3 highly successful foreign batsmen in IPL history

You cannot point a figure in dissent to the joy that Indian Premier League caters to cricket fans across the globe. It's right up there on the pedestal with the big ICC tournaments.

The IPL is a template for entertainment, irrespective of the aspect of the game. But then, there are few aspects of the game that are more enthralling than watching the ball sail over the boundary ropes. Many foreign batsmen have graced this league with their special skills, but only a few have been impactful till date.

With less than five months to go for the grandest non-ICC cricketing festival, let's look at three of the greatest foreign batsmen to have played in the league considering their strike rate.

#3 David Warner

The little dynamite from Australia, David Warner is undoubtedly one of the best T20 batsmen of all time. He has carved his own legacy in the Indian Premier League with his brilliant run- scoring consistency and impeccable ability to deliver when it's needed.

The NSW Blues lad made everyone look at him when he displayed his great run of form at the Delhi Daredevils. He and Sehwag formed one of the most menacing opening partnerships of all time in IPL history. But later he moved to Sunrisers Hyderabad, and for the first time, laid his hands on the coveted trophy.

Warner has scored 4014 runs in 114 innings that he has played. He has maintained an astonishing average in excess of 40 for an opener and he strikes at a rate of 142.13 in every innings. He has a record number of 50-plus scores against his name. He has done it in 36 matches. Along with that, he has also scored three match-defining centuries.

Warner is perhaps the only consistent Aussie player in IPL history and continues to enthral audiences all over the world.

#2 Chris Gayle

The 'Universe Boss' Chris Gayle is undoubtedly one of the most destructive batsmen of the modern era across all formats. He has rocked the cricketing world with his menacing power with the bat. The Jamaican hits sixes for fun and scores T20 centuries for breakfast.

Chris Gayle started his IPL career with KKR, but much to his dismay, it turned out to be a not-so-successful partnership as he underperformed all the way through to 2010. He then came to RCB mid-season and launched one of the most scathing attacks on bowling units across all teams in the league's history. It looked like he was waiting for the right time to unleash hell.

In 2011 and 2012 Chris gayle's breathtaking consistency made him two-time Orange Cap holder. He scored 608 and 733 runs in consecutive years. He became an indivisible part of RCB until 2018 when he joined KXIP.

In 111 innings he has scored 3994 runs at an astonishing average and strike rate of 41.17 and 150.7 respectively. He has registered the highest individual score in IPL history when he just took the Pune (PWI) bowlers to the cleaners and treated them with utmost disdain before ending up with 175*.

Gayle has 6 centuries and 24 half-centuries against his name. He is the only player to have crossed the 10,000 run-mark in T20 history. He is undoubtedly the greatest missionary of T20 cricket across the globe.

#1 AB de Villiers

Words are not enough to describe this freaky RCB legend. He is unbelievable in so many ways. Every other cricketer can never even try to imagine doing what ABD does on the field with ease.

The red army at Chinnaswamy goes berserk for this Proteas legend. He is unprecedently the most loved foreign player in India. Mr.360° is probably the most influential T20 batsman of all time. His shots have become a template for success in the shorter formats.

Abraham Benjamin de Villiers started his IPL career at Delhi Daredevils, where he enjoyed decent success. Yet, in the 4th edition, the Royal Challengers Bangalore were blessed enough to have him in their team, and the rest is history!

Not many people in the entire universe can hit some of fiercest bowlers in the world for a six with a reverse sweep unless it's AB de Villiers. Bowlers just submit to his genius.

It's not only about his shots; in fact, he has been one of the most consistent performers in the league's history. In 129 innings, he has scored 3953 runs at an impressive average of 39.53 and at an astonishing strike rate of 150.93.

Even though AB de Villiers has retired from the international cricket he has declared himself available for IPL which is a great news for every cricket fan. His service to the game is still not over yet.