With just 10 days to go for the Vivo IPL 2021 to begin, a wave of excitement is in the air. Some of the world’s top players have left their respective countries to join the bio-secure bubble in India. Let’s take a look at where each team stands currently.
Chennai Super Kings:
The three-time IPL champions had a season to forget last year when they ended up seventh on the points table and failed to make the playoffs. They will be looking to come back strongly this year and having their squad back at full strength along with key veteran players could help their cause.
The Super Kings reported at Mumbai on the 26th of March and have begun their training sessions. The good news for all CSK fans is that Ravindra Jadeja and Suresh Raina have joined the team in Mumbai and are all set to create a major impact for the team this season. They are currently undergoing a 7-day quarantine period, post which they will be eligible to train with the team.
Among the overseas coaches and players, head coach Stephen Fleming, assistant coach Michael Hussey and South African batsman Faf Du Plessis have already joined the team. Fast bowler Lungi Ngidi will join the team post the 4th of April after completion of the second ODI against Pakistan.
Royal Challengers Bangalore:
The Royal Challengers Bangalore had a decent tournament in 2020 finishing fourth in the league, before losing to the Sunrisers Hyderabad in the eliminator. It was another disappointing end to a campaign where the hopes were too high to lift the coveted IPL title for the very first time in their history.
They will be back all guns blazing looking to make amends and try to lift the trophy this year. With the quality they have on their squad, it is difficult to think otherwise. RCB picked up Glenn Maxwell and Kyle Jamieson for astounding amounts of Rs.14.25 crores and Rs.15 crores respectively in the auction that took place earlier this year.
Captain Virat Kohli will join the squad on the 1st of April in Chennai, their training location.
Meanwhile, the pair of Yuzvendra Chahal and Mohammed Siraj, who flew to Chennai from Pune on Monday afternoon, would be available to train from the 6th of April. The IPL guidelines allow players travelling between bubbles to skip the quarantine and start training.
Former South African wicketkeeper batsman AB De Villiers reached Chennai over the last weekend.
Mumbai Indians:
Destructive all-rounders and brothers Hardik Pandya and Krunal Pandya along with star batsman Suryakumar Yadav shifted from Pune to Mumbai immediately after completion of the ODI series against England and joined the Mumbai Indians squad for training.
The Mumbai Indians have won the IPL a record 5 times, winning it most recently in the UAE last year. They will be looking to add to their impressive tally again this year.
