ishan Porel was mainly grabbed as an insurance cover for their frontline pacer Mohammad Shami.

But with the Punjab pace bowling already having a mediocre year in the IPL 2020, the management would be thinking to explore their other reserves options as well. Someone like an Arshdeep Singh who probably had a reasonable 2020 season with his left-arm pace at some point might get dropped which then can eventually pave the way for this youngster from Bengal.

By replacing Arshdeep, both Ishan and Mohammad Shami by sharing the reputation of being genuine wicket-taking bowlers can form a lethal new-ball pair for PBKS. Hence at least in the few games, the Punjab side will be anticipating to try this rookie in the IPL 2021.

4. Imran Tahir – CSK

By being the purple cap holder in the 2019 edition, no one could have thought that in IPL 2020 Imran Tahir would have mainly warmed the benches at the CSK camp. The overseas leg-spinner was only made to feature in three IPL games in 2020 wherein he could only grab a single wicket. Because the Chennai camp was mainly relying on Shane Watson, Dwayne Bravo, Faf Du Plessis and Sam Curran as their four overseas players, Tahir’s wicket-taking ability was mainly sidelined.

In the 2019 season, the veteran had fetched a total of 26 wickets bowling with a remarkable economy of less than 7. Also not to forget that he has been a big name in the global T20 circuit carrying a realm of experience especially in this format. Now with CSK also already having a realm of all-rounders in their camp, Tahir’s wicket-taking services have to be brought back into the playing XI.

Another reason why this stalwart looks like an alluring option to start is because of the poor show which the other CSK bowlers had exhibited in their last edition. All in all, it will interesting to see what will be the tactics of captain Dhoni when it comes to utilizing this champion cricketer.

5. KKR – Karun Nair

While only being the second Indian ever to score a triple hundred in Test cricket, this Karnataka based cricketer has often being sidelined when it comes to the shortest format of the game. Till last year, the cricketer was highly anticipated to score runs for his KXIP team just like his other Bangalore boys (KL Rahul & Mayank Agarwal) but in reality, was then left out of the squad after few trials.

But with KKR grabbing him at a steal deal of 50 lakh, his proposition can once again be viewed as a top-order batsman for them. Since the veteran Sunil Narine already had a poor run with his bat at the top, there is a vacant position for a proposition to be getting paired with Shubhman Gill. Although someone like Rahul Tripathi will be highly anticipated to start in that position, but few low-key performances here and there might propel the KKR management to try Nair at the top.

In the recently concluded VHT, Karun Nair while captaining the Karnataka side has got those early starts but remained due to convert them into three digit score. Overall, with IPL being such a long tournament wherein the players might get rusty in between, one can clearly say that at some point the KKR camp might infuse Karun Nair in their playing XI.

6. Siddarth Kaul – SRH

Not long ago both Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Siddarth Kaul were the two main stallions of the well renowned SRH’s pace bowling. But with the uprise of T Natarajan along with Sandeep Sharma, this stalwart has somehow now lost his place from the playing XI. In the IPL 2020, the Punjab speedster was only seen playing a single game for the orange army. Even someone like Khaleel Ahmed was seen getting a preference over him.

But when it comes to his current bowling form, then the pacer bowled some lethal spells in the just concluded season of VHT.  Hence with his recent upsurge, Kaul has now made his mark for potentially starting again in the playing XI.

However, now with Bhuvneshwar Kumar available with his full fitness along with T Natarajan, the SRH will be facing a hustle to pick their third seam bowler. But with Siddarth Kaul already showing some invigorating form, the camp might get propelled to start with him.

7. Sachin Baby – RCB

Sachin Baby who had last played his IPL game in 2017 was once an integral member of the Virat Kohli led RCB in the 2016 edition. The Kerala based cricketer in that season played a total of 11 games and was averaging almost 24 with his bat. But since then hasn’t been in the reckoning as far as the IPL is concerned.

However now with yet again associating himself with the RCB camp, the left-handed batter now even has a very good chance to start in the playing XI as well. Since someone like Josh Philippe will be entirely unavailable now, Sachin Baby can be a potential option of an opener for RCB. Earlier, Josh Philippe was anticipated to open with D Padikkal but his place can now be grabbed by the Kerala boy.

To further make his case, the left-hander in the 6 VHT matches was in a scintillating form as he scored 198 runs. Overall, the RCB camp can explore with some other alluring options to try at the top but certainly, someone like a Sachin Baby can be seen as a part of the playing XI at some point in the upcoming IPL.

8. Umesh Yadav – DC

With the IPL not being the greatest of events where Umesh Yadav has been lethal with his pace bowling, the cricketer in the last season was convincingly dropped from the RCB’s playing XI. In his two IPL games, the speedster was actually getting hammered at an economy of more than 11. But for the 2021 season, there’s already an underlying opportunity available for him in the DC camp.

DC’s both overseas pacers Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje won’t be available because of their home tour against Pakistan. Hence with already having limited options to explore, there will be an interesting opportunity for Yadav to partner up with his India pacer Ishant Sharma. At least, in the first initial games, one can expect Yadav to be a certainty in the playing XI.

In terms of his recent form then Umesh Yadav hasn’t played much and looks like will be very fresh to take on the added strains of the IPL. All in all, despite having an obnoxious time in this format of the game, once again Umesh Yadav will be having a lot to prove while playing for his new franchise.