IPL 2018: Anil Kumble makes bold prediction, explains which teams hold upper hand

Legendary Indian leg-spinner and India’s head coach between June 2016 and 2017, Anil Kumble, has predicted a new winner this IPL 2018, which gets under way with three-time champions Mumbai Indians taking on comeback team and twice winners Chennai Super Kings at the Wankhede Stadium on Saturday evening.

“It is about time RCB won the title. I know 10 years is too long (a wait for the title),” said Kumble, who was captain of the Bengaluru franchise that finished as runners-up to Deccan Chargers in the second edition of IPL in South Africa in 2009.

“Possible,” Kumble said when DNA asked if we could see a new winner this IPL. “It is very difficult to predict in a T20 game. All the eight teams are equally balanced. If you look at the winning teams in the past, generally, other than the 15 players, you end up using 15 players (consistently) by the end of the tournament. If teams can do that and get off to a good start that will be a challenge. Obviously, momentum will be the key.

“All teams would want to win their home games, which most teams have dominated at home. That is something you would like to do. Eight games is what you want to win to get on to the top (four). Once you do that, it is anybody’s game. Teams that have won in the past, like Mumbai Indians, Chennai Super Kings, Kolkata Knight Riders, they all have the advantage of being there and done that. That’s an advantage for them. Having said that, all eight teams have equal chances. We could see a new winner.”

Kumble was speaking along with former international stars Damien Fleming and Brad Hogg of Australia and New Zealander Scott Styris at IPL’s official broadcaster Star Sports’ launch of ‘Star Sport Select: The Dugout’, a hyper-personalised curated offering for the fans this IPL.

“Till the last game, till the last four playing the playoffs, there will be interest. You have seen last year, till the last game we did not know who the top four would be. That is the kind of challenge happening in the current T20 set up. Till the last ball, till the last match, you don’t know which the four qualifiers are. We could possibly do that in the first three or four IPL. Over the last few years, the matches have been really close. That is what we will see this IPL as well,” the 47-year-old with the third highest number of Test wickets – 619, said.

Kumble, who has also been Mumbai Indians’ mentor in the past, welcomed Rajasthan Royals and Chennai Super Kings back into the league after serving two-year’ suspension for their involvement in match-fixing. “It is always good to welcome back Rajasthan Royals and Chennai Super Kings in the mix of eight. The fan following of these two teams will increase and make sure IPL is a huge success,” Kumble said.

Kumble also picked his top four teams he foresaw at the end of the league stage – MI, CSK, RCB and Delhi Daredevils. “I know Delhi Daredevils have not had a good run in the last 10 years IPL but they have put together a good team and I am sure they will be in the top four. With the team that CSK have picked, the seven games in Chennai will be crucial. Mumbai have always done well at Wankhede. MI and CSK have gone on to dominate in the IPL in the past. RCB certainly has the opportunity to go on to win the cup,” he explained.

The ace leg-spinner also gave Ravichandran Ashwin-led Kings XI Punjab an outside chance.

Former New Zealand all-rounder Styris said that the injuries caused to leading foreign players in the tournament, like Mitchell Starc and Kagiso Rabada would have an effect in their respective sides but “not as much as an Indian player missing out due to injury”.

The 42-year-old Styris said: “You are talking about (injuries to) some of the world's best players. That's part of the strategy that you would have hoped teams would have when the auction is being held. You are not going to use the same 11 players throughout a tournament. You have got to have backups and reserves. Someone like (Kagiso) Rabada missing gives someone like Trent Boult (in DD) to step in. Tom Curran gets an opportunity for Mitchell Starc (in KKR). The overseas players missing is probably not a big issue as big as the Indian players missed out.”

Styris’s top four for IPL 2018 were DD, RCB, MI and CSK. “I like the spine of some of the teams. Teams in the past have kept the main spine of the team together. The ability to gel together, the experience they have will be helping teams initially. That will work in MI and Chennai’s favour. RCB as well. I like Delhi the way they are shaping up with their young players,” Styris said.

WARNER WILL BE MISSED

Australian Hogg, who is still an active player turning out in the Big Bash League at the age of 47, has named his top four. “Mumbai Indians, Chennai Super Kings, Kolkata Knight Riders and Royal Challengers Bangalore. Mumbai Indians have a good all-round side. They have seven all-rounders, they bat deep. Pat Cummins provides handy innings down the bottom at No. 8. Sunrisers Hyderabad will miss David Warner. He scored a majority of the runs last year. KKR, if they can keep their main 11 on the park, they will be in a big chance. MI are clear favourites. RCB have got strong batting depths but struggle with the ball. They are all firepower with the bats. Can they play the defensive game? MI, CSK are my top 2.”

Hogg also said that the wrist spinners have more variety and are in demand in the shortest form of the game. “Rashid Khan bowls quicker than conventional leg-spinner. Amit Mishra of Delhi Daredevils had a good couple of years but last year he was sort of in and out, was good in patches and in some matches, he was ordinary. The leg-spinners spin both ways, have got a lot more variety than off-spinners. On the off-spinners’ front, they are taking a good look of their action, and been a little bit stricter on 15 deg (arm bend), not allowing them to bowl doosras as fluently as they used to be able to do. That has allowed leg spinner to come back in the game. They have got flipper, back spinner, top spinner, wrong ’uns, leggies, and that is exciting.”

Former Australian seamer Fleming picked Mumbai Indians, CSK, DD and KXIP as his top four. Apart from the obvious reasons, Fleming said that the Australian coaches’ influences in DD and KXIP -- Ricky Ponting as head coach of DD and Brad Hodge for KXIP – as the main reasons for them being among his top four.