IPL 2016: 5 most improved players from last season

The Indian Premier League has entered the final week of the league stages. There have been many eye-catching performances along the way. This is a long tournament and it does provide an opportunity to the players to get back their form and prove to be vital elements for their teams.

This has also been a season for players who have instrumental in their team’s performance and have repaid the faith of their sides. These players were given opportunities by their team in spite of mediocre performances in the previous seasons.

We take a look at 5 such players who have improved tremendously from the previous season.

KL Rahul

The Karnataka-batsman has been a prolific run scorer in the domestic season. He has also started his Test Career in a sparkling manner and has scored two test centuries. However, his IPL record did not do justice to his talent.

He played for the Sunrisers Hyderabad in the previous season but was nowhere close to his best. He played only 9 matches in which he scored 142 runs at a not so daunting strike rate of 112.

He returned to the Royal Challengers Bangalore this season and has exploded. Rahul has mixed elegance with sensational ball striking abilities all through the season. He has opened the innings, played at number 3 also in the middle order. He has been very consistent too and has held his own amidst the star-studded RCB batting line up.

In the 12 matches he has played so far, he has scored 348 runs at a strike rate of 143.10 and an average of 55.33. This has been some performance from Rahul, who can certainly make his way into the Indian team.

Ashoke Dinda

Dinda has always received flak for leaking runs at the crucial times. Although he has been a vital entity for Bengal in Ranji Trophy, he has never been able to replicate this form into the shortest format.

He played for Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2014 and played only 2 matches. Even in those matches, he gave away 62 runs in 5 overs, at an economy rate of 12.40 rpo.

He was snapped up by Rising Pune Supergiants for this season and was not an immediate starter. But he started off his IPL journey this season and picked up 3 wickets for 23 runs against Sunrisers Hyderabad and has kept up his form ever since. In the 8 matches so far, Dinda has picked up 10 wickets at an average of 21.50 and with an acceptable economy rate of 7.81.

Jasprit Bumrah

This has been a dream season for Jasprit Bumrah. He shot into prominence in the previous season playing for Mumbai Indians. But he was not very successful last year. He played only 4 matches in which he conceded 184 runs in the 15 overs he bowled and picked up only 3 wickets. His economy rate was 12.26.

However, after his international exposure and good performances for the National team, Bumrah has been the strike bowler for Mumbai Indians this season. This season, Bumrah has been a constant fixture for Mumbai and in the 13 matches he has played so far he has picked up 14 wickets.

His economy is 7.58, and is a wicket-taker for his team, bowling at the death overs. He has variations too up his sleeve and uses them to good effect.

Yusuf Pathan

The form and consistency of Yusuf is a story to be documented. Ever since he was snapped up by the Kolkata Knight Riders, he has not been able to do justice to his potential. Yet he was persevered with by KKR and captain Gautam Gambhir always has backed his power hitter.

This season he has finally repaid all the faith and has emerged as the match-winner that he can be. He has finished off games and has won games almost single-handedly for his team.

In the 13 matches he has played so far, Yusuf has scored 307 runs with an average of 76.75, and an impressive strike rate of 147.59.

The way he has paced his innings is been heartening to see, and now he is no more a mere slogger but is also playing the field very well.

Yuvraj Singh

The southpaw has always been a crowd favourite in this format. He has always demanded a high price tag at the auctions. However, he has not been very consistent in the IPL, more so in the previous season.

Playing for the Delhi Daredevils, Yuvraj only scored 248 runs at an average of 19.07, and a strike rate of 118. These figures were nowhere close to the potential of Yuvraj.

This season playing for the Sunrisers Hyderabad, Yuvraj made a late appearance as he was injured during the WorldT20.

In the 5 matches which he has played so far, Yuvraj has looked much better and much secured. That bat swing, that stroke-play and the boundary-hitting ability is certainly back.

The left-hander has so far scored 117 runs, at a strike-rate of 130, and with an average of 29.25. He has provided the late flourish to the innings.

Certainly a much-improved performance from Yuvraj.