IPL 2020: Rating wicketkeepers of all 8 teams

Wicket-keepers are pretty underrated in the modern game. They are noticed when they make mistakes and are rarely applauded when they’ve done well and haven’t let anything through. In fact, wicket-keeping is a thankless job.

However, wicket-keepers also play pretty important as batters. They simply need to have the skill and temperament to bat, especially in T20 cricket. Quite a few them like opening the batting as well. There are a lot of quality stumpers across the eight teams in the IPL. Each team is equipped at least two or three wicket-keepers in their squad.

Thus, with the IPL less than two months away, let’s rate the wicket-keepers (as a team) of all the eight franchises for the 2020 season:

1. Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) – 6.5/10

Year after year, there is a lot of promise that Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) show. However, they just don’t seem to have cracked the IPL code. They’ve always had a strong batting line-up while their bowling has looked good over the last couple of years. This year is no different. Batting is their stronger suit while bowling isn’t too far behind.

However, if there is some weakness, then it has to be the wicket-keeping. Parthiv Patel is likely going to be RCB’s first-choice stumper. The Gujarat lad is decent behind the stumps and is good with the bat at the top of the order. But there aren’t enough backups. Patel’s inclusion means RCB might have to leave someone like Devdutt Padikkal out of the XI.

Their backups include uncapped Australian Josh Philippe and Shahbaz Ahmed. Both of them are inexperienced. Phillipe has done well with the bat while Ahmed is largely untested. Also, AB de Villiers can don the gloves if necessary. Thus, RCB’s overall keeping depth isn’t great and hence, they get 6.5.