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• IPL 2023 preview: Buttler aims to serve up a repeat as new season could be Dhoni's last act

  The Ashes is coming up this year, and so too is the Cricket World Cup.

  But the roaring success of the Indian Premier League means its 16th season is anticipated on a similar level to those totemic events on the cricket calendar.

  And why not? There is no greater franchise competition in cricket, featuring star names from across the globe playing to vast crowds and huge television audiences.

  A measure of the boom in IPL popularity came when its broadcast rights were sold in the wake of last year's tournament, with five-year deals bringing in 48,390.5 crore (£4.8billion), testament to the tournament's enormous appeal.

  Among leagues worldwide, only the NFL is said to have bigger per-game TV deals, with the spectacle of T20 cricket becoming a big winner with spectators, sponsors, broadcasters and advertisers.

  Heading into the 2023 season, which begins on Friday with an eye-catching tussle between defending champions Gujarat Titans and 2021 winners Chennai Super Kings, Stats Perform has identified potential key storylines for the new campaign.

  How can Buttler follow his MVP season?

  Jos Buttler had a staggering campaign last time out for Rajasthan Royals, hitting 863 runs in 17 innings at an average of 57.53, with four centuries to his name. That was as many centuries as everyone else in the IPL combined managed to score.

  He finished 247 runs ahead of KL Rahul, who was second on the batting list. Buttler cracked 83 fours and 45 sixes, and he has since been appointed England's white-ball captain.

  This is a huge year for Buttler, with England defending their title at the World Cup, and all eyes will be on the 32-year-old to see how he contributes for the Royals.

  Chris Gayle, in 2011 and 2012, is the only batter to have finished as top scorer in consecutive IPL seasons.

  This is a league that brings explosive moments, and Australian bowler Pat Cummins surprisingly managed the fastest fifty with the bat last year, achieving the feat from 14 balls for Kolkata Knight Riders against Mumbai Indians.

  With the ball, Buttler's Rajasthan team-mate Yuzvendra Chahal took a league-leading 27 wickets, at an average of 19.51 and with a 7.75 economy rate. He was the only bowler to take a hat-trick in the 2022 IPL, doing so against KKR.

  The economy rate king was two-time former MVP Sunil Narine, who gave up an average of 5.57 runs in his 56 overs, albeit taking just a modest nine wickets.

  CSK seek immediate statement win

  Gujarat were champions in their debut season last time around, while defending champions Chennai finished a miserable ninth out of 10 teams.

  This time CSK are determined to start strongly and banish memories of 2022, and one way or another it promises to be a memorable campaign.

  It appears likely to be MS Dhoni's final IPL campaign, with the 41-year-old giant of the game and former India captain reportedly considering whether to call time on his illustrious playing career.

  Dhoni would want to go out on a high, and in the hope of building a winning team CSK have taken an expensive plunge by bringing in England Test captain Ben Stokes.

  There are suggestions Stokes could inherit Dhoni's talisman status at CSK, although there has been an early blow with the all-rounder not expected to bowl in the early stages of the tournament due to concern over his left knee.

  CSK suffered another setback to their bowling department when they lost New Zealand fast bowler Kyle Jamieson to a back injury, replacing him with South Africa paceman Sisanda Magala.

  Could pulling the Short straw work out well for Punjab Kings?

  Jonny Bairstow would have been lining up for Punjab Kings, but a freak golf course injury continues to keep the England wicketkeeper-batter out of action.

  In his place comes Australian Matthew Short, who has yet to play international cricket or feature in the IPL, but the 27-year-old is experiencing quite a moment in his career.

  Short was player of the tournament in Australia's Big Bash League, the domestic T20 competition, when he scored 458 runs for Adelaide Strikers and became just the third player in 12 seasons to hit 400 runs and take 10 wickets in a single season.

  He will fancy stepping up to IPL level and continuing his rich run of form, and joins a franchise that has seen significant change since finishing sixth last year. Punjab have a new captain and new coach, with Shikhar Dhawan and Trevor Bayliss replacing Mayank Agarwal and Anil Kumble.

  PBKS will hope Short makes a long-lasting impact, while they are trusting a huge investment in Sam Curran pays off after making the England all-rounder the most expensive player in IPL history, landing him in the draft for 18.5 Cr (£1.85million).

  Changes across the board

  A year is a long time in the IPL, and there have been a host of new appointments.

  Australian veteran and IPL master blaster David Warner has taken over as captain of Delhi Capitals due to Rishabh Pant being ruled out while he recovers from the major car accident he experienced in December.

  Brendon McCullum's move to coach England means Kolkata needed a new man in charge, and they have brought in Chandrakant Pandit, while Brian Lara has taken over from Tom Moody with Sunrisers Hyderabad, and Mark Boucher will pull the strings with Mumbai Indians after Mahela Jayawardene became global head of performance.

• England keen 'to put it right' in Ashes as Robinson lays down Australia gauntlet

  England will seek revenge when they host Australia in the home Ashes series as Ollie Robinson prepares for an enticing battle with a "hunger to put it right".

  Pat Cummins' side thrashed England – then captained by Joe Root – 4-0 in the last meeting between two old foes Down Under across the end of 2021 and start of 2022.

  Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum's resurgent side pose a new threat now, though, winning 10 of their first 12 Tests under the stewardship of their new captain and coach combination.

  That run has included home series triumphs over New Zealand and South Africa, as well as a rare 3-0 red-ball victory in Pakistan, and Robinson says England are out to prove a point in the Ashes.

  "The way we're playing cricket, we feel like we can really stick one on them and win the series comfortably," said the bowler, who just weeks ago suggested England could give Australia a "good hiding".

  "There's definitely a desire there still, a hunger to put it right. I felt when I got back from that trip [the 2021-22 Ashes] I didn't leave it all out there and I'd let myself down and the side down a little bit.

  "So it's definitely something I want to put right and there are a few guys in that position as well. So there are a lot of hungry boys this summer to beat the Aussies again."

   

  Australia great Glenn McGrath has made a habit of suggesting the Baggy Greens will whitewash England 5-0 every time the pair clash for the old urn.

  When asked about his previous comments talking up England's chances, Robinson suggested his message was reported exactly how he wanted – aimed as a warning shot at Australia.

  The Sussex seamer added: "I was talking to local radio but I was happy that it got out. I mean it's been happening in every Ashes series for years – Glenn McGrath says 5-0 every Ashes.

  "We say 5-0 every Ashes. It's one of the biggest series we play, it only comes around every four years in England, so why not talk it up? Get it going, get it big and give the fans what they want."

  The free-flowing and fearless attacking style McCullum, aided by the brilliant Stokes, has instilled continues to thrill all involved with English cricket, including the players themselves.

  On past results, Robinson sees no reason why England cannot win their first Ashes since a 3-2 triumph at home in the British summer of 2015.

  "I think the cricket we're playing at the moment makes it such an exciting time to play them," he continued. "We've been dominating teams in all conditions for 12 months now.

  "In England we dominated, in Pakistan we dominated and in New Zealand we played most of the cricket for nine days and lost on the last day because we probably weren't quite there.

  "But I think the way we're playing cricket, we feel like we can really stick one on them and win the series comfortably."

• South Africa fall short of another big run chase as Windies take series

  West Indies avoided a repeat of their remarkable, record-breaking defeat in the second T20I against South Africa by clinging on to win the series decider by seven runs.

  The Windies had been on the wrong end of a historic run chase in the sides' previous encounter, the highest scoring Twenty20 match since the format was introduced.

  But there would be no repeat in Johannesburg on Tuesday, even if Reeza Hendricks again made life difficult for the tourists after another strong Windies score of 220-8.

  Hendricks was credited by centurion Quinton de Kock with inspiring the Proteas fightback in the second match, having contributed 68 off just 28 balls.

  Missing De Kock's support, it was a one-man effort this time as Hendricks scored 83 off 43, not quite enough with South Africa falling short on 213-6.

  West Indies had posted the second-highest T20I total not to include a single fifty but were also themselves grateful for the work of one batter in particular.

  In a blockbuster conclusion to the first innings, Romario Shepherd had scored 26 from the final over to top-score with 44 from only 22 balls – the knock that ultimately proved the difference.

  Phenomenal finish sees Windies safe

  South Africa handed the ball to Kagiso Rabada with some confidence ahead of the 20th over, with the bowling superstar having restricted the Windies to 2-24 from his previous three overs.

  Yet Shepherd, twice put down by De Kock, smashed Rabada all around the ground to set a daunting target. As a result, the Proteas needed to match Shepherd with 26 off the last but could only manage 18.

  Repeat proves beyond Proteas

  While Hendricks remained in the middle, it appeared very possible South Africa would pull off another stunning recovery. It would have been a record-breaking fifth successful 200-run chase in the format.

  However, West Indies kept their nerve, crucially having Hendricks caught by captain Rovman Powell at long on in the 19th over. The Windies still have not lost a T20I series in South Africa, with two wins and a draw.