The new season of the Indian T20 League got underway in the UAE on Saturday, September 19, and eight teams battle it out here onwards to win the most coveted T20 league on the planet. Former Australian pacer and SportsAdda's brand ambassador Brett Lee has been keeping a keen eye on the teams, and while the shift in venue was expected to be the great equaliser, he believes these four teams will make it to the 2020 Indian T20 League playoffs.
Chennai
Three-time champions and perennial finalists Chennai are Lee's first choice to make it to the Indian T20 League playoffs.
Led by MS Dhoni, Chennai have failed to make it to the final only twice in their nine seasons in the Indian T20 League.
The three-time champions have a deep roster boasting of some of the most experienced T20 cricketers on the planet. Dwayne Bravo, Shane Watson, Imran Tahir are veterans who have not only excelled in the Indian T20 League but have delivered in T20 leagues across the planet.
They started on a winning note this season and plenty, including Brett, have them going deep into the tournament.
Rajasthan
A surprise pick for many, Lee believes the Royals' foreign quartet of Australian Steve Smith and Englishmen Jofra Archer, Jos Buttler and all-rounder Ben Stokes have what it takes to stick it out.
Buttler has been in terrific nick recently with the English national team against Australia while Archer has been in decent form too. Stokes had been nursing an injury but is expected to be fit during the Indian T20 League and give Rajasthan a great boost during the season.
Smith, who was captain of the now-defunct Rising Pune Supergiants, knows what it takes to venture deep into the tournament and his experience and leadership will be immense for a rather young Rajasthanteam.
Mumbai
Defending champions Mumbai are Lee's third pick to make it the Indian T20 League playoffs.
In Rohit Sharma and Quinton de Kock, Mumbai have two of the finest white-ball cricketers on the planet at the top of their batting order and in Suryakumar Yadav, the four-time champions have an underrated batsman who can hold his own against the world's finest.
The Pandya brothers - Krunal and Hardik - are two of the finest in the country while Kieron Pollard, the team’s longest-serving member, is a proven game-changer and is coming off a brilliant campaign in the Caribbean Premier League, where he led the Trinbago Knights Riders to a perfect record en route to the title.
In Jasprit Bumrah, Mumbai possesses perhaps the best bowlers on the planet and Lee believes the strength and depth of this roster make them the favourites to lift the fifth Indian T20 League crown.
Kolkata
For his last pick, Lee went with his former side, the Kolkata.
The two-time champions made a huge revamp to their roster, bringing in Eoin Morgan to lead the side for the upcoming season. The also shelled out a fortune on pacer Pat Cummins, to pair him with Sunil Narine, making them the best spin-pace punch in the league.
However, what Lee is most excited about is the acquisition of Brendon McCullum as the coach, who he believes can lead the side to their third Indian T20 League title.
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Feature image courtesy: AFP / Sajjad Hussain
