IPL 2009 Preview: Kings XI Punjab

Kings XI Punjab

IPL 2008 semi finalists. Might have done better had their black cheerleaders been allowed entry to the stadium on match day.Fourth favourites in the betting to take the 2009 IPL. Could be let down with the lack of any South Africans in their line up.

Key Players: Shaun Marsh, Mahela Jayawardene, Kumar Sangakkara, Ravi Bopara, Yuvraj Singh, Brett Lee

Ins and Outs: Fairly quite on the transfer front with incomers of Burt Cockley, Ravi Bopara and Jerome Taylor.

Batsmen

Shaun Marsh 25 year old Ozzie ODI left handed opener. Highest scorer in IPL 2008 despite being overlooked in 2 rounds of bidding and missing the first 4 matches. Could go big again but won't be under priced in most games after last season.
Mahela Jayawardene 31 year old Sri Lanka capatain and right handed bat. Averages low 30s and a nimble fielder having one of the highest run our ratios for ODIs.

Simon Katich 33 year old left handed opener averages in the mid 30s in ODI for Australia.

Luke Pomersbach 24 year old Australian domestic attacking left-handed batsman. Made a most unusual debut for the Australian cricket team in a Twenty20 International against New Zealand in Perth on 11 December 2007. Having not been selected in the original squad for the match, Pomersbach was at the ground as a spectator, when a back injury to Brad Hodge during the warm-up forced the Australian team to call on Pomersbach as an emergency replacement. Won the 2008 Bradman Young Player of the Year.

Sunny Sohal 21 year old former Indian U19 left handed bat.

Karan Goel 22 year old Indian domestic left handed middle order bat. Averages high 20s in Twenty20 and occasionally bowls right arm offbreak

Tanmay Srivastava 19 year old left hander who won the 2008 U/19 Cricket World Cup with India.

Sahil Kukreja Indian domestic player. 23 year old right handed batsman.
Yash Gandhi young Indian batsman.

All Rounders

Yuvraj Singh (Captain) Icon 30 year old averages 37 with the bat and 39 with the ball for India in ODI. Smashed 6 sixes off one Stuart Broad over in 2007 and made the fastest fifty ever in Twenty20, off just 12 balls which is the fastest 50 in any form of international cricket. Bookies rate him to be the bet Kings XI batter.
Ravi Bopara 23 year old English all rounder. Scored a double century in the English one day game last season. Beware of England commitments.
Irfan Pathan 24 year old Indian up and comer, and played over 100 ODI. Won ICC Emerging Player of the Year in 2004.
James Hopes 30 year old Ozzie all rounder averaging 20 with the bat and 32 with the ball in ODI.

Wilkin Mota 27 year old Indian part timer. Look anywhere but koolwilly.

Ramesh Powar 30 year old Indian bowler. Possibly misclassified in a few games. Overlook

Ryan Ninan 23 year old Indian right hander. Only played 4 first class games.

Piyush Chawla young 20 year old Indian knocking on the door for international selection. Averages 20 with the bat and 22 with the ball in Twenty20

Wicket Keepers

Kumar Sangakkara Experienced Sri Lankan kepper with over 246 ODI caps and averages 36 with the bat.

Uday Kaul young Indian domestic keeper/batsman. Can't see him getting a game with a fit Sangakkara.

Bowlers

Brett Lee Quick 32 year old Ozzie who can send them down at a hundred miles an hour. Also useful with the bat.

Jerome Taylor 24 year old Jamaican fast bowler. Averages 26 with the ball for the West Indies in ODIs. Could develop into an all rounder after a test century against New Zealand last year.

Burt Cockley Young Ozzie fast medium bowler who plays for NSW.
Vikram Raj Vir Singh A rare genuine fast bowler from India. Played 4 tests and 2 ODIs.
Ajitesh Argal Quick Indian U19 player and was amn of the match in the U19 World cup final.
Sreesanth Indian medium pacer with over 40 ODIs under his belt. Appealing.