Who are you rooting for this IPL?

A.B. de Villiers, Royal Challengers Bangalore

 

"A.B. de Villiers is my cricketing role model. He’s a humble and non-judgemental cricketer and a reliable skipper, being able to take critical decisions for whichever team he plays for. He’s an inspiration, holding records for the fastest 50, 100, and 150 in a one-day international (ODI) and currently the world’s best ODI player. My expectation for De Villiers is to be ranked the highest run scorer for the 2016 IPL season.” 

 

Joshua Cameron Mackenzie, 15, student, South Africa

 

Shane Watson, Royal Challengers Bangalore

 

“Shane Watson is currently the world’s number-one all-rounder in T20s. I’m backing him as he is an excellent fielder and was voted man of the tournament twice in the IPL. He plays for Royal Challengers Bangalore this year, a team that reached the IPL finals twice.” 

 

Batul Rahman, 27, HR administrator, Bangladesh

 

Lasith Malinga, Mumbai Indians

 

“I will follow Lasith Malinga, who is well known for his toe-crushing yorkers. His Slinga action has made him a very successful bowler and he’s dangerous to face when in form. His contribution to Mumbai Indians has been immense, and his remarkable ability to take wickets during the latter part of the match is a game changer. I never get tired of watching this player come IPL. Besides, he is also my fellow countryman.” 

 

Rizwan Sabdeen, 42, freighter commercial planning controller, Sri Lanka

 

M.S. Dhoni, Rising Pune Supergiants

 

“This year I anticipate IPL to be big, and the player to look out for is M.S. Dhoni, arguably one of the best skippers in India’s cricketing history and among the best in the world. Aggressive and consistent, he has the ability to outplay any batting or bowling attack. Captain Cool is level-headed and posseses spectacular leadership skills. The best finisher of the game is my pick for the IPL player to watch.”

 

Muntazir Haider, 30, businessman, Pakistan

 

Jasprit Singh Bumrah, Mumbai Indians

 

“This will be Jasprit Singh Bumrah’s first IPL post his successful international debut. I am curious if his new-found confidence from playing for India and contributing to its success will make him more effective. Has he improved due to his international stint or will IPL be the great leveller? Additionally, has he learnt from the failures of his predecessors, the likes of Munaf Patel and Varun Aaron, who arrived with a lot of promise but fizzled out in a short time? Time will tell.”

 

Sougata Nandi, 45, sustainable development evangelist, India

 

Yuvraj Singh, Sunrisers Hyderabad

 

My all-time favourite is also one of the most expensive players at the IPL. But most importantly, Yuvraj Singh is a fighter, both in real life and on the pitch. I would love to see him deliver this IPL for he’s a treat to watch when in form. His team,  Sunrisers Hyderabad, might not be as popular as some of the other teams. But being an underdog has its advantages, you get to slip under the radar sometimes. I’m sure Yuvraj and his boys will make a mark.”

 

Arti Vardhan, 40, homemaker, India

 

Suresh Raina, Gujarat Lions

 

I am as excited as every Indian cricket fan when the IPL season dawns. I hail from the Indian state of Gujarat and it is a great feeling as my state finally has its own IPL team, the Gujarat Lions, and I will obviously be supporting them. I will be following Suresh Raina closely. Apart from being the Gujarat Lions skipper, he is an outstanding all-rounder, particularly devastating in the T20 format. Be it batting, bowling or fielding, he’s a class act on the field. So I would say Gujarat and Raina... all the way!”

 

Lalit Kumar, 33, creative director, India