There’s no doubt that for Steve Smith, the shortest format has become a bittersweet affair. The cricketer who had once started his international journey with T20Is is now struggling to exhibit his bona fide class in the shortest format. In the IPL, the Aussie legend has failed in recent times to find his new home and is been expected to go unsold in the 2022 mega auction.
But with the cash-rich league now offering an additional flock of two new teams, certainly the 32-year old can still revive his fading IPL career. For a few particular franchises, Steve Smith can still become a worthy individual for their future courses.
Here are 5 franchises that might target Steve Smith in IPL 2022:
1. Punjab Kings
Punjab Kings‘ IPL 2022 journey will again start from scratch. Their former skipper KL Rahul and a few elite cricketers are looking to dwell somewhere else. The franchise at the mega auction will be in a quest to fetch a strong overseas player who can contribute with his leadership traits as well as in their middle-order. In the past, the PBKS middle-order has endured many disasters, unlike any other team.
Hence in such a scenario, Steve Smith can certainly smoothly resolve the above problems. Since the Australian won’t enjoy a lavish demand in the mega auction, the PBKS think tank can easily fetch him even in a steal deal. Smith can also open the innings for them or can bind the middle-order through his nudging gameplay. At No.3, Smith can become analogous to what Aiden Markram had performed for them.
Also, in case if the team endures a leadership crisis then Smith can even step in as a skipper. All in all, as both the Aussie batter and the PBKS franchise will be now starting afresh, surely both can give each other a longstanding identity from IPL 2022 onwards.
2. Chennai Super Kings
For CSK, the IPL 2022 has again allowed them to retain their star-studded core. Both skipper MS Dhoni and their two prolific all-rounders (Ravindra Jadeja and Moeen Ali) will continue to serve the franchise along with the stellar services of young Ruturaj Gaikwad. Also, it looks to be a no-brainer that CSK’s think tank will bring back some of its big veteran players.
However, if the yellow army fails to bag either Faf Du Plessis or its old stallion Suresh Raina, then Steve Smith can readily serve against the iconic duo. In place of du Plessis, the Aussie batter can easily embody his role at the top, that too at a very reasonable deal. In place of Raina, Smith can become an excellent pick considering only if the franchise plays at least seven games at their home.
Interestingly, the initial games of IPL 2021 at Chepauk did strongly demand a batter who could not only play spin well but also could bat deep. And with Smith gracefully personifying both those needs, it could become another masterstroke for the franchise. Not to forget that the yellow army is also well known to revive the careers of many players that have often been found at the edge of the cliff in the IPL.
3. Ahmedabad
For the newly bought Ahmedabad franchise, the IPL 2022 will be a very essential endeavour. As its players will now be the pioneers for its success, the franchise would only prefer luminary individuals that can entail an exciting form of cricket. Also, it’s a no-brainer that an IPL team’s branding enlarges if its overseas entities are megastars.
However, from a cricketing point of view, the 32-year old Smith can add immense value to the franchise. In general, as both the Aussie batter and the franchise will start from a clean slate, there won’t be any excessive baggage of the past in between. And since it will be an inaugural season of the newly-formed team, the management and its support staff will vastly back its whole recruitment.
But even from the conditions point of view, Smith might enjoy the iconic home ground of the Ahmedabad team. Especially, since the pitches over there encourage pace than spin, the Aussie would surely embrace the bounce offered in his shot-making. In fact with the square boundaries also being large, Smith might admire to nudge heavily around. If this partnership gains considerable traction, then the Ahmedabad city could be the new home of the Aussie cricketer.
4. Delhi Capitals
In the process of IPL 2022 retentions, Delhi franchise had the toughest task of picking and preserving its core. Since the team was highly brimmed with Indian and overseas players, many of them had to get downhearted. Now though, the owners have straightforwardly opined about their buyback plans, still it will be very difficult for Delhi Capitals to build a similar squad like before.
However, if the team management fails to grab its old bronco- Shikhar Dhawan, then chances are that Smith might get a rebound. As the franchise already will miss its former captain Shreyas Iyer in the middle-order, they will need a batter who can control the proceedings and bat long.
Also since the likes of Prithvi Shaw always will be allowed to blaze all his guns, undoubtedly the other two from the top has to be an accumulator like Shikhar Dhawan or Iyer. Overall with Delhi’s home ground now also evolving itself as a flat deck, the baby boundaries shall allow Smith to play more freely.
5. Lucknow
Playing for the Lucknow franchise will again become an excellent opportunity for Steve Smith to represent another team of the RPSG group. The Aussie batter, back in IPL 2017, was the captain of the Pune franchise that also had reach to the finals.
Hence, as the 32-year old will again look to fetch a new buyer, maybe the Lucknow franchise can give him a new vitality like before. Since Smith’s demand in the mega auction won’t be like a hot potato, the Lucknow franchise can bag him in a steal deal. Even as a reserved or a backup proposition, Smith shall still provide a reasonable value who could bat in the top four.
Apart from his batting, Smith can also always be considered to helm the team in case of an unfortunate situation. All in all, the 15th season of the IPL can be an all-new canvas for the legendary batter to uplift his T20 gameplay.
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