Hits and misses of a sizzling series

Hits

* Michael Hussey:  The veteran Chennai Super Kings’ batsman, who stopped Chris Gayle from winning the Orange Cap for the highest run-getter for the third year, was the most consistent batsman in the league with 733 runs. The rare failure in the final will rankle him though.

* Chris Gayle: The ultimate entertainer in T20, the Jamaican was once again the top-scorer for the Royal Challengers Bangalore. The title remained elusive for the southpaw, but his record-breaking unbeaten 68-ball 175 against Pune Warriors set the IPL alight.

* Virat Kohli: Handed the full-time captaincy, the Delhi lad didn’t let the responsibility affect his batting. The right-hander was the third highest run-maker (634 in 16 matches) in the league though the Royal Challengers missing out on a play-off berth by a whisker would still be hurting him.

* Shane Watson: The first centurion of IPL-6, the Aussie all-rounder took a little time to come into his own but once he found his groove, he added more muscle to Rajasthan Royals’ honest batting. His useful medium pace on occasions, proved handy in his team’s spirited campaign.

* Dale Steyn:  Sunrisers Hyderabad’s stirring success was largely masterminded by their bowlers and no one epitomised their prowess than the South African. Grabbing 19 wickets at and economy rate of 5.66, he formed a lethal attack with Amit Mishra (21 wickets), Thisara Perera (19) and Ishant Sharma (15).

* Dwayne Bravo: The Purple Cap winner for the highest wicket-taker (32 in 18 matches), the West Indian was the crucial cog in Chennai Super Kings’ run to the final. His useful cameos also played decisive roles in CSK’s success in close finishes.  

* Keiron Pollard: The big West Indian came up with telling performances with the bat when Mumbai needed them the most, his unbeaten 32-ball 60 in the final being the most crucial. His useful bowling only added to his utility. 

* Mitchell Johnson: The Australian provided an extra edge to Mumbai attack by forming a deadly combination with Lasith Malinga. His 24 wickets from 17 games but more importantly his wicket-taking abilities up front, provided a new dimension to Mumbai attack this time around.

Misses

* Yusuf Pathan: Gautam Gambhir’s most trusted lieutenant could fire only in patches. His dismissal, obstructing the field in the final league match of the KKR was symptomatic of his travails with the bat.

* Virender Sehwag:  Barring a sparkling innings against Mumbai, the Daredevils’ opener was a pale shadow of his past. His struggles with the bat mirrored his team’s dismal performance, finishing at the bottom of the heap.

* Yuvraj Singh: The southpaw once again failed to stamp his class on IPL. His modest 238 runs in 13 matches without a half-century hardly did justice to his image as one of the top batsmen in shorter versions.

* Ricky Ponting: The former Aussie captain was expected to make a big contribution if not set the stage afire. But the right-hander, a bowlers’ nightmare during his hey day, needed just six matches to realise that he didn’t fit into the league, at least this season.
n Morne Morkel: The highest wicket-taker in IPLV, the right-arm quick managed just seven wickets in 10 ties compounding Daredevils’ woes.