Kings XI's Regeneration and CSK's Struggles- What‘s different in this year's IPL

This IPL Season had to be very different from all the previous editions due to the ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic. A year ago, it would have been hard to imagine that it would be played in the UAE without any spectators or fans, yet here we are enjoying the latest cricket action from the comfort of our homes.

 But another thing nobody expected was to see last year's finalists CSK languishing at the bottom of the table completely knocked out of contention of making the playoffs having played twelve matches. Though they have fielded a strong team throughout their campaign, they have not managed to obtain results.

After Rajasthan Royals' victory over Mumbai Indians sealed their fate, Chennai are expected to field a less experienced lineup to experiment their long-term plans as the eleven that has brought them success over the years is clearly aging. They tried a younger lineup which failed to impress but were later rewarded after starring in an eight wicket victory over high-flying RCB.

While the top three Delhi Capitals, Mumbai Indians, and Royal Challengers Bangalore seem to be pulling away, the final playoff spot is all to play for as Sunrisers Hyderabad and Rajasthan Royals are waiting to pounce on a mistake from either King XI Punjab who are currently in the driving seat or Kolkata Knight Riders who after holding that final place for so long recently fell victim to Kings XI's winning streak.

Speaking of Kings XI Punjab, what a regeneration! Halfway through the group stage they had a solitary win from seven games and looked to be completely out of contention for a place in the playoffs, but KL Rahul's men had other plans as they scripted five consecutive wins since then including a memorable double super over win over Mumbai Indians to put them back on track.

The competition for the Orange cap and Purple cap is also an an intriguing contest. Kings XI skipper KL Rahul is in a league of his own as he nears the six-hundred run mark while his teammate Mayank Agarwal pulled out injured after being one of the top scorers till then. Shikhar Dhawan, having created history by scoring back-to back centuries is now the closest contender followed by Sunrisers Hyderabad's David Warner.

Kagisto Rabada's remarkable streak finally ended as he went wicketless for the first time in 26 matches as his team Delhi Capitals suffered an 88 run loss against SRH. This has allowed fast bowlers Mohammed Shami, Jofra Archer, and Jasprit Bumrah to catch up as Shami is only three wickets shy of the purple cap. Leg-spinner Rashid Khan is also a major contender after some stellar displays recently.

This IPL Season has had many brilliant moments, be it Rahul Tewatia's 30 runs of one over or Chris Gayle's phenomenal return to the sport. We may have a lot more moments like these as the group stage is not yet completed and the drama is only expected to elevate from here.

Photo Credit: Sportzpics for BCCI