IPL 2016: 10 best batsmen of the tournament

T20 cricket has always known to be one that favoured batsmen, with pitches that suited batsmen being laid out for most of the matches. However, this Indian Premier League (IPL) season has had a balance with regard to how the pitches were made. For this very reason, the batsmen have to be commended for their efforts in finding ways to churn out runs.

The fact that two of the top run-getters overtook the previous all-time number speaks volumes about how batsmen have fared this season. There were some new faces who performed better than expected and will have given selection headaches to their national selection committees. Some of the usual suspects disappointed and had a below-par season.

The following list is not solely made on the number of runs scored by batsmen. Additional aspects such as batting averages and the value of the knocks have been considered while creating this list. Here is the list of top ten batsmen of the 2016 IPL:

#10 – Quinton de Kock

The South African opener is one of the most destructive openers in the world right now. Once de Kock gets going, the opposition finds it hard to contain him. Add to that, his affinity to play in the sub-continent conditions.

The 23-year-old scored 445 runs in 13 innings at an average of 37.08 and a strike rate of 136.08. He also hit the first century of the tournament and scored three half-centuries for the Delhi Daredevils. De Kock was ninth in the run-getters list despite playing only 13 innings.

#9 – Shikhar Dhawan

The southpaw from Sunrisers Hyderabad is one batsman who can polarise opinions of cricket followers with his batting. Although he has the ability to be an attacking opener, coming into the IPL, he was on a bad run with the bat. Dhawan had only four 30-plus scores in the 14 T20Is that he played before the IPL.

However, the 30-year-old was able to find some much-needed form as the tournament progressed and some of his knocks were crucial in helping SRH win their first ever IPL. Dhawan scored 501 runs in 17 innings at an average of 38.53 and a strike rate of 116.78. His strike rate might not be the most impressive, however, with David Warner as an opening partner, Dhawan had to try and play the anchor role more often than not letting his captain take on the bowlers.

#8 – Gautam Gambhir

There is something about the IPL that the Kolkata Knight Riders captain particularly enjoys and Gambhir has been one of the most consistent batsmen through the tournament's history. Coming into the IPL, Gambhir had a high score of 38 in 2016 that he scored against Madhya Pradesh in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.

However, he started off the tournament on a great note, scoring two fifties in his first three innings giving his side a solid foundation at the start of the innings. The 34-year-old scored 501 runs in 15 matches at an average of 38.53 and a strike rate of 121.89, scoring five fifties in the process. His form and leadership were major reasons for the two-time champions to make it to the playoffs of the IPL.

#7 – Ajinkya Rahane

Although the Rising Pune Supergiants did not have an impressive debut season, one bright spot was the form of their opener, Ajinkya Rahane. Rahane continued to flourish with the bat when his teammates faltered time and again. Even though his batting might have been criticised for being too slow, it has to be noted that it was necessary he held the fort at one end with none of the other batsmen in the Pune side showing any sort of consistency.

The newly appointed Indian Test vice-captain scored 480 runs in 14 matches at an impressive average of 43.63 and a strike rate of 126.64. He scored six fifties in the first 10 innings, not being able to end the season on a personal high.

#6 – KL Rahul

When people consider the batting of the Royal Challengers Bangalore, the name of KL Rahul would rarely come up with the team having so many other batting bigwigs. Despite the presence of “better” batsmen in his side, Rahul had a terrific season for RCB with the bat.

The 24-year-old scored 397 runs in 12 innings at an average of 44.11 and a strike rate of 146.49. Despite being shuffled in the batting order, Rahul was able to fit in and play vital knocks for his side.

However, his performance behind the stumps might have overshadowed his performance in front of the stumps as he botched a few good chances for his side. It has to be noted that Rahul is only a part-time keeper and made sure that his primary responsibility as a batsman was carried out well.

#5 – Rohit Sharma

As captain of the 2015 champions, Rohit Sharma would have been full of confidence coming into the tournament, following his good showing in the tour of Australia and Asia Cup. Rohit did not do well in the World T20, but he did bounce back from that and came back strongly in the IPL, from a batting perspective.

Rohit scored 489 runs in 14 matches at an average of 44.45 and a strike rate of 132.88, notching up five fifties in the process. Although his numbers might look impressive, his performance batting first was way below par as he struggled to give the starts necessary for his side. In the seven innings he batted first, Rohit scored just 95 runs at an average of 13.57 and a strike rate of 110.46.

#4 – Yusuf Pathan

Yusuf Pathan was only 14th in the highest run-getters list, but he makes this list for the sheer importance of his knocks. Yusuf was also able to find a new approach to his batting compared to his old style of going hard at it. There was a definite maturity about the 33-year-old's batting.

In 13 innings, Yusuf scored 361 runs at an outstanding average of 72.20 and a strike rate of 145.56. His batting average was second only to the orange cap holder, Virat Kohli. Two of his three fifties came in a winning cause, the last of which came in a must-win game in the league stages. Despite not starting the tournament well, Yusuf found form at the right time for his side to help them reach the playoffs.

#3 – AB de Villiers

For one of the best batsmen in the world right now, AB de Villiers’ form in the shortest format of the game, internationally, is far from impressive. However, when it comes to the IPL, the South African finds renewed energy and comes up with the most unimaginable shots to milk runs out of any bowler.

In 16 innings, de Villiers scored 687 runs with impressive numbers, finishing the tournament with a batting average of 52.84 and a strike rate of 168.79. To put things into perspective, no batsman in the top 25 of highest run-getters has a better strike rate than the 32-year-old.

Along with his captain Kohli, de Villiers formed the best batting pair this IPL as the bromance between the players helped in getting their side to the final of the tournament for the third time. De Villiers was also electric in the field latching on to important catches for RCB.

#2 – David Warner

When we look at David Warner's stats in isolation, it does seem like he was the best batsman of the IPL. The Australian's batting performance might have been overshadowed by a special Kohli, however, that did not stop him from leading SRH from the front to win the ninth edition of the IPL. Warner was one of the most consistent batsmen of the tournament, coming up with crucial knocks for SRH at the top of the batting order.

It was Warner's batting form that masked the middle order's incapability to remain consistent throughout the tournament. Even in the final, Warner scored a fifty to help lay the foundation for a winning total and thus lead his side to their maiden IPL title.

In 17 innings, the 29-year-old scored 848 runs at an average of 60.57 and a strike rate of 151.42. Warner scored the most number of fifties in the tournament, with nine to his name. This was also the highest number of half-centuries scored in a single season of the IPL.

#1 – Virat Kohli

There is little doubt who should be heading this list after coming up with one of the best, if not the best, performances ever in a single T20 tournament. Virat Kohli carried on his form from the start of 2016 and went on to score 973 runs in just 16 innings at a phenomenal average of 81.08.

For a batsman who likes to get settled in and then take off from there, Kohli's strike rate of 152.03 is nothing short of being commendable as this proves how well the 27-year-old can accelerate later on in the innings.

With no T20 hundreds to his name before the IPL, Kohli finally realised the dream in great style, finishing the IPL with four hundreds to his name, the highest for any batsman in any T20 tournament. In addition to the four centuries, Kohli scored seven half-centuries.

Falling 27 runs short of the four-figure mark might have been a disappointment to the RCB captain, but probably not as much a disappointment as not winning their maiden IPL title after coming so close.