IPL Team of the Week May 2 - May 8

Three consecutive defeats arrested Gujarat Lions’ dominance at the top of the table, and Sunrisers have sneaked up to the number one position, courtesy a string of wins. Kolkata Knight Riders and Delhi Daredevils complete the other two slots in the top four. Virat Kohli’s heroics have given RCB hope; the old warhorses, Ashish Nehra and Praveen Kumar have rolled back the years to give their teams tight starts with the ball. Consistent performers like Ajinkya Rahane and Dinesh Karthik have given regular contributions to their teams. Here’s a list of eleven players who were top performers in the last week:

Ajinkya Rahane

The tiny opener from Mumbai has been a rock at the top for the Pune franchise, giving them starts and chasing totals in a campaign that has cracked under a spate of injuries and indifferent form from teammates. Against Gujarat, he stayed unbeaten to finish a 166 run chase, even when the middle-order threw away starts at the end. Two days later, he anchored the innings once again, scoring a more swift 48-ball 74 to power his team to 191, a target that was subsequently overtaken by Kohli’s ton. Playing all round the wicket, his innings was studded with eight boundaries and two maximums. It’s a pity that Pune’s path to the playoffs looks uncertain, but Rahane, with another consistent performance in the IPL, has come under the reckoning for a permanent national spot.

Shikhar Dhawan

With Warner and Dhawan at the top of the order, the Sunrisers Hyderabad already looked good on paper. The fact that these two have been among the runs in this IPL augurs well for the team, that has lately been bolstered by the inclusion of Yuvraj Singh in the middle overs.

Dhawan, who was under pressure to perform, answered with the bat, first scoring an unbeaten 47 to anchor the chase against the Gujarat Lions, and followed it up with 82 against the Mumbai Indians. Playing second-fiddle to Warner in the previous week, he has been more assured with his strokeplay.

Virat Kohli

The unquestioned leader at the top of the run charts is Kohli, who scored his second ton of the season, this time in a winning cause. The unbeaten 108 helped overhaul Pune’s steep total of 191, and gave his team a new lease of life in this season. In a 58-ball masterclass that was studded with eight fours and seven sixes, he paced his innings perfectly to end up on the winning side. Against KKR, he dropped down one rung to allow Gayle to open the innings with Rahul. Coming in early in the second over itself, he scored 52 before getting out in the seventeenth over. RCB still stay in the hunt for a play-offs spot, and Kohli’s golden run with the bat is one of the reasons for the same.

Marcus Stoinis

The Western Australian, who recently won a second consecutive Sheffield Shield with Victoria, has been a surprise package for Kings XI. Purchased by the Punjab franchise this season, the 25-year old came up with a classic all-round performance against the Daredevils, first scoring a 44-ball 52 at the top of the order, and then coming back to dismiss three top order batsmen. His knock, complete with three fours and two sixes, helped post 181 on the board, a target which the Delhi batsmen fell short by nine runs.

Demoted down the order against the Royal Challengers, he provided a late order flourish took the Kings XI within inches of the target. With his ability to provide crucial breakthroughs and quick blitzes, Stoinis finds his way in the Team of the Week.

Dinesh Karthik

DK has been Mr. Dependable for the Lions

Having been part of as many as five franchises, Karthik has been one of the most dependable wicket-keeper batsman in the IPL, adjusting to varying conditions and batting positions. A vital piece in the Gujarat Lions’ batting puzzle, Karthik has made an impact both behind and in front of the stumps.

He has hit two half-centuries in the three games that the Lions played this week. The latest, a 29-ball 51 helped finish the chase after both the openers were back in the hut by the eight over. Coming in at four, he chased down the target with the help of eight fours and a six.

Behind the stumps, he collected five catches as well. Lokesh Rahul was also considered for the list, but Karthik edged forward due to a better showing behind the sticks.

Andre Russell

Russell has been impressive with both bat and ball

Two time World T20 winner, Andre Russell provides firepower with both bat and ball, as he has done for his national team in the past. Although he hasn’t made substantial contributions with the bat, he has come in with late cameos, and has clubbed 12 sixes in this season already.

His bowling, however, has been phenomenal in the middle and death overs, at an average of less than 17, and has a economy of less than 8, and is currently the Purple Cap holder. Defending 12 off the last over against Kings XI, he conceded only five to hand KKR a slim win. That evening, he scalped four wickets and effected a run-out.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar

How long can Bhuvi continue bowling maidens?

Bowling with the new ball, Kumar has been accurate and has been among the wickets consistently. The trio of Bhuvneshwar, Nehra and Mustafizur has ensured Hyderabad’s convincing ascent to the top of the table.

Starting off with a maiden over against Gujarat, he returned with impressive figures of 4-1-28-2, accounting for the big wickets of Raina and Smith.

Moises Henriques, his SRH teammate, has termed him “a genius bowler”. Before this, he was part of the Bangalore and Pune franchises.

Piyush Chawla

An injury to Sunil Narine has made Piyush Chawla the primary spinner for the KKR. With Shakib Al Hasan and Brad Hogg along, the three have stemmed the flow of runs in the middle overs and have picked up crucial wickets in the process. With five wickets from three matches, the 27-year old has been one of the more prolific spinners this week.

Piyush made his debut for the national side in the year 2006 as a 17-year old. He last played for India in late 2012.Previously part of the Kings XI franchise, Chawla has taken 118 wickets in 120 matches across all seasons. This season, he has bowled under an economy of eight and an average of 24.

Praveen Kumar

He last played for India in 2012, but his effectiveness with the new ball hasn’t waned. With his ability to swing the ball both ways, Praveen rolled back the years against the Kolkata Knight Riders with a super spell upfront. He took the key wickets of Gautam Gambhir and Manish Pandey in the third over of the innings, and maintained pressure to end with figures of 4-1-19-2.

Against the Sunrisers, he bowled another tight spell of 4-0-28-1, taking the wicket of Kane Williamson. Combining with Dhawal Kulkarni, he has been able to halt the run flow in the first six overs. Given his control over the ball, he is effective in the final overs too.

Mustafizur Rahman

The Fizz has been in sparkling form

Still 20 years old but already a star, Mustafizur has been a thorn in batsmen’s flesh since making his international debut last year.

This being his debut season, he has already come in the limelight for his wily bowling, match after match.

His slow, unplayable off-cutters are difficult to score off, and his pin-point accuracy makes him all the more lethal. He has picked up wickets aplenty, and already has 13 from 10 matches at an astonishing economy of 6.18.

His figures this week read 2-17 and 3-16 and has been instrumental in taking SRH to the top of the table.