Ahead of IPL 2020, we look at the 19 Australia players who will be featuring in the 13th edition of the tournament. A select few of them return to their old, familiar camps, some have a new home this time around, while the rest are set for their maiden IPL outing this season.

David Warner – Sunrisers Hyderabad

4,706 runs @43.17, strike-rate: 142.39

He might be coming off a scratchy tour for Australia in England, but David Warner is still a hot prediction as this year’s highest run-getter in the IPL. A good part of it has to do with how consistently good he’s been, ending atop the run charts three out of the last five seasons he’s played. SRH’s captain and batting powerhouse, his averages in the last three IPL editions (2019, 2017 and 2016) stand at 69.20, 58.27 and 60.57.

Aaron Finch – Royal Challengers Bangalore

1,737 IPL runs @26.31, strike-rate: 130.69

Aaron Finch hasn’t quite hit his straps in the IPL, despite featuring regularly in the tournament since 2010. It’s possibly because he’s never stuck around long enough in one team, changing franchises as many as seven times so far. At RCB, the franchise that infamously suffers from a pattern of inconsistent run-scoring, Finch will be tasked with providing the brisk starts he’s renowned for at the international level.

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Glenn Maxwell – Kings XI Punjab

1,397 IPL runs @22.90, strike-rate: 161.13

The ‘Big Show’ has blown hot and cold in the tournament, his best season going as far back as 2014, which was incidentally the last time IPL matches were held in UAE. This time, however, there’s renewed anticipation around Glenn Maxwell, who gave the 2019 season a miss, and is coming off a fruitful outing against England. In a Punjab batting line-up that has ample top-order Indian batsmen, Maxwell will be expected to shore up the middle order.

Pat Cummins – Kolkata Knight Riders

17 IPL wickets @ 29.35, economy 8.29

Close to ten months after becoming the most expensive overseas IPL signing ever, the Australia quick will finally get a chance to justify his price tag. His stop-start T20I career [he played just four matches between 2012 and 2017] might not fully portray his skill-set in the format, but Pat Cummins’ disconcerting pace and accuracy will make him the fulcrum of KKR’s bowling attack, and he’ll be expected to cause the initial damage with the new ball before the spinners come into play.

Steve Smith – Rajasthan Royals

2,022 IPL runs @37.44, strike-rate: 128.95

Skipper of the Royals, the inaugural champions of the tournament, Steve Smith will make his eighth season appearance this year. In 2019, he enjoyed an average season, garnering 319 runs in 12 matches after returning from a one-year suspension. The versatility of the Australia batsman’s gameplay will be crucial for the Royals in the middle overs of this IPL, and he’ll look to capitalise on the starts provided by opener Jos Buttler upfront.

Chris Lynn – Mumbai Indians

1,280 IPL runs @33.68, strike-rate: 140.65

A vital part of Kolkata Knight Riders’ line-up for the past few years, where he dazzled in his opening role with Sunil Narine, Chris Lynn moves to Mumbai where his playing time could diminish drastically. Given that his Australia career has tapered off, Lynn might not be as commanding a presence as he was before, but still gives Mumbai an additional option to bolster their batting if they need to fill an overseas slot.

Marcus Stoinis – Delhi Capitals

473 IPL runs @ 31.53, strike-rate: 129.94; 15 IPL wickets @37.93, economy 9.30

He looked scratchy in the England series, but Marcus Stoinis is a proven T20 performer, as displayed during the 2019/20 Big Bash, where he broke the record for the highest run-tally in that competition. He moves to the Delhi Capitals, a team that has perennially underachieved in the competition, where his all-round skills could help provide some balance to a top-heavy batting line-up.

Shane Watson – Chennai Super Kings

3,575 IPL runs @31.08, strike-rate: 139.53; 92 IPL wickets @29.15, economy 7.93

Shane Watson, at 39, is still a key part of CSK’s plans for IPL 2020 even though it’s been four years since his he last played for Australia. After being Rajasthan Royals’ go-to man for several seasons, Watson seems to be essaying the same role at CSK, even though his bowling role has fallen off. As opener, his century in the 2018 final sealed the title for them, and his 80 in last year’s finale took them right up to the finishing line – a role he is expected to continue this year.

Mitchell Marsh – Sunrisers Hyderabad

20 IPL wickets @20.70, economy: 7.88; 225 IPL runs @18.75, strike-rate 114.79

Unlike his brother, Mitchell Marsh’s IPL participation has been brief and quiet, having played just 20 matches in all since 2010. At Sunrisers, the all-rounder will be looking to play his first IPL game since 2016, but a host of other overseas options might make him an infrequent presence in the playing XI.

Josh Hazlewood – Chennai Super Kings

43 T20 wickets @24.09, economy 7.51

A potential debutant in IPL 2020, Josh Hazlewood isn’t a name that’s really associated with T20Is, and before the recent England series, he hadn’t featured in one for Australia since 2016. However, the unerring accuracy and bounce that he brings with his bowling, irrespective of the colour of the ball, saw him earn a place in CSK’s ageing force. If given a regular run, he could turn out to be an unconventional yet effective pairing with Lungi Ngidi.

Adam Zampa – Royal Challengers Bangalore

19 IPL wickets @14.63, economy: 7.54

Adam Zampa gets a chance to add to his 11 appearances, returning to the IPL fold to replace Kane Richardson in the Kohli-led RCB team. In 2017, he was marshalled well by skipper MS Dhoni for RPS, and will look to continue the form he showed against England. With another leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal a certainty, it could be a toss-up between Zampa and Moeen Ali for an overseas spot.

Nathan Coulter-Nile – Mumbai Indians

36 IPL wickets @19.97, economy: 7.66

With Lasith Malinga out of the picture, Mumbai could rely on the Australia bowler’s skiddy pace to pair up with Jasprit Bumrah in IPL 2020. Since the 2019 World Cup, Nathan Coulter-Nile hasn’t been part of Australia plans, which makes the IPL season even more important for him to try and claw his way back into reckoning. A more than handy lower-order bat, he will help also add depth to Mumbai’s line-up after the Pandyas have done their bit.

Josh Philippe – Royal Challengers Bangalore

798 T20 runs @33.25, strike-rate 138.30

One of the young guns who has created considerable buzz, Josh Philippe joins RCB for his maiden IPL stint, following a bumper BBL 2019/20 season where he was the third-highest run-getter. AB de Villiers sees his younger self in him, and Aaron Finch considers him one to watch out for in World Cup 2023 – expectations are building up around him, but it remains to be seen where he fits in the RCB line-up, since de Villiers expected to don the wicketkeeping gloves and Parthiv Patel next in line.

Chris Green – Kolkata Knight Riders

74 T20 wickets @ 27.33, economy: 6.64

The 26-year-old, who has ample experience in the T20 circuit, is the latest in KKR’s tradition of inviting spinners of all kinds in their line-up. A tricky customer with the new ball, Chris Green has become a solid presence in CPL and Big Bash over the years, but is yet to feature in an IPL game. A Chris Green-Sunil Narine combination in the middle overs will be a stifling proposition for the batting team.

Alex Carey – Delhi Capitals

1,624 T20 runs @30.07, strike-rate: 130.23

The current wicketkeeping choice for Australia in white-ball cricket, Alex Carey’s sensible knocks earning him plaudits at the 2019 World Cup, just months before Delhi handed him a solid deal for IPL 2020. At the franchise, however, he will be second in line to Rishabh Pant, and could be edged out by all-rounders for a spot in the middle order.

Daniel Sams – Delhi Capitals

52 T20 wickets @18.36, economy: 8.13

The left-arm quick, who possesses a useful slower one, also bagged his maiden contract this time, as a replacement for the unavailable Jason Roy. He was the leading wicket-taker in the 2019/20 Big Bash, mixing his pace and slipping in the yorker at will. A healthy candidate for the bowling all-rounder’s spot in Delhi.

James Pattinson – Mumbai Indians

47 T20 wickets @24.12, economy: 8.25

James Pattinson was drafted in as a replacement for Lasith Malinga, IPL’s highest wicket-taker. While those are big shoes to fill, Pattinson might be consigned to the benches for the most part of the tournament, with other overseas pace options in Trent Boult and Nathan Coulter-Nile already available. Interestingly, he hasn’t played a T20I since 2012.

Billy Stanlake – Sunrisers Hyderabad

7 wickets @28.57, economy: 8.33

The towering Australian quick had a forgettable link-up with RCB in 2017 before moving to his current franchise SRH for four games the following year. Back with the side, Billy Stanlake’s pace could be a surprise factor in SRH’s line-up that tends to play percentage cricket. However, given their ample overseas options, the side might have trouble fitting him in.

Andrew Tye – Rajasthan Royals

39 IPL wickets @21.07, economy: 8.30

Australia’s slower-ball expert, Andrew Tye will bring his famed knuckle ball to UAE for his third season in the IPL. In 2018, he picked wickets aplenty, snaring 26 of them in 14 games, and provides a healthy back-up option to the Smith-led Royals squad. Given his track record, he can pick up wickets in a cluster – as demonstrated in his debut IPL season in 2017, when he picked up a hat-trick for Gujarat Lions.

Related tags:

Aaron FinchAdam ZampaAndrew TyeChris LynnDavid WarnerGlenn MaxwellMitchell StarcNathan Coulter-NilePat CumminsSteve SmithGlobal T20 LeaguesIndian Premier League