5 Unsung Heroes of IPL 2018

Every year, the IPL produces a number of top performers who get a host of new fans and make use of the stage which IPL provides them with. However, every year there are also certain players who put in stellar performances but go under the radar.

Here, I aim to bring to light those 'unsung heroes' whose performances this season have contributed immensely to their team's success, but who have, for some reason or the other, slipped under the radar.

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#1 Sandeep Sharma

The Sunrisers' bowling attack this season has been phenomenal, and most viewers have acknowledged that; however, while bowlers such as Rashid Khan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, and Siddharth Kaul (to a certain extent) have been getting all the plaudits, one must acknowledge Sandeep Sharma's immense contribution to the Sunrisers' bowling attack.

In 6 innings so far, Sandeep has taken 7 wickets; while his wicket-taking record may not set the IPL on fire, his economy of 5.26 is second to none.

In an edition of the IPL where the likes of Jasprit Bumrah, Rashid Khan, and Bhuvneshwar Kumar have had economy rates in and around 7.0, Sandeep Sharma's economy rate is a testament to the kind of bowler he is, and that must be acknowledged.

#2 Mandeep Singh

While the Royal Challengers Bangalore are languishing around the bottom of the table, Mandeep Singh has, rather quietly, put together an impressive scoring streak playing as a finisher, a role which is new for him.

In 10 innings, he has scored 232 runs at an average 33.14; while at first glance, the numbers may not seem impressive, factoring in Mandeep's batting position along with considering his consistent handy cameos for RCB does make one realize how much Mandeep has contributed to the RCB batting lineup.

Going forward, Mandeep will be hoping to convert these handy cameos into more substantial innings (if he gets the opportunity), but for now, his performance as a finisher has been solid.

#3 Umesh Yadav

Umesh Yadav, labelled as a 'red-ball specialist', has had a rather good run this IPL and is quietly shedding that title. While pundits acknowledge that Yadav has performed fairly well this IPL, one cannot help but feel that he has not got the credit he deserves.

In 10 matches so far, he has taken 14 wickets; and while his economy of 8.14 is on the higher side, it is still lower as compared to his economy in previous seasons and he has bowled the second most dot balls this season.

Further, Yadav is finally maximising on his potential and giving his captain a wicket at crucial stages, more often than not. As the World Cup of 2019 and the T20 World Cup of T20 approach, Yadav will be looking to carry on with this form and cement a spot in the limited overs sides.

#4 Mitchell McClenaghan

There seems to be somewhat of a consensus that Mitchell McClenaghan has not pulling his weight; however, on looking at the numbers, one would realize that McClenaghan has, without much fuss, put together a streak of fairly good performances.

In 9 innings so far, he has taken 12 wickets. While critics may criticise his economy rate of 8.34, that is still lower than what it was last season (when he was being praised for being one of Mumbai's top performers).

The case remains the same with his bowling average of 22.25. While McClenaghan has not set the IPL on fire (like some would have expected him to be), he has performed rather consistently this tournament, and that it something that must be acknowledged.

#5 Sunil Narine

This last option will probably raise some eyebrows, but Sunil Narine has not got the credit he deserves. Most pundits have said something along the lines of, "he has performed decently, but he is not the star that he used to be"; however, the numbers suggest that he has been excellent this season, both with bat and ball.

With the evolving nature of T20 cricket, there are several schools of thought which suggest that Narine's value as a T20 batsman cannot be accurately measured by conventional metrics, and that has been just the case this season.

Whenever Narine has opened, there have been two scenarios: a) he gets in and gets the team off to a blistering start or b) he gets out without wasting any balls. With ball, too, he has been remarkably good and extremely consistent.

He has taken 13 wickets in 11 innings at an economy of 7.5 odd. While Narine the T20 bowler is not the same since his re-modelled action, Narine the T20 player has been as valuable as ever this season, and that must be acknowledged.