Twitter
Advertisement

Top 10 batsmen of IPL 8

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2015 saw numerous batsmen rise to the occasion and showcase their quality. Nishad Pai Vaidya picks the top 10 batsmen of the tournament, not in order of their run-tally but more on quality and impact etc.

Latest News
article-main
FacebookTwitterWhatsappLinkedin

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2015 saw numerous batsmen rise to the occasion and showcase their quality. Nishad Pai Vaidya picks the top 10 batsmen of the tournament, not in order of their run-tally but more on quality and impact etc.

1.  AB de Villiers (M: 16, Runs: 513, Avg: 46.63, SR: 175.08)

This man never ceases to amaze. For sheer quality, class and audacity, AB de Villiers tops the list. The South African played some blistering knocks through the IPL to entertain fans with his mastery. His most notable knocks came against the Mumbai Indians. In their game at Bangalore, he smashed 41 off only 11 balls. And, when they travelled to the Wankhede Stadium, de Villiers duly smashed a ton, unleashing all those uncanny shots.

2.  Rohit Sharma (M: 16, Runs 482, Avge: 34.42, SR: 144.74)

It started at the Eden Gardens and finished at the Eden Gardens. Rohit Sharma began his IPL 2015 with a classy 98 not out against the Kolkata Knight Riders while opening the batting. For majority of the season, however, he batted down the order. Time and again, Rohit produced those quick-fire innings to give Mumbai Indians the momentum. When his team needed it the most, he rose to the occasion and smashed a fifty in final, which helped set a base for victory.

3.   Lendl Simmons (M: 13, Runs: 540, Avge: 45.00, SR: 122.44)

Lendl Simmons’ inclusion turned around Mumbai Indians’ campaign. Since 2014, he has been in great form in T20 cricket and carried that into this tournament to help his team go all the way. Simmons scored as many as six fifties at the top, which helped his team get a good start. With him at the top, the middle-order did not have a lot of pressure and there was always that calming influence. To cap off the season, he smashed yet another fifty in the final.

4.  David Warner (M: 14, Runs: 562, Avge: 43.23, SR: 156.54)

David Warner was in fantastic form right through the tournament and finished with the Orange Cap. Warner was attacking in the first six overs with Shikhar Dhawan holding one end, which allowed him to express himself. The fact that he scored seven fifties in 14 matches is proof of his consistency. The great thing about Warner was that he brought in maturity to his aggressive streak and was able to prolong that to help his team.

5.  Andre Russell (M: 13, Runs: 326, Avge: 36.22, SR: 192.89)

Andre Russell is the only batsman outside the Top 10 run-scorers of IPL 2015 to feature in this list. He has been added simply because of the way he bludgeoned it around in the middle-order. When Kolkata Knight Riders were in trouble, Russell was their key to success. On more than an occasion, he helped them out of trouble by smashing his way around and imposing himself on the opposition. A strike-rate of 192.89 reflects that. Russell commands a place simply because of the impact he had.

6.  Shreyas Iyer (M: 14, Runs: 436, Avge: 33.76, SR: 128.36)

For a young man, this was an incredible effort. Shreyas Iyer showed his aggressive streak upfront for the Delhi Daredevils and was one of their bright spots in the campaign. Iyer was fearless and backed himself to play big shots. The fact that he was asked to open the batting in his very first season shows the confidence the team management had on him. And, it wasn’t only about playing the big shots but he played good cricketing strokes in doing so. He was rightly adjudged the Emerging Player of the Season.

7.  Ajinkya Rahane (M: 14, Runs: 540, Avge: 49.09, SR: 130.75)

Ajinkya Rahane is the kind of a batsman who doesn’t seem to smash it around, but when you look at the scoreboard, he would have raced away to a good score. Rajasthan Royals needed that solidity at the top and Rahane provided that with his trademark ice-cool temperament. Although there were times when he got bogged down, a strike-rate of 130.75 shows that he was aggressive enough through the tournament.

8.  Kieron Pollard (M: 16, Runs: 419, Avge: 38.09, SR: 163.67)

Kieron Pollard found his mojo through the tournament with consistent performances in the middle order. The Mumbai Indians management used him well and ensured he walked in situations where he had enough time for a couple of sighters before blasting off. Pollard combined power with consistency to ensure Mumbai Indians get the punch in the middle order. He also showed he could play the holding role at times. For his overall effort, he deserves a place in the top 10.

9.  Virat Kohli (M: 16, Runs: 505, Avge: 45.90, SR 130.82)

Virat Kohli seemed to have brought his international consistency into the IPL this year. The Royal Challengers Bangalore skipper led from the front and decided to open the batting with Chris Gayle. At a time when they were at crossroads, Kohli decided to put himself at the top and took matters in his own hands. His batting was more about/ leadership than anything else. And, who can forget that knock against the Sunrisers Hyderabad, which helped Royal Challengers Bangalore win a six-over game.

10.  Chris Gayle (M: 14, Runs: 491, Avge: 40.91, SR: 147.47)

Chris Gayle showed that he still has the power to smash it big. In the middle of the season, he had that painstaking innings against the Mumbai Indians, which made people question his abilities. He fought back hard and in some style, helped Royal Challengers Bangalore impose themselves upfront. His century against Kings XI Punjab was one to watch out for and the celebration was even better some would say. He makes it ahead of Brendon McCullum for he finished with a better average and a run-tally.

(Nishad Pai Vaidya is a Correspondent with CricketCountry and anchor for the site’s YouTube Channel. His Twitter handle is @nishad_45. The above article was first published in Criclife)

Find your daily dose of news & explainers in your WhatsApp. Stay updated, Stay informed-  Follow DNA on WhatsApp.
Advertisement

Live tv

Advertisement
Advertisement