IPL returns amid Covid-19 pandemic: What the new season has in store

In a season of relentless cricket that has seen India triumph in Australia and outsmart a formidable English side at home, you’d forgiven for thinking that the best is already behind us. After all, it’s tough to better back-to-back winning performances against two of the top teams in the world. Yet, the allure of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is such that in pure sporting terms, the climax of this most absorbing of cricket seasons may well arrive over the next two months. The tournament, which kicks off in Chennai tonight, holds greater significance this time around since it comes close to the T20 World Cup, which will be held in India starting October. Here's a list of the major talking points.

Bubble trouble

The 2020 edition was the first time players took part in a competition while having to operate within a bio-secure bubble. The plan worked and things passed off smoothly, with only a handful of Covid cases reported. A year later, the scene has changed dramatically.

Most Indian players, for instance, have had to deal with the restrictions that come with a bubble for over five months now. And presumably, there have been leaks, explaining the rising number of cases among players and other staff.

While spending more time together can help improve team chemistry, it can also lead to frustration. With most teams hauled up in hotels over the next few weeks, bubble fatigue may well become an important factor in how they perform in the tournament.

Home sweet home

While the United Arab Emirates (UAE) proved to be an excellent host last year, it’s good to see the IPL return home. Among the biggest beneficiaries of this switch will be the spinn­ers, who endured a torrid time in the UAE, going at an average economy rate of 7.54. Given the hot conditions in India and the pit­ches traditionally favouring the spinners, they will have a bigger role to play this season.

On the other hand, fast bowlers may not be so welcoming of the change: In 2020, five of the top seven wicket-takers were speedsters. Chances are that genuine pace will be replaced by cunning variations, as has been the norm in the IPL. But there maybe hope: Due to the pandemic, most pitches haven’t been played on as much as previous years, meaning they’ll be fresher, at least to start off with.

Rishabh Pant, the leader

Year 2021 has been Rishabh Pant’s annus mirabilis. The young wicket-keeper is perhaps the most exciting player in world cricket, sensational with bat in hand and much improved behind the stumps. But with the Delhi Capitals, this player of freakishly good quality will face a unique challenge for someone just 23 years old: Captaincy.  

Despite the natural belligerence, Pant’s success over the last few months has been defined by common sense, a quality needed in all leaders. The Capitals will be a hot property this year and Pant, with assistance from head coach Ricky Ponting and seniors Ravichandran Ashwin and Ajinkya Rahane, will determine if they can go from contenders to champions. With skippers this young, it is either sink or soar. Knowing the form Pant is in, it’ll most probably be the latter.