IPL HIGHLIGHT: Who To Watch Out For
This IPL has been exciting and new–a new format, rules, teams, captains, and of course, players. It has featured the joining of two new teams who have shocked fans by sitting at the top of the board, while IPL’s former top teams such as Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians have barely been able to get off the mark with a single win. Beyond the team play, we have seen individual players shine in their roles either as experienced veterans in form or new players who are finding their role in the cricket world. So, who has made their mark this IPL season? Let’s find out.
Best New Stand Out Bowler
Umran Malik
Indian cricket has a new sensation…Umran Malik. Just as people were excited at Jasprit Bumrah and his new style, Malik, a fast bowler with a lethal pace has caught the attention of many. At just twenty-two years old, he has a long future ahead of him…but he also has a whole nation of expectations.
At just seventeen, Malik was taken to a ward where he received coaching. While he had natural talent, he was very lazy and did not put in the effort required to be the best. He was also a class dropout and came from a humble background. Nonetheless, his coach, Randhir Singh Manhas, continued to encourage him, and eventually, Malik got scouted at a Ranji Trophy match, a tournament played between state cricket associations. He continued to get mentoring from former Indian bowler Irfan Pathan as Pathan believed in Malik’s potential.
Umran Malik began to play Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket with Sunrises Hyderabad (SRH) and made his T20 Debut against Kolkatta Knight Riders (KKR) following a teammate’s injury. Since then Malik took several significant wickets such as his first against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). Since then, Indian selectors have kept their eye on Malik and hope to see him one day play alongside the consistent Indian National team bowlers such as Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, and Bhuvaneshwar Kumar. Malik came out of nowhere and from the start he has delivered for his team. From the start, he was turning heads. The average pace bowler’s speed is 128 KPH but Malik was consistently clocking in at 150 KPH, much to the surprise and wonder of the crowd, his teammates, and opponents. His pace would be a fresh addition to India’s bowling attack, and there are several people, including me, who are excited to see what he can do on the international stage.
Best Batsman
Jos Butler
It is no surprise to anyone that Jos Butler is in form. His batting performance this IPL has been sensational and definitely one to note. So what’s going right? The thing about form is that when it’s working, high percentage shots go your way and so do low percentage shots. Anything you hit miraculously seems to evade the fielders…as if it was perfectly placed every time. Hailed cricket player Virat Kohli is having a difficult season out of form where nothing is going his way and he is not even able to get off the mark and put some runs on the board.
Jos Butler has been having the season of his life—in only seven innings, he has amassed 491 runs and is on the path to making many more—and he acknowledges it too. After his game against Delhi Capitals (MI) Buttler said, “Was a special knock, enjoyed it. I love this stadium, it was a fantastic atmosphere, my first IPL was here with the Mumbai Indians. I am enjoying the best form of my life, I need to continue with this form all the way through. The ball swung in the first over and it was a bit tricky. You need to soak up that pressure and come through it. Once you get through it, the confidence comes back”.
This is not the first time Buttler is performing remarkably well with back-to-back fantastic scores. He claimed that he used to be lazy and live off just one good score but he learned through experience that he needed to continue working harder and start every match with a clean slate, regardless of whether the score before was good or bad. Buttler definitely deserves to be recognized for his outstanding performance this IPL, but we all must recognize the mindset with which he approaches each game as it is a lesson to all of us that we cannot let the ghosts of our past, or in his case, the successes of our past affect our performance in the future. When you go out there…it’s a new ball, a wicket with different conditions, a new bowler, and a new day so we have to approach the scenario with fresh eyes yet the same quality of perseverance.
Captain Highlights
Hardik Pandya
Hardik Pandya, who used to play for Mumbai Indians, became the captain of the newly formed Gujurat Titans in the 2022 IPL. Pandya has impressed in two ways. The first is his form with both the bat and ball. The all-rounder has put up 309 runs already while also taking four wickets with an average bowling economy of 7.57. Both these scores top his previous records. But second, and more notably, his captaincy of the Titans, a team that seemed an unlikely champion contender, has been remarkable. Gujarat, however, has stayed consistently at the top throughout this IPL. Pandya is a natural captain who has comfortably transitioned into the role and excelled. As he said himself—“You’re successful because you’ve an understanding of the game. Having played so many matches, I’m able to use my experience. So far, so good,”
Kl Rahul
KL Rahul joined the Lucknow Super Giants this season and they are holding second on the standings board currently. They have won seven out of their ten games and look poised to make it to the playoffs this season. So..what role has Rahul played in this all? Rahul has not only been a strong captain who has made good decisions when it counted but has had exceptional batting performances that have been important to winning games. Throughout the season, KL Rahul has led from the front, scoring 374 runs in nine-innings, including a century. However, even when they were down, putting up just a modest 153 runs on the board, his captaincy has come into play and his strategic bowling choices led the Super Giants to a comfortable victory. While KL Rahul has gone through rough phases, such as even being dropped from the Indian National team, he has been a remarkable player and captain this season.
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So far, this season we’ve seen the players selected above shine in their roles and prove inning after inning and game after game that they have what it takes to excel on this stage. With over 229.06 million, all eyes of IPL’s faithful viewers and supporters are on these players, excited and waiting to continue to see them prove their abilities. Over twenty games are left before the final four playoff teams are decided–which team…which players can sustain their form and work towards the title?
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