The current edition of the IPL was going along quite well with half of the tournament already done and as is the case every year, there was some high-quality cricket on display before it was suspended due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

However, it is expected that the 2nd leg of the 14th edition will take place later this year with September being a potential window. Thus, the team managements will have to be ready for a situation where the tournament resumes and they will be analysing their performances in detail to find out their respective weaknesses.

Regardless of where they are positioned, every team will have some or the other weakness that they must iron out if they are to mount a proper title challenge.

On that note, here’s a look at every team’s area of concern ahead of the second leg of IPL 2021:

1. Chennai Super Kings – Death Bowling

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-419949" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/MS-Dhoni-and-Shardul-Thakur.jpg" alt="MS Dhoni and Shardul Thakur" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-419949" class="wp-caption-text">MS Dhoni and Shardul Thakur. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)</figcaption>

After a 7th place finish last season, MS Dhoni’s men would have wanted to bounce back in style and they were doing exactly that with 5 wins from just 7 games. Their batting has been an area of strength for them with the top 3 of Faf du Plessis, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/crictracker/posts/4530607723636580" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ruturaj Gaikwad</a>, and Moeen Ali delivering on a regular basis.

Even the bowling during the powerplay and middle overs have been good, but one area where they have to improve is their death bowling. While the numbers suggest that they have conceded at less than 10 during the last four overs of an innings, it is a bit misleading. In a few of the games, their bowlers picked up wickets early on in the innings, and thus, opposition teams couldn’t score much during the end, but that isn’t a true reflection of how they bowled during the death.

In their last game against the Mumbai Indians, they had 48 runs to defend in the last three overs but failed to do that as they were smashed to all parts of the ground. Even against SRH, they were very poor during the end as they leaked 50 runs in the last four. Even while defending 75 runs during the last 5 overs with just three wickets in hand for KKR, they still struggled to close out the game with ease as they ended up winning by just 18 runs. Thus, it is clear that it is an area of concern for them and it could hurt them during the playoffs if they don’t get better.

2. Delhi Capitals – Overseas Players

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-454083" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Marcus-Stoinis-1.jpg" alt="Marcus Stoinis" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-454083" class="wp-caption-text">Marcus Stoinis. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption>

Delhi Capitals were flying before the season was suspended and were sitting on top of the table with 12 points on the board. They look like a well-balanced unit and are almost certain to qualify for their third consecutive playoffs. However, if one was to look at individual performances, it is clear that their overseas players haven’t contributed a whole lot and this is something they can work on.

Steve Smith hasn’t been able to deliver the kind of performances one expects from him as he’s scored just 104 runs in five innings at a poor strike rate of 111.82. Marcus Stoinis has just 71 runs to his name and even his bowling has been poor given that he has picked up just two wickets while having an economy rate of 10.9.

Last season’s Purple Cap winner, <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/ipl-2021-kagiso-rabadas-full-toss-sends-chris-gayles-stumps-flying-all-over-the-place-in-pbks-vs-dc-clash/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kagiso Rabada</a> has struggled to replicate his usual form with just eight wickets in seven games while conceding at 8.76. Fortunately for them, it might not be a huge problem given that they have quality backups like Chris Woakes, Anrich Nortje, and Sam Billings, and thus, it isn’t something they have to worry about a whole lot.

3. Kolkata Knight Riders – Batting Lineup

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-504356" 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-504356" class="wp-caption-text">Shubman Gill. (Photo Source: Disney + Hotstar VIP)</figcaption>

KKR have massively underperformed thus far with just two wins out of seven games. Pretty much everyone in the team has been a disappointment thus far, but the batting has probably been their biggest problem.

None of their batsmen barring <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/i-hit-ball-100-meters-bowled-140-plus-people-questioned-if-i-was-using-drugs-andre-russell-recalls-the-darkest-phase-of-career/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Andre Russell</a> showed any kind of form and it&#8217;s quite obvious as to why they are 7th placed. Nitish Rana had a bright start to the tournament with two half-centuries, but he hasn’t done much since then. Shubman Gill has been in woeful form as well having scored just 132 runs.

Rahul Tripathi has gotten starts in almost every game, but he hasn’t made the most of them as he has less than 190 runs to his name. Their captain, Eoin Morgan has also failed to lead from the front with just 92 runs and Dinesh Karthik has scored 130 runs. Karthik is the only one with over 100 runs who averages more than 30 for them and this certainly has to change during the second leg.

4. Mumbai Indians – Pandya Brothers

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-511114" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Krunal-Pandya-2.jpg" alt="Krunal Pandya" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-511114" class="wp-caption-text">Krunal Pandya. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption>

The Pandya brothers are amongst the best products of MI’s scouting system and have been very important players for them over the last few years. However, both of them have been quite poor and that has also resulted in the team having a rather shaky start to the season with three defeats in seven.

<a href="https://www.crictracker.com/the-selectors-decision-to-ignore-hardik-pandya-for-tests-is-understandable-sarandeep-singh/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hardik Pandya</a> has probably been the biggest disappointment of the tournament thus far, having scored a paltry 52 runs at an average of 8.66 while striking at a very poor 118.18. Given that he is one of their most important players, he must step up and support Kieron Pollard in terms of finishing the innings with the bat.

His brother, Krunal Pandya has only been slightly less disappointing with just 100 runs at an average of 16.66. However, he showed signs of improvement during the last two games and they will be hoping for more of the same. With the ball, he has picked up just three wickets at a strike rate of 34 and those aren’t great numbers for someone who is his team’s 2nd choice spinner.

5. Punjab Kings – Lack of wickets from bowlers

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-508837" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Riley-Meredith.jpg" alt="Riley Meredith" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-508837" class="wp-caption-text">Riley Meredith. (Photo Source: Twitter)</figcaption>

Punjab Kings have won three games and lost five, showing that inconsistency has been a bit of an issue for them. On paper, they have a pretty good squad, but certain problems have haunted them and one of them has been a lack of wickets on regular intervals.

Their bowlers have picked up just 37 wickets in eight games, which is less than 5 wickets per game on average. None of their bowlers have more than eight wickets and out of those who have bowled a minimum of ten overs, just one has a strike rate of less than 24.

This isn’t to say that they have bowled poorly as the likes of Mohammed Shami, <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/ipl-2021-anil-kumble-reveals-the-reason-for-ravi-bishnoi-not-playing-the-first-four-matches/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ravi Bishnoi</a> and even Riley Meredith on his comeback have bowled well, but they don’t have the wickets to show for it. And as we all know, without wickets it is difficult to wins matches and thus, the bowlers will have to find ways of dismissing batsmen and prove that they are actually bowling well.

6. Rajasthan Royals – Rahul Tewatia’s form

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-456552" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Rahul-Tewatia-of-RR.jpg" alt="Rahul Tewatia" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-456552" class="wp-caption-text">Rahul Tewatia. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption>

RR’s season was majorly wrecked by injuries and the unavailability of several key players like Ben Stokes, <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/jofra-archer-ruled-out-of-test-series-against-new-zealand/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jofra Archer</a>, Liam Livingstone, and Andrew Tye and thus, it is understandable as to why they haven’t performed as well as everyone expected them to after the auction.

With three wins from seven games, they aren’t in the greatest of positions but they still have a good chance of finishing in the top 4 given that MI are just two points ahead. With the potential return of all their players, it is certainly an achievable task, but they’ll need Rahul Tewatia at his very best for that.

He has been in pretty poor form this season with both bat and ball and has failed to deliver the goods for his team. With just 86 runs at a strike rate of less than 130, he hasn’t really been able to fulfill his responsibility as a finisher. As the team’s sole spinner, he has some extra burden on his shoulders but he hasn’t done much given he’s picked up just two wickets while conceding at nearly 10. Given how important he is to the balance of the side, they need him to fire during the second half if they are to qualify for the playoffs.

7. Royal Challengers Bangalore – Spinners’ form

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-451904" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Yuzvendra-Chahal-1.jpg" alt="Yuzvendra Chahal" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-451904" class="wp-caption-text">Yuzvendra Chahal. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption>

After the auction, not many would have predicted RCB to be playing as well as they are. They are currently sitting third with 10 points from seven games and three more wins or even two will guarantee them a place in the playoffs. With four batsmen scoring in excess of 190 runs, it isn’t an area of concern for them.

Even their pacers have been quite impressive with Harshal Patel exceeding several expectations. He has received support from Mohammed Siraj and <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/ipl-2021-yuzvendra-chahal-teaches-hindi-to-kyle-jamieson-video-goes-viral/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kyle Jamieson</a> as well, but the spin department hasn’t really done a whole lot. Yuzvendra Chahal’s poor form for the Indian team has continued into the IPL as he has picked up just four wickets in seven games while conceding at over 8.

Washington Sundar has just three wickets to his name in 6 games and has conceded at 7.37. Shahbaz Ahmed has fared better with four wickets in five overs, but it has to be kept in mind that three of them came in just one over. Thus, it&#8217;s quite clear that their spinners have failed to contribute and if this doesn’t change, it will be a major problem for them going forward.

8. Sunrisers Hyderabad – Middle Order

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-458132" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Manish-Pandey-and-Vijay-Shankar.jpg" alt="Manish Pandey and Vijay Shankar" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-458132" class="wp-caption-text">Manish Pandey and Vijay Shankar. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption>

Sunrisers Hyderabad were having an absolute nightmare of a season before the event was suspended as they could only win one game out of seven. They even sacked their captain, David Warner, and appointed Kane Williamson, but even that didn’t work as they were defeated quite comfortably by RR.

One of the main reasons behind their poor form was their middle order’s consistent failures. Their middle order was the main culprit in almost all of their losses. In their game against RCB, they needed 35 runs in the last four overs with 8 wickets in hand but lost by six runs. Against MI, they failed to chase 31 runs in four overs, and against DC, Virat Singh, <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/ipl-2021-pragyan-ojha-wants-manish-pandey-to-take-a-break-bats-for-kedar-jadhavs-inclusion/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kedar Jadhav</a>, and Abhishek Sharma completely slowed down the innings before Williamson dragged them to the Super Over.

No one has fired for them in the middle order and they depend far too much on Kane Williamson for solidity during the middle overs. If they are to improve their performances in the 2nd half, the middle order has to step up, or else the team could set a few embarrassing records.

The current edition of the IPL was going along quite well with half of the tournament already done and as is the case every year, there was some high-quality cricket on display before it was suspended due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
However, it is expected that the 2nd leg of the 14th edition will take place later this year with September being a potential window. Thus, the team managements will have to be ready for a situation where the tournament resumes and they will be analysing their performances in detail to find out their respective weaknesses.
Regardless of where they are positioned, every team will have some or the other weakness that they must iron out if they are to mount a proper title challenge.
<h3>On that note, here’s a look at every team’s area of concern ahead of the second leg of IPL 2021:</h3>
<h3>1. Chennai Super Kings – Death Bowling</h3>
<figure id="attachment_419949" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-419949" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-419949" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/MS-Dhoni-and-Shardul-Thakur.jpg" alt="MS Dhoni and Shardul Thakur" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img><figcaption id="caption-attachment-419949" class="wp-caption-text">MS Dhoni and Shardul Thakur. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>
After a 7th place finish last season, MS Dhoni’s men would have wanted to bounce back in style and they were doing exactly that with 5 wins from just 7 games. Their batting has been an area of strength for them with the top 3 of Faf du Plessis, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/crictracker/posts/4530607723636580" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ruturaj Gaikwad</a>, and Moeen Ali delivering on a regular basis.
Even the bowling during the powerplay and middle overs have been good, but one area where they have to improve is their death bowling. While the numbers suggest that they have conceded at less than 10 during the last four overs of an innings, it is a bit misleading. In a few of the games, their bowlers picked up wickets early on in the innings, and thus, opposition teams couldn’t score much during the end, but that isn’t a true reflection of how they bowled during the death.
In their last game against the Mumbai Indians, they had 48 runs to defend in the last three overs but failed to do that as they were smashed to all parts of the ground. Even against SRH, they were very poor during the end as they leaked 50 runs in the last four. Even while defending 75 runs during the last 5 overs with just three wickets in hand for KKR, they still struggled to close out the game with ease as they ended up winning by just 18 runs. Thus, it is clear that it is an area of concern for them and it could hurt them during the playoffs if they don’t get better.

<h3>2. Delhi Capitals – Overseas Players</h3>
<figure id="attachment_454083" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-454083" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-454083" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Marcus-Stoinis-1.jpg" alt="Marcus Stoinis" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img><figcaption id="caption-attachment-454083" class="wp-caption-text">Marcus Stoinis. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption></figure>
Delhi Capitals were flying before the season was suspended and were sitting on top of the table with 12 points on the board. They look like a well-balanced unit and are almost certain to qualify for their third consecutive playoffs. However, if one was to look at individual performances, it is clear that their overseas players haven’t contributed a whole lot and this is something they can work on.
Steve Smith hasn’t been able to deliver the kind of performances one expects from him as he’s scored just 104 runs in five innings at a poor strike rate of 111.82. Marcus Stoinis has just 71 runs to his name and even his bowling has been poor given that he has picked up just two wickets while having an economy rate of 10.9.
Last season’s Purple Cap winner, <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/ipl-2021-kagiso-rabadas-full-toss-sends-chris-gayles-stumps-flying-all-over-the-place-in-pbks-vs-dc-clash/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kagiso Rabada</a> has struggled to replicate his usual form with just eight wickets in seven games while conceding at 8.76. Fortunately for them, it might not be a huge problem given that they have quality backups like Chris Woakes, Anrich Nortje, and Sam Billings, and thus, it isn’t something they have to worry about a whole lot.

<h3>3. Kolkata Knight Riders – Batting Lineup</h3>
<figure id="attachment_504356" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-504356" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-504356" 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-504356" class="wp-caption-text">Shubman Gill. (Photo Source: Disney + Hotstar VIP)</figcaption></figure>
KKR have massively underperformed thus far with just two wins out of seven games. Pretty much everyone in the team has been a disappointment thus far, but the batting has probably been their biggest problem.
None of their batsmen barring <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/i-hit-ball-100-meters-bowled-140-plus-people-questioned-if-i-was-using-drugs-andre-russell-recalls-the-darkest-phase-of-career/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Andre Russell</a> showed any kind of form and it’s quite obvious as to why they are 7th placed. Nitish Rana had a bright start to the tournament with two half-centuries, but he hasn’t done much since then. Shubman Gill has been in woeful form as well having scored just 132 runs.
Rahul Tripathi has gotten starts in almost every game, but he hasn’t made the most of them as he has less than 190 runs to his name. Their captain, Eoin Morgan has also failed to lead from the front with just 92 runs and Dinesh Karthik has scored 130 runs. Karthik is the only one with over 100 runs who averages more than 30 for them and this certainly has to change during the second leg.

<h3>4. Mumbai Indians – Pandya Brothers</h3>
<figure id="attachment_511114" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-511114" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-511114" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Krunal-Pandya-2.jpg" alt="Krunal Pandya" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img><figcaption id="caption-attachment-511114" class="wp-caption-text">Krunal Pandya. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption></figure>
The Pandya brothers are amongst the best products of MI’s scouting system and have been very important players for them over the last few years. However, both of them have been quite poor and that has also resulted in the team having a rather shaky start to the season with three defeats in seven.
<a href="https://www.crictracker.com/the-selectors-decision-to-ignore-hardik-pandya-for-tests-is-understandable-sarandeep-singh/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hardik Pandya</a> has probably been the biggest disappointment of the tournament thus far, having scored a paltry 52 runs at an average of 8.66 while striking at a very poor 118.18. Given that he is one of their most important players, he must step up and support Kieron Pollard in terms of finishing the innings with the bat.
His brother, Krunal Pandya has only been slightly less disappointing with just 100 runs at an average of 16.66. However, he showed signs of improvement during the last two games and they will be hoping for more of the same. With the ball, he has picked up just three wickets at a strike rate of 34 and those aren’t great numbers for someone who is his team’s 2nd choice spinner.

<h3>5. Punjab Kings – Lack of wickets from bowlers</h3>
<figure id="attachment_508837" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-508837" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-508837" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Riley-Meredith.jpg" alt="Riley Meredith" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img><figcaption id="caption-attachment-508837" class="wp-caption-text">Riley Meredith. (Photo Source: Twitter)</figcaption></figure>
Punjab Kings have won three games and lost five, showing that inconsistency has been a bit of an issue for them. On paper, they have a pretty good squad, but certain problems have haunted them and one of them has been a lack of wickets on regular intervals.
Their bowlers have picked up just 37 wickets in eight games, which is less than 5 wickets per game on average. None of their bowlers have more than eight wickets and out of those who have bowled a minimum of ten overs, just one has a strike rate of less than 24.
This isn’t to say that they have bowled poorly as the likes of Mohammed Shami, <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/ipl-2021-anil-kumble-reveals-the-reason-for-ravi-bishnoi-not-playing-the-first-four-matches/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ravi Bishnoi</a> and even Riley Meredith on his comeback have bowled well, but they don’t have the wickets to show for it. And as we all know, without wickets it is difficult to wins matches and thus, the bowlers will have to find ways of dismissing batsmen and prove that they are actually bowling well.

<h3>6. Rajasthan Royals – Rahul Tewatia’s form</h3>
<figure id="attachment_456552" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-456552" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-456552" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Rahul-Tewatia-of-RR.jpg" alt="Rahul Tewatia" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img><figcaption id="caption-attachment-456552" class="wp-caption-text">Rahul Tewatia. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption></figure>
RR’s season was majorly wrecked by injuries and the unavailability of several key players like Ben Stokes, <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/jofra-archer-ruled-out-of-test-series-against-new-zealand/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jofra Archer</a>, Liam Livingstone, and Andrew Tye and thus, it is understandable as to why they haven’t performed as well as everyone expected them to after the auction.
With three wins from seven games, they aren’t in the greatest of positions but they still have a good chance of finishing in the top 4 given that MI are just two points ahead. With the potential return of all their players, it is certainly an achievable task, but they’ll need Rahul Tewatia at his very best for that.
He has been in pretty poor form this season with both bat and ball and has failed to deliver the goods for his team. With just 86 runs at a strike rate of less than 130, he hasn’t really been able to fulfill his responsibility as a finisher. As the team’s sole spinner, he has some extra burden on his shoulders but he hasn’t done much given he’s picked up just two wickets while conceding at nearly 10. Given how important he is to the balance of the side, they need him to fire during the second half if they are to qualify for the playoffs.

<h3>7. Royal Challengers Bangalore – Spinners’ form</h3>
<figure id="attachment_451904" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-451904" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-451904" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Yuzvendra-Chahal-1.jpg" alt="Yuzvendra Chahal" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img><figcaption id="caption-attachment-451904" class="wp-caption-text">Yuzvendra Chahal. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption></figure>
After the auction, not many would have predicted RCB to be playing as well as they are. They are currently sitting third with 10 points from seven games and three more wins or even two will guarantee them a place in the playoffs. With four batsmen scoring in excess of 190 runs, it isn’t an area of concern for them.
Even their pacers have been quite impressive with Harshal Patel exceeding several expectations. He has received support from Mohammed Siraj and <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/ipl-2021-yuzvendra-chahal-teaches-hindi-to-kyle-jamieson-video-goes-viral/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kyle Jamieson</a> as well, but the spin department hasn’t really done a whole lot. Yuzvendra Chahal’s poor form for the Indian team has continued into the IPL as he has picked up just four wickets in seven games while conceding at over 8.
Washington Sundar has just three wickets to his name in 6 games and has conceded at 7.37. Shahbaz Ahmed has fared better with four wickets in five overs, but it has to be kept in mind that three of them came in just one over. Thus, it’s quite clear that their spinners have failed to contribute and if this doesn’t change, it will be a major problem for them going forward.

<h3>&nbsp;8. Sunrisers Hyderabad – Middle Order</h3>
<figure id="attachment_458132" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-458132" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-458132" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Manish-Pandey-and-Vijay-Shankar.jpg" alt="Manish Pandey and Vijay Shankar" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img><figcaption id="caption-attachment-458132" class="wp-caption-text">Manish Pandey and Vijay Shankar. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption></figure>
Sunrisers Hyderabad were having an absolute nightmare of a season before the event was suspended as they could only win one game out of seven. They even sacked their captain, David Warner, and appointed Kane Williamson, but even that didn’t work as they were defeated quite comfortably by RR.
One of the main reasons behind their poor form was their middle order’s consistent failures. Their middle order was the main culprit in almost all of their losses. In their game against RCB, they needed 35 runs in the last four overs with 8 wickets in hand but lost by six runs. Against MI, they failed to chase 31 runs in four overs, and against DC, Virat Singh, <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/ipl-2021-pragyan-ojha-wants-manish-pandey-to-take-a-break-bats-for-kedar-jadhavs-inclusion/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kedar Jadhav</a>, and Abhishek Sharma completely slowed down the innings before Williamson dragged them to the Super Over.
No one has fired for them in the middle order and they depend far too much on Kane Williamson for solidity during the middle overs. If they are to improve their performances in the 2nd half, the middle order has to step up, or else the team could set a few embarrassing records.

The current edition of the IPL was going along quite well with half of the tournament already done and as is the case every year, there was some high-quality cricket on display before it was suspended due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
However, it is expected that the 2nd leg of the 14th edition will take place later this year with September being a potential window. Thus, the team managements will have to be ready for a situation where the tournament resumes and they will be analysing their performances in detail to find out their respective weaknesses.
Regardless of where they are positioned, every team will have some or the other weakness that they must iron out if they are to mount a proper title challenge.
<h3>On that note, here’s a look at every team’s area of concern ahead of the second leg of IPL 2021:</h3>
<h3>1. Chennai Super Kings – Death Bowling</h3>
<figure id="attachment_419949" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-419949" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-419949" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/MS-Dhoni-and-Shardul-Thakur.jpg" alt="MS Dhoni and Shardul Thakur" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-419949" class="wp-caption-text">MS Dhoni and Shardul Thakur. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>
After a 7th place finish last season, MS Dhoni’s men would have wanted to bounce back in style and they were doing exactly that with 5 wins from just 7 games. Their batting has been an area of strength for them with the top 3 of Faf du Plessis, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/crictracker/posts/4530607723636580" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ruturaj Gaikwad</a>, and Moeen Ali delivering on a regular basis.
Even the bowling during the powerplay and middle overs have been good, but one area where they have to improve is their death bowling. While the numbers suggest that they have conceded at less than 10 during the last four overs of an innings, it is a bit misleading. In a few of the games, their bowlers picked up wickets early on in the innings, and thus, opposition teams couldn’t score much during the end, but that isn’t a true reflection of how they bowled during the death.
In their last game against the Mumbai Indians, they had 48 runs to defend in the last three overs but failed to do that as they were smashed to all parts of the ground. Even against SRH, they were very poor during the end as they leaked 50 runs in the last four. Even while defending 75 runs during the last 5 overs with just three wickets in hand for KKR, they still struggled to close out the game with ease as they ended up winning by just 18 runs. Thus, it is clear that it is an area of concern for them and it could hurt them during the playoffs if they don’t get better.

<h3>2. Delhi Capitals – Overseas Players</h3>
<figure id="attachment_454083" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-454083" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-454083" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Marcus-Stoinis-1.jpg" alt="Marcus Stoinis" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-454083" class="wp-caption-text">Marcus Stoinis. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption></figure>
Delhi Capitals were flying before the season was suspended and were sitting on top of the table with 12 points on the board. They look like a well-balanced unit and are almost certain to qualify for their third consecutive playoffs. However, if one was to look at individual performances, it is clear that their overseas players haven’t contributed a whole lot and this is something they can work on.
Steve Smith hasn’t been able to deliver the kind of performances one expects from him as he’s scored just 104 runs in five innings at a poor strike rate of 111.82. Marcus Stoinis has just 71 runs to his name and even his bowling has been poor given that he has picked up just two wickets while having an economy rate of 10.9.
Last season’s Purple Cap winner, <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/ipl-2021-kagiso-rabadas-full-toss-sends-chris-gayles-stumps-flying-all-over-the-place-in-pbks-vs-dc-clash/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kagiso Rabada</a> has struggled to replicate his usual form with just eight wickets in seven games while conceding at 8.76. Fortunately for them, it might not be a huge problem given that they have quality backups like Chris Woakes, Anrich Nortje, and Sam Billings, and thus, it isn’t something they have to worry about a whole lot.

<h3>3. Kolkata Knight Riders – Batting Lineup</h3>
<figure id="attachment_504356" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-504356" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-504356" 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-504356" class="wp-caption-text">Shubman Gill. (Photo Source: Disney + Hotstar VIP)</figcaption></figure>
KKR have massively underperformed thus far with just two wins out of seven games. Pretty much everyone in the team has been a disappointment thus far, but the batting has probably been their biggest problem.
None of their batsmen barring <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/i-hit-ball-100-meters-bowled-140-plus-people-questioned-if-i-was-using-drugs-andre-russell-recalls-the-darkest-phase-of-career/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Andre Russell</a> showed any kind of form and it&#8217;s quite obvious as to why they are 7th placed. Nitish Rana had a bright start to the tournament with two half-centuries, but he hasn’t done much since then. Shubman Gill has been in woeful form as well having scored just 132 runs.
Rahul Tripathi has gotten starts in almost every game, but he hasn’t made the most of them as he has less than 190 runs to his name. Their captain, Eoin Morgan has also failed to lead from the front with just 92 runs and Dinesh Karthik has scored 130 runs. Karthik is the only one with over 100 runs who averages more than 30 for them and this certainly has to change during the second leg.

<h3>4. Mumbai Indians – Pandya Brothers</h3>
<figure id="attachment_511114" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-511114" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-511114" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Krunal-Pandya-2.jpg" alt="Krunal Pandya" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-511114" class="wp-caption-text">Krunal Pandya. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption></figure>
The Pandya brothers are amongst the best products of MI’s scouting system and have been very important players for them over the last few years. However, both of them have been quite poor and that has also resulted in the team having a rather shaky start to the season with three defeats in seven.
<a href="https://www.crictracker.com/the-selectors-decision-to-ignore-hardik-pandya-for-tests-is-understandable-sarandeep-singh/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hardik Pandya</a> has probably been the biggest disappointment of the tournament thus far, having scored a paltry 52 runs at an average of 8.66 while striking at a very poor 118.18. Given that he is one of their most important players, he must step up and support Kieron Pollard in terms of finishing the innings with the bat.
His brother, Krunal Pandya has only been slightly less disappointing with just 100 runs at an average of 16.66. However, he showed signs of improvement during the last two games and they will be hoping for more of the same. With the ball, he has picked up just three wickets at a strike rate of 34 and those aren’t great numbers for someone who is his team’s 2nd choice spinner.

<h3>5. Punjab Kings – Lack of wickets from bowlers</h3>
<figure id="attachment_508837" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-508837" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-508837" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Riley-Meredith.jpg" alt="Riley Meredith" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-508837" class="wp-caption-text">Riley Meredith. (Photo Source: Twitter)</figcaption></figure>
Punjab Kings have won three games and lost five, showing that inconsistency has been a bit of an issue for them. On paper, they have a pretty good squad, but certain problems have haunted them and one of them has been a lack of wickets on regular intervals.
Their bowlers have picked up just 37 wickets in eight games, which is less than 5 wickets per game on average. None of their bowlers have more than eight wickets and out of those who have bowled a minimum of ten overs, just one has a strike rate of less than 24.
This isn’t to say that they have bowled poorly as the likes of Mohammed Shami, <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/ipl-2021-anil-kumble-reveals-the-reason-for-ravi-bishnoi-not-playing-the-first-four-matches/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ravi Bishnoi</a> and even Riley Meredith on his comeback have bowled well, but they don’t have the wickets to show for it. And as we all know, without wickets it is difficult to wins matches and thus, the bowlers will have to find ways of dismissing batsmen and prove that they are actually bowling well.

<h3>6. Rajasthan Royals – Rahul Tewatia’s form</h3>
<figure id="attachment_456552" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-456552" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-456552" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Rahul-Tewatia-of-RR.jpg" alt="Rahul Tewatia" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-456552" class="wp-caption-text">Rahul Tewatia. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption></figure>
RR’s season was majorly wrecked by injuries and the unavailability of several key players like Ben Stokes, <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/jofra-archer-ruled-out-of-test-series-against-new-zealand/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jofra Archer</a>, Liam Livingstone, and Andrew Tye and thus, it is understandable as to why they haven’t performed as well as everyone expected them to after the auction.
With three wins from seven games, they aren’t in the greatest of positions but they still have a good chance of finishing in the top 4 given that MI are just two points ahead. With the potential return of all their players, it is certainly an achievable task, but they’ll need Rahul Tewatia at his very best for that.
He has been in pretty poor form this season with both bat and ball and has failed to deliver the goods for his team. With just 86 runs at a strike rate of less than 130, he hasn’t really been able to fulfill his responsibility as a finisher. As the team’s sole spinner, he has some extra burden on his shoulders but he hasn’t done much given he’s picked up just two wickets while conceding at nearly 10. Given how important he is to the balance of the side, they need him to fire during the second half if they are to qualify for the playoffs.

<h3>7. Royal Challengers Bangalore – Spinners’ form</h3>
<figure id="attachment_451904" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-451904" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-451904" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Yuzvendra-Chahal-1.jpg" alt="Yuzvendra Chahal" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-451904" class="wp-caption-text">Yuzvendra Chahal. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption></figure>
After the auction, not many would have predicted RCB to be playing as well as they are. They are currently sitting third with 10 points from seven games and three more wins or even two will guarantee them a place in the playoffs. With four batsmen scoring in excess of 190 runs, it isn’t an area of concern for them.
Even their pacers have been quite impressive with Harshal Patel exceeding several expectations. He has received support from Mohammed Siraj and <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/ipl-2021-yuzvendra-chahal-teaches-hindi-to-kyle-jamieson-video-goes-viral/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kyle Jamieson</a> as well, but the spin department hasn’t really done a whole lot. Yuzvendra Chahal’s poor form for the Indian team has continued into the IPL as he has picked up just four wickets in seven games while conceding at over 8.
Washington Sundar has just three wickets to his name in 6 games and has conceded at 7.37. Shahbaz Ahmed has fared better with four wickets in five overs, but it has to be kept in mind that three of them came in just one over. Thus, it&#8217;s quite clear that their spinners have failed to contribute and if this doesn’t change, it will be a major problem for them going forward.

<h3> 8. Sunrisers Hyderabad – Middle Order</h3>
<figure id="attachment_458132" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-458132" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-458132" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Manish-Pandey-and-Vijay-Shankar.jpg" alt="Manish Pandey and Vijay Shankar" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-458132" class="wp-caption-text">Manish Pandey and Vijay Shankar. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption></figure>
Sunrisers Hyderabad were having an absolute nightmare of a season before the event was suspended as they could only win one game out of seven. They even sacked their captain, David Warner, and appointed Kane Williamson, but even that didn’t work as they were defeated quite comfortably by RR.
One of the main reasons behind their poor form was their middle order’s consistent failures. Their middle order was the main culprit in almost all of their losses. In their game against RCB, they needed 35 runs in the last four overs with 8 wickets in hand but lost by six runs. Against MI, they failed to chase 31 runs in four overs, and against DC, Virat Singh, <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/ipl-2021-pragyan-ojha-wants-manish-pandey-to-take-a-break-bats-for-kedar-jadhavs-inclusion/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kedar Jadhav</a>, and Abhishek Sharma completely slowed down the innings before Williamson dragged them to the Super Over.
No one has fired for them in the middle order and they depend far too much on Kane Williamson for solidity during the middle overs. If they are to improve their performances in the 2nd half, the middle order has to step up, or else the team could set a few embarrassing records.

Teams need to work on the chinks in their armour before the tournament restarts.

Team-wise areas of concern ahead of the second leg of IPL 2021

The current edition of the IPL was going along quite well with half of the tournament already done and as is the case every year, there was