Most Balanced teams in IPL 2022

After 67 matches now, the scenes for the playoffs are pretty clear as two teams have already qualified for the playoffs, and two spots are still to be decided. All the teams had a unique factor; some have an excellent bowling department, some have a strong batting line-up, while some have extra-ordinary fielders who try to save as many runs as possible. The mega auction proved to be a significant setback for many franchises as they had to let go of many key players from their core group. Many teams made most of the auction and put together a squad in contention to take them to the playoffs in IPL 2022. To reach the top, a team needs to have a balance in all three categories. Here we list down the teams who are the most balanced this season.

Gujarat Titans

After the mega auction, nobody expected Gujarat titans to be a great team, and the team balance didn't seem perfect. However, after the 14 matches, the team has proven its potential and displayed great cricket to become the first team to qualify for the playoffs. The team has proved to be the epitome of a perfect squad and has brilliantly portrayed what a balanced team is. With the presence of experienced bowlers like Rashid Khan, Lockie Ferguson, Alzarri Joseph, and Mohammed Shami in the team, the biggest strength of Gujarat in the maiden IPL campaign is certainly their bowling line-up. With a destructive opening pair of Shubman Gill and Wriddhiman Saha, Gujarat's top order is a crucial factor in the batting line-up.

Skipper Hardik Pandya has also promoted himself to number three and four doing his job as a middle-order batsman brilliantly. However, the team's strength lies in its middle order with explosive power-hitters like David Miller, Rahul Tewatia, and Rashid Khan. These three are the match-winning factors for the team, and this has been proven several times this season. Rashid Khan is known for his outstanding bowling skills; however, his batting skills have left everyone in absolute awe. The team has a deep batting line-up with these batsmen, making it unstoppable even after losing early wickets. The biggest asset that the team's bowling line-up has is Mohammed Shami. Bowling in powerplay overs, Shami has given a considerable advantage to the team by providing early wickets and boosting the tea bowling line-up. 

Royal Challengers Bangalore

With the absence of key players like AB de Villiers and Yuzvendra Chahal, it seemed pretty tricky for the Royal Challengers Bangalore to perform well. However, the team has shown a perfect example of a balanced squad without ABD and Chahal. With eight wins in 14 matches, the team is at the fourth spot and is still alive in the qualification race. RCB has one of the most balanced teams this season, with the presence of some great batters and bowlers. Although Virat and du Plessis are not seen in great form this season, a youngster like Shahbaaz Ahmed and Rajat Patidar has shined quite brilliantly whenever the team needed. Dinesh Karthik's explosive finish is the biggest asset in the team's batting line-up. There seems no stopping for the veteran keeper as he is in stunning form this season and has turned the results to their side single-handedly several times. 

Another critical factor for the team is their strong bowling line-up. The bowling unit comprising some great names like Josh Hazlewood, Mohammed Siraj, Harshal Patel, and some left-arm options in Shahbaz Ahmed, David Willey, and Jason Behrendorff make them a pretty lethal side. RCB's performances in the tournament till now have shown that they are not dependent on a few players and are playing as a combined unit. With the contribution coming from almost all the players, the team is in a solid position to seal the playoff spot. 

Rajasthan Royals

Rajasthan's most expensive recruit at the auction was Indian fast bowler Prasidh Krishna, followed by West Indies batter Shimron Hetmyer, New Zealand pacer Trent Boult, and Indian batter Devdutt Padikkal. You add the following two names on this list – Yuzvendra Chahal and Ashwin Ravichandran – and there's no denying the RR squad looked solid after the mega auction. However, the team's performance in the tournament till now has justified the fact that perhaps RR has one of the most balanced squads. With the presence of Jos Buttler and Sanju Samson, there seems to be no breakthrough for the opponent against RR's batting line-up. Along with these two, youngsters like Yashasvi Jaiswal and Devdutt Padikkal have also significantly boosted the team's batting line-up.

Along with them, the mighty West Indian power of Shimron Hetmyer is what provides RR with perfect middle order. In the tournament so far, Trent Boult and Prasidh Krishna are breathing fire in their spells, followed by the experienced spin duo of Ravichandran Ashwin and Yuzvendra Chahal. They are undeniably two of the best spinners in world cricket in the shortest format. With the presence of these match-winners, the Royals are one of the best contenders for the trophy with a balanced squad.