The 14th season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is likely to be played from mid-April this year. The mini-auction for this season was held recently in which a total of 57 players were sold to 8 teams. All the franchises have bought certain players according to their demand in the team composition.

For any team to win a tournament, their opening pair plays a very crucial part. This holds true even for the IPL teams who compete for about two months for the coveted trophy. Many teams will be looking to make tactical changes in their batting lineup with the availability of new additions to the squad.

In this article, we are going to predict the opening pairs of all the 8 IPL teams for the year 2021. Since there is a boundation of 4 overseas players, the teams have to use their resources very carefully which can result in possible changes in the opening pair too.

1. RCB: Devdutt Padikkal and Mohammed Azharuddeen

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-451902" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Devdutt-Padikkal.jpg" alt="Devdutt Padikkal" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-451902" class="wp-caption-text">Devdutt Padikkal. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption>

Royal Challengers Bangalore had a decent season last year where they were able to make it to the playoffs after a gap of 4 years. Devdutt Padikkal had a great outing for them at the top, scoring 473 runs with the help of 5 half-centuries. He was chosen for the Emerging Player of the Year award for his wonderful performance. Padikkal is a surety in the opening pair for the RCB team this season as well.

However, the team will need to think about his possible partner. Young Aussie wicketkeeper-batsman Josh Philippe who has been retained is one of the choices. On the other hand, their latest recruit <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/ipl-2021-mohammed-azharuddeen-reveals-how-virat-kohli-welcomed-him-to-the-rcb/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mohammed Azharuddeen</a> is a very tempting option for opening and RCB may well start with him.

Azharuddeen has also been keeping wickets for his state team in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. This gives the Bangalore team a chance to relieve their experienced players AB de Villiers from the keeping duties and play an extra overseas player in place of Josh Philippe. Last year, captain Virat Kohli opened in the crucial knockout game against SRH but failed to make a difference. He is expected to bat at number 3, his usual position.

2. DC: Shikhar Dhawan and Prithvi Shaw

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-457561" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Shikhar-Dhawan-3.jpg" alt="Shikhar Dhawan" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-457561" class="wp-caption-text">Shikhar Dhawan. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption>

Delhi Capitals performed brilliantly last season when they reached the IPL final for the very first time. They lost to Mumbai Indians in the final but would like to go one better this season. Opening batsman Shikhar Dhawan was in stellar form for them as he aggregated 618 runs, second-most by any player in IPL 2020. He hit 2 consecutive hundreds in the season and became the first-ever player to achieve the milestone. Shikhar will be a vital part of Delhi’s top order for their campaign this year as well.

<a href="https://www.crictracker.com/prithvi-shaw-posts-fan-made-meme-to-hit-back-at-critics-and-trolls/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Prithvi Shaw</a> who is in magnificent form currently is very much expected to pair with Dhawan at the top. He recently hit an explosive double century in the Vijay Hazare Trophy match against Pondicherry. He was dropped from the Delhi Capitals’ playing XI in the last few matches due to terrible form but is likely to return back this season.

Delhi also tried Ajinkya Rahane and Marcus Stoinis for the opener&#8217;s role in 2020. While Rahane’s stint was not so fruitful, Stoinis did impress in his short stint. Since the Australian all-rounder did well in the finishing role as well, he is likely to continue it this year too.

3. RR: Jos Buttler and Sanju Samson

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-453106" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Jos-Buttler.jpg" alt="Jos Buttler" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-453106" class="wp-caption-text">Jos Buttler. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption>

Rajasthan Royals had a season to forget last year as they finished at the bottom in the points tally. Deciding on the opening combination was a big puzzle for them in 2020. They tried as many as 5 opening pairs before settling for <a href="https://www.facebook.com/crictracker/posts/4367027273327960" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ben Stokes</a> and Robin Uthappa in the end.

Yashaswi Jaiswal, Steve Smith, and Jos Buttler were the other players who were given a chance in the top 2 batting positions. Their captain Steve Smith has already been released and Sanju Samson will be leading the side in 2021. Robin Uthappa, too, was traded to Chennai Super Kings before the mini-auction.

Since among the options available, <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/jos-buttler-gets-interrupted-by-his-daughter-georgia-while-talking-to-the-reporters/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jos Buttler</a> has a very good experience in the top order, he is surely going to be one of the openers. Captain Sanju Samson may well be the second player that Rajasthan will look as an option for the opener&#8217;s role. Samson has earlier opened for Rajasthan and also in the domestic T20s for Kerala.

4. KKR: Shubman Gill and Rahul Tripathi

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-450923" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Shubman-Gill-1.jpg" alt="Shubman Gill" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-450923" class="wp-caption-text">Shubman Gill. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption>

Like Rajasthan Royals in the last season, Kolkata Knight Riders too did a lot of experiments in their batting order. Young rising star <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/yuvraj-singh-hilariously-trolls-shubman-gill-after-youngsters-poor-shot-selection-in-1st-innings-of-3rd-test/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Shubman Gill</a> is definitely going to open for them in 2021, and he has shown a lot of improvement with time. He scored 440 runs in IPL 2020, most by any player of Kolkata including 3 half-centuries.

Kolkata has tried Sunil Narine as a pinch hitter to dominate the opposition from the start. However, that ploy has not worked well in the last 2 years. Nitish Rana and Rahul Tripathi are the other 2 players from the current team who opened last season.

Given Tripathi’s overall record as an opener, and in pursuit of a settled team, he may be given a longer rope this season in the top order. Shubman Gill and Rahul Tripathi can help to end the woes for the Kolkata franchise who have failed to make it to playoffs for two seasons in a row.

5. PBKS: KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-457029" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/KL-Rahul-4.jpg" alt="KL Rahul IPL 2021" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-457029" class="wp-caption-text">KL Rahul. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption>

Punjab Kings opened with <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/ipl-2021-kl-rahul-reveals-the-reason-behind-renaming-kings-xi-punjab/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">KL Rahul</a> and Mayank Agarwal last season and the pair was quite successful in the tournament. The team of course could not start well and lost 5 matches in a row in the first half. They later won 5 consecutive matches after their losing-streak. However, in the end, they failed to qualify for the playoff.

Punjab also has the option of &#8216;Universe Boss&#8217; <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/fidel-edwards-chris-gayle-return-as-west-indies-announce-squads-for-sri-lanka-series/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Chris Gayle</a> for the opening position. However, Gayle looked fine even in the role of number 3 batsman last year. He is expected to continue in the same capacity this season as well. As a result, Mayank and Rahul look set for another stint as opening pair.

Punjab has also bought English player Dawid Malan in the mini-auction. However, he may have to wait for his chance in the playing XI. Malan can open for Punjab at some stage of the tournament if things don&#8217;t go well with them in the initial phase.

6. MI: Rohit Sharma and Quinton de Kock

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-464245" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Rohit-Sharma-2.jpg" alt="Rohit Sharma" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-464245" class="wp-caption-text">Rohit Sharma. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption>

Mumbai Indians are the most successful team in the IPL history and they are coming to this season with two consecutive titles. They will be hoping to make it 3 in 3 this year. Mumbai has been opening with captain <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/it-was-a-nice-pitch-to-bat-on-rohit-sharma-slams-ahmedabad-pitch-critics/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Rohit Sharma</a> and Quinton de Kock for the last two years. This season too, it does not seem likely that Mumbai would tweak their winning combination.

Both these two are one of the most successful opening pairs of the cash-rich league. Quinton de Kock has scored over 1000 runs in the league at an impressive strike rate of 136.50. He has hit 8 half-centuries so far with the highest score being 81 runs.

Rohit has earlier batted at number 4 too for the team but has been in the opener&#8217;s role since 2019. He has scored 4333 runs in the IPL while playing for Mumbai Indians. This includes 1 hundred and 32 half-centuries.

7. SRH: Wriddhiman Saha and David Warner

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-459634" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/David-Warner-5.jpg" alt="David Warner" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-459634" class="wp-caption-text">David Warner of SRH. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption>

In the IPL 2019, <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/david-warner-takes-a-cheeky-dig-at-glenn-maxwells-ipl-deal/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">David Warner</a> and Jonny Bairstow turned out to be the most destructive opening pair of the season. However, such is the dynamics of the league that Bairstow had to warm the bench for the most part of the season in 2020. Sunrisers Hyderabad will have to make that difficult choice of dropping the English opener again as he is not amongst the first choice of 4 overseas players.

Since the pair of Wriddhiman Saha and captain David Warner had some extraordinary outings, they will be pairing up for this season as well. Saha, who was not part of the playing XI in most of the matches in the first half, turned out to be a match-winner for them in the later stage.

David Warner, who is amongst the most successful overseas players of IPL history will have a big responsibility on his shoulders. He has played as a lone warrior in many of the matches. He would expect to get able support from other players as well.

8. CSK: Ruturaj Gaikwad and Robin Uthappa

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-459171" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Ruturaj-Gaikwad.jpg" alt="Ruturaj Gaikwad" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-459171" class="wp-caption-text">Ruturaj Gaikwad. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption>

Chennai Super Kings had a terrible season last year as they failed to make it to the playoffs for the first time in IPL history. Though they were able to win their last three matches, the scars of failure will still be there. Shane Watson, one of their vital players has already announced retirement from professional cricket. He was crucial in their campaigns in 2018 and 2019 where they were able to make it to finals both times.

<a href="https://www.crictracker.com/ruturaj-gaikwad-reveals-how-unique-environment-in-csk-dressing-room-helped-him-turn-things-around-in-ipl-2020/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ruturaj Gaikwad</a> who hit three consecutive half-centuries for CSK in the last three matches is set to get a long stint as an opener this time. He played a vital part in helping CSK win their last three matches. Among other options, CSK has the likes of Faf du Plessis, Sam Curran, and Ambati Rayudu in their ranks who have opened for them earlier.

However, their latest addition <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/i-had-a-desire-to-play-with-ms-dhoni-again-and-win-a-tournament-once-before-he-retires-robin-uthappa/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Robin Uthappa</a> who was traded from Rajasthan Royals is likely to get the nod for the opener&#8217;s role. Uthappa was mightily successful in the openers’ role for KKR earlier and in bits for Rajasthan too.

The 14th season of the Indian Premier League (IPL)&nbsp;is likely to be played from mid-April this year. The mini-auction for this season was held recently in which a total of 57 players were sold to 8 teams. All the franchises have bought certain players according to their demand in the team composition.
For any team to win a tournament, their opening pair plays a very crucial part. This holds true even for the IPL teams who compete for about two months for the coveted trophy. Many teams will be looking to make tactical changes in their batting lineup with the availability of new additions to the squad.
In this article, we are going to predict the opening pairs of all the 8 IPL teams for the year 2021. Since there is a boundation of 4 overseas players, the teams have to use their resources very carefully which can result in possible changes in the opening pair too.
<h3>1. RCB: Devdutt Padikkal and Mohammed Azharuddeen</h3>
<figure id="attachment_451902" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-451902" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-451902" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Devdutt-Padikkal.jpg" alt="Devdutt Padikkal" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img><figcaption id="caption-attachment-451902" class="wp-caption-text">Devdutt Padikkal. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption></figure>
Royal Challengers Bangalore had a decent season last year where they were able to make it to the playoffs after a gap of 4 years. Devdutt Padikkal had a great outing for them at the top, scoring 473 runs with the help of 5 half-centuries. He was chosen for the Emerging Player of the Year award for his wonderful performance. Padikkal is a surety in the opening pair for the RCB team this season as well.
However, the team will need to think about his possible partner. Young Aussie wicketkeeper-batsman Josh Philippe who has been retained is one of the choices. On the other hand, their latest recruit <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/ipl-2021-mohammed-azharuddeen-reveals-how-virat-kohli-welcomed-him-to-the-rcb/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mohammed Azharuddeen</a> is a very tempting option for opening and RCB may well start with him.&nbsp;
Azharuddeen has also been keeping wickets for his state team in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. This gives the Bangalore team a chance to relieve their experienced players AB de Villiers from the keeping duties and play an extra overseas player in place of Josh Philippe. Last year, captain Virat Kohli opened in the crucial knockout game against SRH but failed to make a difference. He is expected to bat at number 3, his usual position.
<h3>2. DC: Shikhar Dhawan and Prithvi Shaw</h3>
<figure id="attachment_457561" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-457561" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-457561" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Shikhar-Dhawan-3.jpg" alt="Shikhar Dhawan" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img><figcaption id="caption-attachment-457561" class="wp-caption-text">Shikhar Dhawan. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption></figure>
Delhi Capitals performed brilliantly last season when they reached the IPL final for the very first time. They lost to Mumbai Indians in the final but would like to go one better this season. Opening batsman Shikhar Dhawan was in stellar form for them as he aggregated 618 runs, second-most by any player in IPL 2020. He hit 2 consecutive hundreds in the season and became the first-ever player to achieve the milestone. Shikhar will be a vital part of Delhi’s top order for their campaign this year as well.&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.crictracker.com/prithvi-shaw-posts-fan-made-meme-to-hit-back-at-critics-and-trolls/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Prithvi Shaw</a> who is in magnificent form currently is very much expected to pair with Dhawan at the top. He recently hit an explosive double century in the Vijay Hazare Trophy match against Pondicherry. He was dropped from the Delhi Capitals’ playing XI in the last few matches due to terrible form but is likely to return back this season.
Delhi also tried Ajinkya Rahane and Marcus Stoinis for the opener’s role in 2020. While Rahane’s stint was not so fruitful, Stoinis did impress in his short stint. Since the Australian all-rounder did well in the finishing role as well, he is likely to continue it this year too.
<h3>3. RR: Jos Buttler and Sanju Samson</h3>
<figure id="attachment_453106" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-453106" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-453106" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Jos-Buttler.jpg" alt="Jos Buttler" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img><figcaption id="caption-attachment-453106" class="wp-caption-text">Jos Buttler. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption></figure>
Rajasthan Royals had a season to forget last year as they finished at the bottom in the points tally. Deciding on the opening combination was a big puzzle for them in 2020. They tried as many as 5 opening pairs before settling for <a href="https://www.facebook.com/crictracker/posts/4367027273327960" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ben Stokes</a> and Robin Uthappa in the end.
Yashaswi Jaiswal, Steve Smith, and Jos Buttler were the other players who were given a chance in the top 2 batting positions. Their captain Steve Smith has already been released and Sanju Samson will be leading the side in 2021. Robin Uthappa, too, was traded to Chennai Super Kings before the mini-auction.
Since among the options available, <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/jos-buttler-gets-interrupted-by-his-daughter-georgia-while-talking-to-the-reporters/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jos Buttler</a> has a very good experience in the top order, he is surely going to be one of the openers. Captain Sanju Samson may well be the second player that Rajasthan will look as an option for the opener’s role. Samson has earlier opened for Rajasthan and also in the domestic T20s for Kerala. 
<h3>4. KKR: Shubman Gill and Rahul Tripathi</h3>
<figure id="attachment_450923" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-450923" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-450923" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Shubman-Gill-1.jpg" alt="Shubman Gill" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img><figcaption id="caption-attachment-450923" class="wp-caption-text">Shubman Gill. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption></figure>
Like Rajasthan Royals in the last season, Kolkata Knight Riders too did a lot of experiments in their batting order. Young rising star <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/yuvraj-singh-hilariously-trolls-shubman-gill-after-youngsters-poor-shot-selection-in-1st-innings-of-3rd-test/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Shubman Gill</a> is definitely going to open for them in 2021, and he has shown a lot of improvement with time. He scored 440 runs in IPL 2020, most by any player of Kolkata including 3 half-centuries.&nbsp;
Kolkata has tried Sunil Narine as a pinch hitter to dominate the opposition from the start. However, that ploy has not worked well in the last 2 years. Nitish Rana and Rahul Tripathi are the other 2 players from the current team who opened last season.
Given Tripathi’s overall record as an opener, and in pursuit of a settled team, he may be given a longer rope this season in the top order. Shubman Gill and Rahul Tripathi can help to end the woes for the Kolkata franchise who have failed to make it to playoffs for two seasons in a row.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
<h3>5. PBKS: KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal</h3>
<figure id="attachment_457029" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-457029" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-457029" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/KL-Rahul-4.jpg" alt="KL Rahul IPL 2021" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img><figcaption id="caption-attachment-457029" class="wp-caption-text">KL Rahul. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption></figure>
Punjab Kings opened with <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/ipl-2021-kl-rahul-reveals-the-reason-behind-renaming-kings-xi-punjab/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">KL Rahul</a> and Mayank Agarwal last season and the pair was quite successful in the tournament. The team of course could not start well and lost 5 matches in a row in the first half. They later won 5 consecutive matches after their losing-streak. However, in the end, they failed to qualify for the playoff.
Punjab also has the option of ‘Universe Boss’ <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/fidel-edwards-chris-gayle-return-as-west-indies-announce-squads-for-sri-lanka-series/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Chris Gayle</a> for the opening position. However, Gayle looked fine even in the role of number 3 batsman last year. He is expected to continue in the same capacity this season as well. As a result, Mayank and Rahul look set for another stint as opening pair.
Punjab has also bought English player Dawid Malan in the mini-auction. However, he may have to wait for his chance in the playing XI. Malan can open for Punjab at some stage of the tournament if things don’t go well with them in the initial phase.
<h3>6. MI: Rohit Sharma and Quinton de Kock</h3>
<figure id="attachment_464245" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-464245" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-464245" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Rohit-Sharma-2.jpg" alt="Rohit Sharma" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img><figcaption id="caption-attachment-464245" class="wp-caption-text">Rohit Sharma. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption></figure>
Mumbai Indians are the most successful team in the IPL history and they are coming to this season with two consecutive titles. They will be hoping to make it 3 in 3 this year. Mumbai has been opening with captain <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/it-was-a-nice-pitch-to-bat-on-rohit-sharma-slams-ahmedabad-pitch-critics/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Rohit Sharma</a> and Quinton de Kock for the last two years. This season too, it does not seem likely that Mumbai would tweak their winning combination.
Both these two are one of the most successful opening pairs of the cash-rich league. Quinton de Kock has scored over 1000 runs in the league at an impressive strike rate of 136.50. He has hit 8 half-centuries so far with the highest score being 81 runs.
Rohit has earlier batted at number 4 too for the team but has been in the opener’s role since 2019. He has scored 4333 runs in the IPL while playing for Mumbai Indians. This includes 1 hundred and 32 half-centuries.
<h3>7. SRH: Wriddhiman Saha and David Warner&nbsp;</h3>
<figure id="attachment_459634" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-459634" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-459634" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/David-Warner-5.jpg" alt="David Warner" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img><figcaption id="caption-attachment-459634" class="wp-caption-text">David Warner of SRH. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption></figure>
In the IPL 2019, <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/david-warner-takes-a-cheeky-dig-at-glenn-maxwells-ipl-deal/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">David Warner</a> and Jonny Bairstow turned out to be the most destructive opening pair of the season. However, such is the dynamics of the league that Bairstow had to warm the bench for the most part of the season in 2020. Sunrisers Hyderabad will have to make that difficult choice of dropping the English opener again as he is not amongst the first choice of 4 overseas players.
Since the pair of Wriddhiman Saha and captain David Warner had some extraordinary outings, they will be pairing up for this season as well. Saha, who was not part of the playing XI in most of the matches in the first half, turned out to be a match-winner for them in the later stage.
David Warner, who is amongst the most successful overseas players of IPL history will have a big responsibility on his shoulders. He has played as a lone warrior in many of the matches. He would expect to get able support from other players as well.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
<h3>8. CSK: Ruturaj Gaikwad and Robin Uthappa</h3>
<figure id="attachment_459171" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-459171" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-459171" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Ruturaj-Gaikwad.jpg" alt="Ruturaj Gaikwad" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img><figcaption id="caption-attachment-459171" class="wp-caption-text">Ruturaj Gaikwad. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption></figure>
Chennai Super Kings had a terrible season last year as they failed to make it to the playoffs for the first time in IPL history. Though they were able to win their last three matches, the scars of failure will still be there. Shane Watson, one of their vital players has already announced retirement from professional cricket. He was crucial in their campaigns in 2018 and 2019 where they were able to make it to finals both times.
<a href="https://www.crictracker.com/ruturaj-gaikwad-reveals-how-unique-environment-in-csk-dressing-room-helped-him-turn-things-around-in-ipl-2020/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ruturaj Gaikwad</a> who hit three consecutive half-centuries for CSK in the last three matches is set to get a long stint as an opener this time. He played a vital part in helping CSK win their last three matches. Among other options, CSK has the likes of Faf du Plessis, Sam Curran, and Ambati Rayudu in their ranks who have opened for them earlier.
However, their latest addition <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/i-had-a-desire-to-play-with-ms-dhoni-again-and-win-a-tournament-once-before-he-retires-robin-uthappa/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Robin Uthappa</a> who was traded from Rajasthan Royals is likely to get the nod for the opener’s role. Uthappa was mightily successful in the openers’ role for KKR earlier and in bits for Rajasthan too.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

The 14th season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is likely to be played from mid-April this year. The mini-auction for this season was held recently in which a total of 57 players were sold to 8 teams. All the franchises have bought certain players according to their demand in the team composition.
For any team to win a tournament, their opening pair plays a very crucial part. This holds true even for the IPL teams who compete for about two months for the coveted trophy. Many teams will be looking to make tactical changes in their batting lineup with the availability of new additions to the squad.
In this article, we are going to predict the opening pairs of all the 8 IPL teams for the year 2021. Since there is a boundation of 4 overseas players, the teams have to use their resources very carefully which can result in possible changes in the opening pair too.
<h3>1. RCB: Devdutt Padikkal and Mohammed Azharuddeen</h3>
<figure id="attachment_451902" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-451902" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-451902" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Devdutt-Padikkal.jpg" alt="Devdutt Padikkal" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-451902" class="wp-caption-text">Devdutt Padikkal. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption></figure>
Royal Challengers Bangalore had a decent season last year where they were able to make it to the playoffs after a gap of 4 years. Devdutt Padikkal had a great outing for them at the top, scoring 473 runs with the help of 5 half-centuries. He was chosen for the Emerging Player of the Year award for his wonderful performance. Padikkal is a surety in the opening pair for the RCB team this season as well.
However, the team will need to think about his possible partner. Young Aussie wicketkeeper-batsman Josh Philippe who has been retained is one of the choices. On the other hand, their latest recruit <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/ipl-2021-mohammed-azharuddeen-reveals-how-virat-kohli-welcomed-him-to-the-rcb/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mohammed Azharuddeen</a> is a very tempting option for opening and RCB may well start with him. 
Azharuddeen has also been keeping wickets for his state team in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. This gives the Bangalore team a chance to relieve their experienced players AB de Villiers from the keeping duties and play an extra overseas player in place of Josh Philippe. Last year, captain Virat Kohli opened in the crucial knockout game against SRH but failed to make a difference. He is expected to bat at number 3, his usual position.
<h3>2. DC: Shikhar Dhawan and Prithvi Shaw</h3>
<figure id="attachment_457561" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-457561" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-457561" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Shikhar-Dhawan-3.jpg" alt="Shikhar Dhawan" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-457561" class="wp-caption-text">Shikhar Dhawan. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption></figure>
Delhi Capitals performed brilliantly last season when they reached the IPL final for the very first time. They lost to Mumbai Indians in the final but would like to go one better this season. Opening batsman Shikhar Dhawan was in stellar form for them as he aggregated 618 runs, second-most by any player in IPL 2020. He hit 2 consecutive hundreds in the season and became the first-ever player to achieve the milestone. Shikhar will be a vital part of Delhi’s top order for their campaign this year as well. 
<a href="https://www.crictracker.com/prithvi-shaw-posts-fan-made-meme-to-hit-back-at-critics-and-trolls/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Prithvi Shaw</a> who is in magnificent form currently is very much expected to pair with Dhawan at the top. He recently hit an explosive double century in the Vijay Hazare Trophy match against Pondicherry. He was dropped from the Delhi Capitals’ playing XI in the last few matches due to terrible form but is likely to return back this season.
Delhi also tried Ajinkya Rahane and Marcus Stoinis for the opener&#8217;s role in 2020. While Rahane’s stint was not so fruitful, Stoinis did impress in his short stint. Since the Australian all-rounder did well in the finishing role as well, he is likely to continue it this year too.
<h3>3. RR: Jos Buttler and Sanju Samson</h3>
<figure id="attachment_453106" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-453106" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-453106" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Jos-Buttler.jpg" alt="Jos Buttler" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-453106" class="wp-caption-text">Jos Buttler. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption></figure>
Rajasthan Royals had a season to forget last year as they finished at the bottom in the points tally. Deciding on the opening combination was a big puzzle for them in 2020. They tried as many as 5 opening pairs before settling for <a href="https://www.facebook.com/crictracker/posts/4367027273327960" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ben Stokes</a> and Robin Uthappa in the end.
Yashaswi Jaiswal, Steve Smith, and Jos Buttler were the other players who were given a chance in the top 2 batting positions. Their captain Steve Smith has already been released and Sanju Samson will be leading the side in 2021. Robin Uthappa, too, was traded to Chennai Super Kings before the mini-auction.
Since among the options available, <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/jos-buttler-gets-interrupted-by-his-daughter-georgia-while-talking-to-the-reporters/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jos Buttler</a> has a very good experience in the top order, he is surely going to be one of the openers. Captain Sanju Samson may well be the second player that Rajasthan will look as an option for the opener&#8217;s role. Samson has earlier opened for Rajasthan and also in the domestic T20s for Kerala. 
<h3>4. KKR: Shubman Gill and Rahul Tripathi</h3>
<figure id="attachment_450923" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-450923" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-450923" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Shubman-Gill-1.jpg" alt="Shubman Gill" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-450923" class="wp-caption-text">Shubman Gill. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption></figure>
Like Rajasthan Royals in the last season, Kolkata Knight Riders too did a lot of experiments in their batting order. Young rising star <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/yuvraj-singh-hilariously-trolls-shubman-gill-after-youngsters-poor-shot-selection-in-1st-innings-of-3rd-test/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Shubman Gill</a> is definitely going to open for them in 2021, and he has shown a lot of improvement with time. He scored 440 runs in IPL 2020, most by any player of Kolkata including 3 half-centuries. 
Kolkata has tried Sunil Narine as a pinch hitter to dominate the opposition from the start. However, that ploy has not worked well in the last 2 years. Nitish Rana and Rahul Tripathi are the other 2 players from the current team who opened last season.
Given Tripathi’s overall record as an opener, and in pursuit of a settled team, he may be given a longer rope this season in the top order. Shubman Gill and Rahul Tripathi can help to end the woes for the Kolkata franchise who have failed to make it to playoffs for two seasons in a row.          
<h3>5. PBKS: KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal</h3>
<figure id="attachment_457029" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-457029" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-457029" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/KL-Rahul-4.jpg" alt="KL Rahul IPL 2021" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-457029" class="wp-caption-text">KL Rahul. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption></figure>
Punjab Kings opened with <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/ipl-2021-kl-rahul-reveals-the-reason-behind-renaming-kings-xi-punjab/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">KL Rahul</a> and Mayank Agarwal last season and the pair was quite successful in the tournament. The team of course could not start well and lost 5 matches in a row in the first half. They later won 5 consecutive matches after their losing-streak. However, in the end, they failed to qualify for the playoff.
Punjab also has the option of &#8216;Universe Boss&#8217; <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/fidel-edwards-chris-gayle-return-as-west-indies-announce-squads-for-sri-lanka-series/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Chris Gayle</a> for the opening position. However, Gayle looked fine even in the role of number 3 batsman last year. He is expected to continue in the same capacity this season as well. As a result, Mayank and Rahul look set for another stint as opening pair.
Punjab has also bought English player Dawid Malan in the mini-auction. However, he may have to wait for his chance in the playing XI. Malan can open for Punjab at some stage of the tournament if things don&#8217;t go well with them in the initial phase.
<h3>6. MI: Rohit Sharma and Quinton de Kock</h3>
<figure id="attachment_464245" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-464245" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-464245" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Rohit-Sharma-2.jpg" alt="Rohit Sharma" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-464245" class="wp-caption-text">Rohit Sharma. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption></figure>
Mumbai Indians are the most successful team in the IPL history and they are coming to this season with two consecutive titles. They will be hoping to make it 3 in 3 this year. Mumbai has been opening with captain <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/it-was-a-nice-pitch-to-bat-on-rohit-sharma-slams-ahmedabad-pitch-critics/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Rohit Sharma</a> and Quinton de Kock for the last two years. This season too, it does not seem likely that Mumbai would tweak their winning combination.
Both these two are one of the most successful opening pairs of the cash-rich league. Quinton de Kock has scored over 1000 runs in the league at an impressive strike rate of 136.50. He has hit 8 half-centuries so far with the highest score being 81 runs.
Rohit has earlier batted at number 4 too for the team but has been in the opener&#8217;s role since 2019. He has scored 4333 runs in the IPL while playing for Mumbai Indians. This includes 1 hundred and 32 half-centuries.
<h3>7. SRH: Wriddhiman Saha and David Warner </h3>
<figure id="attachment_459634" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-459634" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-459634" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/David-Warner-5.jpg" alt="David Warner" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-459634" class="wp-caption-text">David Warner of SRH. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption></figure>
In the IPL 2019, <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/david-warner-takes-a-cheeky-dig-at-glenn-maxwells-ipl-deal/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">David Warner</a> and Jonny Bairstow turned out to be the most destructive opening pair of the season. However, such is the dynamics of the league that Bairstow had to warm the bench for the most part of the season in 2020. Sunrisers Hyderabad will have to make that difficult choice of dropping the English opener again as he is not amongst the first choice of 4 overseas players.
Since the pair of Wriddhiman Saha and captain David Warner had some extraordinary outings, they will be pairing up for this season as well. Saha, who was not part of the playing XI in most of the matches in the first half, turned out to be a match-winner for them in the later stage.
David Warner, who is amongst the most successful overseas players of IPL history will have a big responsibility on his shoulders. He has played as a lone warrior in many of the matches. He would expect to get able support from other players as well.    
<h3>8. CSK: Ruturaj Gaikwad and Robin Uthappa</h3>
<figure id="attachment_459171" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-459171" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-459171" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Ruturaj-Gaikwad.jpg" alt="Ruturaj Gaikwad" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-459171" class="wp-caption-text">Ruturaj Gaikwad. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption></figure>
Chennai Super Kings had a terrible season last year as they failed to make it to the playoffs for the first time in IPL history. Though they were able to win their last three matches, the scars of failure will still be there. Shane Watson, one of their vital players has already announced retirement from professional cricket. He was crucial in their campaigns in 2018 and 2019 where they were able to make it to finals both times.
<a href="https://www.crictracker.com/ruturaj-gaikwad-reveals-how-unique-environment-in-csk-dressing-room-helped-him-turn-things-around-in-ipl-2020/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ruturaj Gaikwad</a> who hit three consecutive half-centuries for CSK in the last three matches is set to get a long stint as an opener this time. He played a vital part in helping CSK win their last three matches. Among other options, CSK has the likes of Faf du Plessis, Sam Curran, and Ambati Rayudu in their ranks who have opened for them earlier.
However, their latest addition <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/i-had-a-desire-to-play-with-ms-dhoni-again-and-win-a-tournament-once-before-he-retires-robin-uthappa/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Robin Uthappa</a> who was traded from Rajasthan Royals is likely to get the nod for the opener&#8217;s role. Uthappa was mightily successful in the openers’ role for KKR earlier and in bits for Rajasthan too.

Many teams will be looking to make tactical changes in their batting line up with the availability of new additions to the squad.

IPL 2021: Predicting opening pairs of all 8 teams ahead of the season

The 14th season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is likely to be played from mid-April this year. The mini-auction for this season was