IPL 2021: Will Dawid Malan Be Part of Punjab Kings Playing XI Against Rajasthan Royals?
PBKS bought as many as nine players in this year’s auctions with one of them being Dawid Malan, the top-ranked T20I batsman. The England dasher has shown unbelievable consistency in the shortest international format ever since making his debut in 2017. Malan doesn’t tend to throw his wicket away easily and the scoring rate is also impressive.
With a change in name, Punjab Kings (PBKS) will look to change their fortunes in VIVO Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 and lift the elusive title. Formerly known as Punjab Kings, the side had a rollercoaster campaign last season. After losing six of their first seven games, KL Rahul’s men unleashed their A-game and won five games on the trot. However, the sensational resurgence wasn’t enough to earn the Punjab-based team a place in the playoffs. Nevertheless, a revamped Punjab Kings would have learnt from their mistakes and the remaining teams should beware of KL Rahul’s troop. PBKS kick-start their IPL 2021 campaign against Sanju Samson on April 12 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai and picking a potent playing XI would be their first challenge. RR vs PBKS Preview: Likely Playing XIs, Key Battles, Head to Head and Other Things You Need to Know About VIVO IPL 2021 Match 4.
PBKS bought as many as nine players in this year’s auctions with one of them being Dawid Malan, the top-ranked T20I batsman. The England dasher has shown unbelievable consistency in the shortest international format ever since making his debut in 2017. Malan doesn’t tend to throw his wicket away easily and the scoring rate is also impressive. The 33-year-old, in fact, is the fastest player to complete 1000 T20I runs, achieving the feat in 24 games. Moreover, his average touches over 50 and his strike rate is also in excess of 140. PBKS got a player of such prowess for just INR 1.5 crore, an absolute steal as many would say. However, will Malan get an immediate place in PBKS playing XI? RR vs PBKS IPL 2021 Dream11 Team Selection: Recommended Players As Captain and Vice-Captain, Probable Lineup To Pick Your Fantasy XI.
Will Dawid Malan Be Part of PBKS’ First-Choice Line-Up
Punjab openers KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal did an exceptional job last season which meant a T20 legend like Chris Gayle warmed the benches in the initial half of the tournament. The Caribbean star was eventually included in the line-up later but was asked to bat at number three. Gayle, who opened innings in the majority of his career, stunned one and all with his magnificent performances in the new role. At number four, Gayle’s fellow West Indies teammate Nicholas Pooran did an exceptional job and also scored the fastest half-century of the season.
Hence, PBKS aren’t likely to tinker a settled batting order to get Malan in the scheme of things. Moreover, Malan, an English player, would occupy one of the four foreign player’s slots in the line-up and this could be another reason why Punjab won’t prefer the southpaw in their first-choice playing XI. While Gayle and Pooran are sure starters, PBKS have to include Australia’s Moises Henriques due to lack of options in the all-rounder’s department. The remaining slot would be occupied by either Jhye Richardson or his fellow Australian pacer Riley Meredith.
Although Malan might not be included straightaway, he would keep the likes of Gayle and Pooran on their toes. Also, the pressure would be on Rahul’s opening partner Mayank Agarwal with the England star being a proven start in the top order.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 12, 2021 05:00 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).