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 Parthiv Patel. (Photo Source: Twitter) 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. 2. Chennai Super Kings (CSK) – 7/10 MS Dhoni. (Photo: Surjeet Yadav/IANS) When you look at the rating and see 7/10, you’d think it’s not fair. MS Dhoni is one of the best in the business. He has fast hands and affects lightning-quick stumps and is safe as a house as a catcher. Moreover, he is one of the best finisher’s Indian cricket has ever seen. Dhoni’s numbers are simply fabulous. There’s no question about it. But it is his backups that reduce the overall rating. Chennai Super Kings (CSK) don’t have enough quality backup for Dhoni. Sam Billings donned the gloves last season when the CSK skipper opted out due to back spasms. But Billings isn’t a part of CSK anymore. Tamil Nadu’s N Jagadeesan is the only other full-time option. Meanwhile, Ambati Rayudu can also do the job. Thus, there’s no doubt over Dhoni but it’s the backups that lower CSK’s wicket-keepers rating down to 7. 3. Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) – 7.5/10 Jonny Bairstow. (Photo Source: Twitter) Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) are a side that are top-heavy with the bat. They have some real powerhouses in the top order, including their wicket-keeper batsman, Jonny Bairstow. While he has shifted between donning the gloves and fielding, Bairstow is the best T20 batsman-keeper amongst everyone else. He had a fine debut season, smashing 445 runs at an average of 55.62 and a strike-rate of 157.24. Bairstow might be SRH’s first-choice keeper. There’s Wriddhiman Saha as well. However, his T20 batting has fallen away and he hasn’t been as useful as before. He played just five games last season. Also, SRH have Shreevats Goswami in their ranks. He warmed the benches throughout the 2019 season but he has played 29 IPL games. Overall, SRH’s wicket-keeping options are decent with the presence of Bairstow and Saha. 4. Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) – 8.5/10 KL Rahul. (Photo Source: Twitter) Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) may well have arguably the best wicket-keeper batsman in T20 cricket at the moment. It’s hard to look past KL Rahul these days in the shortest format. He’s been simply brilliant for the Indian team in the recent past. The Karnataka lad has taken over as India’s premier gloveman as well. Moreover, Rahul has been superb in the IPL over the last couple of seasons and has consistently got runs for KXIP at the top of the order. He’s been their most important batsman. He will also lead the side this year. There are a couple of other decent options as well. Nicholas Pooran is a promising player and has showed what he is capable of. He can take the game away from the opposition in no time and is tidy behind the stumps. Young Prabhsimran Singh is also included in the squad and he may not get a chance with Rahul and Pooran available. 5. Delhi Capitals (DC) – 8.5/10 Rishabh Pant. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images) Delhi Capitals have only two proper wicket-keeping options and both of them are top-quality ones. At one end, you have Rishabh Pant. The Delhi lad has had a couple of excellent IPL seasons. He’s been Delhi’s premier batsman in the middle and has stepped up. Pant has blown hot and cold at the international stage but he will continue to be Delhi’s lead wicket-keeper. Alex Carey was bought in this auction for the 2020 season. He’s come a long way over the last year or so. Carey’s developed an excellent game to bat lower down the order and still be effective. He can force the pace and don the finisher’s role to really good effect. Hence, DC’s wicket-keeping options are good and they get 8.5/10. 6. Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) – 8.5/10 Dinesh Karthik. (Photo Source: Twitter) There’s little doubt that T20 is Dinesh Karthik’s best format. He’s turned himself into a finisher and has done really well over the last couple of years. In fact, he might feel slightly disappointed at being left out of the Indian team despite not doing too much wrong and consistently getting runs in domestic cricket. Karthik has been good in the last two IPL seasons as well. He has a very good strike-rate and has been good in the middle order for KKR. This season, KKR have added Tom Banton to their squad. He’s had a very good start to his career and has been very impressive in T20 cricket. The Englishman is an attractive proposition and is a good backup. Nikhil Naik who has played three IPL games is also in the squad. Hence, KKR have a decent wicketkeeping depth. 7. Mumbai Indians (MI) – 9/10 Quinton de Kock. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images) Mumbai Indians (MI) have almost every base covered and they look strong in every department. They aren’t lagging behind in the wicket-keeping department either and have enough depth and options. They have a couple of really good attacking players with the bat who don the gloves. Quinton de Kock was added only in the 2019 season but he’s already become an integral member of the side. He is MI’s first-choice wicket-keeping option. The South African bats at the top of the order and is very consistent and can score at a very good rate as well. On the other hand, there’s Ishan Kishan who has shown flashes of brilliance and has the ability to go big. He can bat anywhere in the order and is pretty flexible. Aditya Tare is the other man in the squad and hence, with so much depth, Mumbai Indians get a 9. 8. Rajasthan Royals (RR) – 9/10 Jos Buttler. (Photo Source: Twitter) Jos Buttler’s move to open the batting in all T20 cricket has worked wonders for him. He is a dangerous player and is making full use of the powerplay and has made it a habit of getting big scores at the top in T20 cricket. Buttler is someone who can take the game away as he scores at a rapid rate. He will be absolutely key for the Royals. Meanwhile, they also have Sanju Samson. He’s been in and around the Indian T20I team over the last few months and has even played a few games. Moreover, he’s been very good in the IPL and has consistently delivered and got big scores. He is an attacking player and can be a match-winner. Meanwhile, Rajasthan Royals have also got the services of Robin Uthappa. The Karnataka lad can don the gloves when necessary. Thus, Royals have a good enough pool of keepers and decent depth as well which gives them a 9.

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IPL 2020: Rating wicketkeepers of all 8 teams

Each IPL franchise is equipped at least two or three wicket-keepers in their squad.

6. Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) – 8.5/10

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