IPL: 5 batsmen with the highest average

We hear a lot of talk about averages and consistency in Test and ODI cricket. However, with all the big-hitting, a lot of people feel that batting average is not as important in T20 cricket. And when T20 cricket started, many felt that consistency would be hard to achieve.

However, batsmen have gone onto attain consistency in the shortest format. We see Virat Kohli redefine the art of T20 batting and becoming extremely consistent. With consistency, the average automatically shoots up. Hence, here we look at 5 batsmen who have the best average in IPL history.

Note – Batsmen with a minimum of 500 runs have been considered

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#5 Shaun Marsh – 39.95

This might be a surprising name in the list of best averages, but Shaun Marsh has been one of the most consistent batsmen for Kings XI Punjab. He represented Punjab for 9 years (missing out in 2009). With 2477 runs in 71 games at an average of 39.95, Marsh is currently the highest run-getter for KXIP in IPL history.

He is one of the foreign stars who came into the international scene due to the IPL. Marsh had a fabulous debut season in 2008 where he amassed 616 runs (which included 5 fifties and 1 hundred) in 11 innings at an average of 68.44 and a strike-rate of 139.68. He was the winner of the first Orange Cap. On the back of this performance, the senior Marsh made his international debut in West Indies in June that year.

After missing out in 2009 and a large part of 2010, in 2011, Marsh was once again at his best. He scored 504 runs in 13 innings at an average of 42.00 and a strike-rate of 146.51. He then went on to register more than 300 runs in the next couple of seasons as well.

He’s been an integral part of KXIP over the years and has had one the best averages in the IPL (39.95).

#4 Lendl Simmons – 39.96

Lendl Simmons has been a part of two title-winning Mumbai Indians team.

As soon as the name Lendl Simmons comes up, the Indian fans would remember that unbeaten knock of 82 he played against India in the T20 World Cup semi-final in 2016 against India.

However, before that knock, Simmons was one of the constant members of the Mumbai Indians side. In 2014 and 2015, he scored 394 and 540 runs respectively. He played a big part in MI’s title-winning season in 2015. He scored 65 and 68 in the Qualifier and the Final respectively to guide Mumbai to their second IPL title.

In 2016, Simmons just featured in one game (the opening match) as the West Indian right-hander suffered a back injury. He didn’t have a great IPL in 2017 as he could manage only 137 runs in 7 innings. However, he still boasts of a very good average of 39.96.

#3 David Warner – 40.54

No batsman has scored more runs than David Warner in the last four years in the IPL.

David Warner might not be playing this year’s IPL, but there is absolutely no doubt that he was one of the best batsmen in the IPL over the last few years. Warner started off with Delhi Daredevils (DD) but he came into his own when he moved to Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH).

Playing for DD, the Australian opener scored 1435 runs in 55 innings at an average of 28.70. But for SRH, he has played 58 games and has amassed 2579 runs at a superb average of 52.63 and a very good strike-rate of 147.70. He won the Orange Cap twice in the last four years (in 2015 and 2017).

He has been a massive influence for SRH, not only as a batsman but also as a captain. He’s led the Hyderabad franchise inspirationally and led them to the IPL title in 2016. His overall average of 40.54 is one of the best in IPL history.

#2 Chris Gayle – 41.20

Chris Gayle was very successful at RCB.

Chris Gayle is arguably one of the best T20 batsmen on this planet. He is the only batsman in world cricket to amass more than 10,000 T20 runs. He has more T20 hundreds than Test hundreds. He has hit 20 tons in the shortest format of the game while he just has 15 centuries in Test cricket.

He took the IPL by storm in 2011. After three sedate years after at KKR where he scored 463 runs in 30 innings, he was brought in as a replacement by RCB in 2011 and he won the Orange Cap (scoring 608 runs) in RCB’s journey to the final. He has scored 5 IPL tons for RCB and also has the highest individual T20 score in the history of the game (175).

He continued to be an integral part of the RCB setup for the next 6 years. He amassed more than 3000 runs for RCB across 7 seasons in 85 games. Overall, he has registered 3626 runs at an average of 41.20 and a strike-rate of 151.21.

#1 Hashim Amla – 44.38

Hashim Amla has scored 2 IPL centuries.

Hashim Amla might come across as a classical player who is more suited to Test cricket. However, he is a superb limited-overs batsman as well. He is the fastest (by innings) to 2000, 3000, 4000, 5000, 6000 and 7000 ODI runs. He also averages in excess of 50 and has a strike-rate of almost 90. He also has an overall T20 strike-rate of 130.06.

In the IPL, the South African limited-overs opener has amassed 577 runs in 16 games. In 2017 alone, he struck 420 runs in 10 innings at an average of 60.00 and a strike-rate of 145.83. He also scored two fantastic hundreds last season. Hence, he tops this list of best averages with an average of 44.38.

However, Amla did not attract any bid in this year’s auction and it came as a huge surprise that he went unsold considering his record.