IPL 2018: 11 cricketers who had a forgettable IPL

5) Ben Stokes (13 batting innings, 196 runs, S/R of 121.73; 12 bowling innings, 8 wickets, E/R of 8.18)

Ben Stokes got in. Ben Stokes got out.

If we subtract Ben Stokes’ best batting (103 not out off 63 balls) and bowling performance (3 wickets for 18 runs off four overs) from last year, his numbers in IPL 2017 look similar to 2018. But there was this certain confidence in him last year which equated to Andrew Flintoff and Ian Botham comparisons (classic English all-round comparisons). Stokes seemed like a player who could turn a match on its head and it just felt that it was a matter of time. Not this year. He was very meek with the bat and it almost felt like he was coming off a major setback in his life, an event that had knocked the stuffing out of him (excuse the pun). Move over Flintoff and Botham, my all-time favourites Ronnie Irani and Dimitri Mascarenhas are the new benchmark for Stokes.

6) Glenn Maxwell (12 batting innings, 169 runs, S/R of 140.83)

Glenn Maxwell: Looks a million dollar in this picture but isn't worth that much.

The brand mascot for the tagline ‘talent is overrated’. No player in T20 history can possibly have a worse statistical record in comparison to the domination on display once he sets the ball rolling. The only instance he got close to playing a significant innings in IPL 2018 was against KKR, where batting on 47 off 21 balls, Maxwell pulled a filthy half-tracker from Kuldeep Yadav straight to deep mid-wicket. Since then his scores read 4, 12, 27, 6, 5, 2, 9, 5 and 22. Maxwell delivered a six for every crore that was spent on him—nine of them. Each of his run cost DD a whopping 5,32,544 Indian rupees An understanding Australian coach made sure he got enough number of chances but since the IPL shifted from the UAE to India, Maxwell’s name looks threatening only on an unresearched piece of paper.

7) Marcus Stoinis (7 batting innings, 99 runs, S/R of 130.26; 6 bowling innings, 3 wickets, E/R of 10.90)

The only Australian amongst these three to get an IPL 2018 contract, Marcus Stoinis (L) pulled a fast one.

Stoinis pulled a fast one on all of us when we were busy dissecting Stokes’ performances. He went for 6.20 crores (close to 1 million USD) and was amongst the 20 most expensive buys of the 2018 auction. He was dismissed more often than he took wickets this season, he conceded more runs than he scored this season, batsmen scored at a S/R of 182 against Stoinis while he responded with a good-mannered/disciplined S/R of 130. I may not look into numbers much, but with every passing day I am understanding that these are not good returns. I would repay his auction money just to see if Stoinis, the batsman can face up to Stoinis, the bowler. It will be tough to call the winner.