IPL 2015 team preview: Kings XI Punjab
Batting strength
| Batsman | Batting Runs Above Average (2014) | Overall batting rank |
|---|---|---|
| DA Miller | 178 | 6 |
| GJ Maxwell | 123 | 9 |
| M Vohra | 109 | 10 |
| WP Saha | 67 | 16 |
| SE Marsh | 16 | 34 |
| GJ Bailey | 15 | 35 |
| V Sehwag | -1 | 52 |
| M Vijay | -61 | 101 |
Bowling strength
| Bowler | Bowling Runs Above Average (2014) | Overall bowling rank |
|---|---|---|
| Sandeep Sharma | 192 | 5 |
| Karanveer Singh | 170 | 7 |
| AR Patel | 110 | 10 |
| MG Johnson | 71 | 17 |
| R Dhawan | 29 | 26 |
| BE Hendricks | -5 | 43 |
| Shivam Sharma | -30 | 53 |
| P Awana | -33 | 54 |
Other notable players: NLTC Perera
The Kings XI Punjab are our pick to win this year's IPL. The team retained most of its players from the previous season, and their only notable acquisition in this year's player auction was Murali Vijay. The team has exceptional depth in both batting and bowling - they are the only team in the tournament to have at least five batsmen with 300+ scores in the previous season, and at least five bowlers with double-digit wickets. Their all-round strength makes them well-set for a long-run in this season.
While the hard-hitting batting of the team justifiably caught everyone's attention last year - the Maxwell-Miller pair demolished pretty much every bowling attack in that season - it was really the bowling of the team that gave them the boost that helped them win 11 out of their 14 league matches. The team received unexpectedly good bowling performance from the Indian quartet of Sandeep Sharma, Karanveer Sharma, Axar Patel and Rishi Dhawan, all of whom racked up double-digit wickets in the tournament. While some regression to mean is expected in bowling, the team's overall strength makes them a formidable challenger for any opponent in this season.
Roster management: Expect the four overseas spots to be taken up by captain Bailey, Maxwell, Miller and Mitchell Johnson. The team might try to sneak-in Shaun Marsh or Thisara Perera if the situation so arises, but otherwise the team is fairly well set as far as the overseas contingent is concerned. They have only one specialist wicketkeeper in Wriddhiman Saha, and the team will hope that he will remain fit throughout the tournament to keep the wickets in every match.
Dark horse: In a team full of superstars, it is almost impossible to choose a dark horse. With such a strong overseas contingent, Thisara Perera may not be even able to make it to the final eleven on most of the days. However, he has the potential to be a game changer, and should the opportunity arise because of injury or other reasons, he can make a big impact on the team.
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