The curtains came down on the ninth edition of the Indian Premier League on Sunday and we take a look at the hits and misses of the season:
The Hitmakers
Virat Kohli: Amassing 973 runs, which included four centuries and seven half-centuries, Kohli was a class apart this season. The Royal Challengers Bangalore skipper bagged the Orange Cap and fuelled his team’s sensational comeback from the brink of elimination. The right-hander broke many records and his side’s defeat in the final remains as the only unfulfiled goal for the class player.
Matches: 16; Runs: 973.
David Warner: Warner’s destructive abilities in any format of the game is a proven phenomenon. But the Australian surprised many with his fine leadership skills, leading Sunrisers Hyderabad to their maiden IPL trophy. Warner backed a young yet talented team to perfection and the left-hander came into his own with the bat at crucial junctures.
Matches: 17; Runs: 848.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar: Th-roughout the season, Bhuvneshwar’s consistency made him a tough nut to crack, even for the most accomplished batsmen. Bhuvneshwar’s splendid first spells often put the batsmen on the back foot and the right-arm medium pacer’s economical bowling at the death played a crucial in Sunrisers Hyderabad’s fortunes. Deservedly, the UP pacer won the Purple Cap.
Matches: 17; Wickets: 23.
Krunal Pandya: Before the start of the season, the spotlight was on the younger of the Pandyas –– Hardik, following his escapades in the World T20. But it was the elder brother Krunal who turned out to be a revelation this season. Krunal’s all-round brilliance was the only saving grace in an otherwise struggling season for Mumbai Indians.
Matches: 12; Runs: 237; Wickets: 6.
Mustafizur Rahman: After an impressive World T20, all eyes were on Mustafizur in this IPL and the youngster didn’t disappoint, finishing with 17 wickets. Fizz’s fine variations troubled the batsmen and the left-arm seamer’s ability to break important partnerships saw Sunrisers defend well on more than one occasion.
Matches: 16; Wickets: 17
AB de Villiers: De Villiers’ terrific one-man show against Gujarat Lions in the Qualifier 1 could be easily rated as one of the best knocks under pressure in the tournament. The South African genius raked up 687 runs and along with skipper Kohli, De Villiers redefined the art of batting in the shortest format of the game.
Matches: 16; Runs: 687.
R Ashwin: Ashwin was the talking point for reasons apart from his bowling. Ashwin was held back by Dhoni in most of the games and whenever introduced into the attack, the off-spinner failed to live up to his reputation.
Matches: 14; Wickets: 10.
David Miller: His pathetic show with the bat cost him his captaincy and the Kings XI Punjab player, known for his attacking batting, turned out to be a total failure.
Matches: 14; Runs: 161.
Glenn Maxwell: Glenn Maxwell’s forgettable season ended with a calf injury that forced him to miss the final league match of the season. Feared as one of the biggest hitters of the game, Maxwell hardly gained momentum to his struggling season.
Matches: 11; Runs: 179.
Ravindra Jadeja: A key performer for the Chennai Super Kings in the past, Jadeja endured an ordinary season for the IPL debutants Gujarat Lions. The all-rounder wasted opportunities with the bat and didn’t contribute largely with the ball either.
Matches: 15; Runs: 191; Wickets: 8.
Kieron Pollard: Apart from a few cameos that helped Mumbai Indians cross the finish line, Kieron Pollard didn’t lit up the IPL with his all-round skills. Pollard’s encouraging record in the past made him a vital player in the Mumbai set-up but the Trinidadian was off colour for most part of the season.
Matches: 13; Runs: 207.
Pawan Negi: Bought for a whopping 8.5 crore, Pawan Negi hardly did justice to his buy. The all-rounder’s figures of 57 runs and one wicket reflects his poor outing for Delhi Daredevils.
Matches: 8; Runs: 57; Wicket: 1.
Vivek MV