IPL 2018: Rajasthan Royals' D'Arcy Short set to light up the tournament with his big hitting

D'Arcy Short, the 27-year-old Australian cricketer, is set to star for the Rajasthan Royals in the forthcoming Indian Premier League season. Short was the best batter in this year's Big Bash League (BBL) and, rightly, was selected for Australia's T20 fixtures against England and New Zealand. His form has been nothing short of phenomenal and it will be seen in full force when he finally sorts out his passport issues and arrives in India.

Remarkably, Short has only played 25 T20 games in his career but has represented his country on five occasions. Only making his first-class debut in November 2016, his reputation as a destructive one day batsman has been earned quickly. Short's form in last year's BBL was good, but nothing compared to this season.

In 11 matches in BBL07, he amassed 572 runs at a strike rate of 148.57. He also broke the BBL record for the highest individual score. His 122 not out against Brisbane Heat was scored off just 69 balls and included eight fours and eight sixes.

That century plus four fifties helped the Hobart Hurricanes reach the final, where they narrowly lost to the Adelaide Strikers. Short finished the tournament as the top run scorer and was voted Player of the Tournament.

Short has transitioned well in international games too. He averages 49.00 in T20Is, with a strike rate just short of 150, and has two half-centuries so far. In the match against New Zealand, at Eden Park, his 77 off 43 balls helped Australia chase down 243 runs. It was his opening partnership with David Warner gave Australia the platform to build the successful innings.

Undoubtedly, Short will feature regularly in T20 Internationals for Australia in the future. Like Chris Lynn, playing at Kolkata Knight Riders, Short's ability to score heavily and fast is priceless.

In addition to his explosive batting, Short is also a useful left-arm spin bowler. He has taken seven wickets so far in T20 cricket at an average of 37. He is quite expensive at 9.14 per over, but could find Indian pitches more conducive to his bowling. Classed as an all-rounder, it would be slightly unfair to expect too many overs from Short but he could be useful as an occasional bowler.

Rajasthan Royals' fans should look forward to Short's batting. Opening the innings, Short can take advantage of fielding restrictions with big shots. The prospect of seeing Short bat in tandem with Jos Buttler is mouth-watering. If both batsmen were to get in, any score would be possible.

The absence of Steve Smith, as captain, likely won't affect Short. Having Shane Warne around as Team Mentor will be a plus for the player.

After the debacle in South Africa, there will be plenty of focus on Australian players. The spirit of the game has been questioned in the country, and players like Short can go a long way to helping Australian cricket's reputation.

Short plays cricket in a hard but fair manner. His performances recently have been breathtaking, and this year Indian fans will see get to see his remarkable batting abilities first-hand.