IPL 2020: Brad Hogg reveals why Kings XI Punjab will bag the wooden spoon this season

Brad Hogg reckons that Kings XI Punjab will finish at the bottom of the points table in the upcoming edition of the IPL that gets underway on September 19. The Punjab franchise had finished as the semi-finalists in the inaugural edition (2008) and were the runners-up of the 2014 edition where they went down to Kolkata Knight Riders in an edge-of-the-seat thriller. Apart from that KXIP have not achieved anything exceptional in the cash-rich event and have finished as the wooden-spooners on most of the occasions.

'They are too much up and down': Brad Hogg

“For me, their overseas player contingent is all match-winners apart from  (Mujeeb-ur) Rahman from Afghanistan and (Chris) Jordan. Those two have specific roles in this particular team and are quality bowlers,” said the veteran Australian spinner while speaking on his YouTube channel.

“But the other guys there like Maxwell, Gayle, and Neesham, they just have the odd standout games, they are not very consistent with what you want from an overseas player. They are too much up and down. That’s why Kings XI are going to finish last,” the two-time World Cup winner added.

KXIP in IPL 2020

KL Rahul will be leading KXIP in the IPL 2020 that will be played in the UAE from September 19 to November 10. Rahul was roped in by the 2014 runners-up during the IPL 2018 Auctions after he was released by three-time finalists Royal Challengers Bangalore along with Windies power-hitter Chris Gayle and has been instrumental with the bat for the Punjab franchise in the last two editions of the tournament.

The Karnataka cricketer will be succeeding veteran off-spinner Ravichandran  Ashwin who had led the side in the previous two seasons. The Test specialist was released in last year's auctions and will now be trying his luck in Delhi Capitals. KXIP has not made it to the playoffs since the 2014 edition and had to be satisfied finishing as the wooden-spooners on most of the occasions. They will be hoping to secure a playoff berth this time around as their hunt for a maiden silverware continues.

Punjab will kickstart their campaign when they face the Delhi Capitals at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai on September 20.

READ: IPL 2020: Anil Kumble Reveals What Made KXIP Aggressively Bid For Glenn Maxwell