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The glittering and golden IPL trophy bears a message in Sanskrit, which highlights the motto behind the extravagant tournament - 'Yatra Pratibha Avsara Prapnoti'. It means 'Where talent meets opportunity'.
The IPL has indeed lived up to its promise. Every edition throws the spotlight on youngsters with flair and zeal. But over the years, amidst the fanfare around new talents and evergreen stars, some of the best performers have gone under the radar. This edition of the IPL is no different.
Here is an attempt to give these unnoticed performers their much-deserved credit.
7. Ravichandran Ashwin - Rajasthan Royals
Matches: 13, Innings: 9, Runs: 143, Average: 23.83, Strike Rate: 140.20; Wickets: 10, Economy: 7.15
R. Ashwin's miserly economy rate of 7.15 ranks 14th this IPL season, and he has bowled 101 dot balls. The off-spinner has bowled 11 overs in the powerplay this IPL, picking up three wickets and conceding only 6.18 runs per over, with a dot ball percentage of 42.42.
The spinner from Tamil Nadu had an economy rate of fewer than six runs per over in four out of the 12 matches Rajasthan Royals played. Yuzvendra Chahal partially owes the IPL Orange Cap he wears to his partner R Ashwin.
The stylish right-hander with five test centuries has put his best foot forward with the bat also. Whenever RR lost an early wicket, Ashwin walked out to bat at No. 3. Although he has not scored a heap of runs except for the solitary half-century against the Delhi Capitals, he has kept the momentum going.
6. Krunal Pandya - Lucknow Super Giants
Matches: 13, Innings: 12, Runs: 183, Average: 22.88, Strike Rate: 127.08; Wickets: 9, Economy Rate: 6.65 (Till May 18)
Krunal Pandya started his stint for Lucknow Super Giants with an economical spell against Gujarat Titans, giving away 17 runs and picking up the wicket of brother Hardik. After a poor game against the Chennai Super Kings, he picked up two wickets at an economy rate of 6.75 runs per over against SunRisers Hyderabad.
His top score this IPL season, of 42, came in a losing cause against RCB. In a match where he also picked up the wicket of the rampaging Glenn Maxwell and conceded only 29 runs at an economy rate of 7.25 runs per over.
He followed that up with his best bowling figures of 3/19 against Mumbai Indians. In the next match against Punjab Kings, Krunal picked up two wickets while giving away only 11 runs in his quota of four overs, for which he won the Player of the Match award.
Krunal, with the seventh best economy rate of 6.65 runs per over in the tournament, has been the fulcrum of LSG's bowling attack in the middle overs.
5. Tilak Varma - Mumbai Indians
Matches: 13, Innings: 13, Runs: 376, Average: 37.60, Strike Rate: 131.46
The 19-year-old IPL debutant Tilak Varma has been MI's knight in shining armor, having been their highest run-scorer this season. Captain Rohit Sharma aptly summed up the promise of Tilak Varma's talent and performance before the match against CSK.
"He's been brilliant playing for the first year. Having such a calm head is never easy and in my opinion, I feel he's going to be an all-format player for India pretty soon. He's got the technique, he's got the temperament, which is the most important thing when you play at the highest level."
Varma has been MI's highest run-scorer this IPL season. Chasing a steep target in MI's second game, he scored 61 runs at a strike rate of 184.84 against RR's effective bowling attack.
He followed this up with an unbeaten cameo of 38 runs in 27 balls against KKR. Varma looked set to take MI home against PBKS before an unlucky run-out cut his 36-run stay short.
In the game against CSK, he had to play a different role after Mukesh Choudhary wrecked the top-order. He scored an unbeaten half-century in 43 balls. Tilak is the seventh highest run-scorer in the tournament and looks poised to win the Emerging Player of the Year award in an utterly disappointing IPL season for MI.
Click here to find out which is the next match in the IPL schedule 2022.
4. Abhishek Sharma - Sunrisers Hyderabad
Matches: 13, Innings: 13, Runs: 383, Average: 29.46, Strike Rate: 132.98, 50s: 2
SRH continued to persist with Abhishek Sharma at the top of the order despite a poor start in the first two games. He repaid their faith in him with an unbeaten match-winning knock of 75 runs in 50 balls against CSK. Coach Tom Moody recognized Abhishek's talent during the post-match interview.
"We recognized right at the beginning of the tournament and even at the auction that Abhishek was going to be an important player for us at the top of the order."
He topped that performance with a 32-ball 42 against GT to help SRH chase down 168 with an over to spare. Abhishek brought out his A-game again in the second clash of the IPL season against GT.
He hit three maximums in a knock of 65 at a strike rate of 154.76. His seamless batting knocks deserve greater attention, particularly in light of the poor rut of form that his senior opening partner and skipper Kane Williamson is having.
3. Wanindu Hasaranga - Royal Challengers Bangalore
Matches: 13, Wickets: 23, Economy: 7.48, Best Bowling Figures: 5/18
RCB have had a fantastic IPL season so far. They are poised to make the play-offs, with their lead-spinner Hasaranga vying for the Orange Cap this IPL, behind Yuzvendra Chahal.
He earned the Player of the Match award in RCB's second match of IPL 15, picking up four wickets for 20 runs against KKR. In their fourth match against MI, Hasaranga picked up the wickets of Brevis and Pollard with clever googlies at an economy rate of 7.00 runs per over.
In the game against RR, he dismissed RR's top performers Sanju Samson and Shimron Hetmyer, giving away only 23 runs. His best performance of 5/18 came against SRH, where he derailed a steep chase of 193 runs in the middle overs. He bowled 120 dot balls in this IPL, translating to a dot ball percentage of 44.44.
2. David Miller - Gujarat Titans
Matches:13, Innings: 13, Runs: 347, Average: 57.83, Strike Rate: 136.07, Highest Score: 94*, Not-Outs: 7
David Miller has had his best IPL season, forging an unlikely alliance with Rahul Tewatia. The pair started the season with a match-winning 60-run partnership against LSG, getting together when GT found themselves in a tricky situation in a 159-run chase.
After a few quiet games, Miller played a blistering cameo of 31 runs in 14 balls against RR's commendable bowling attack. In the next match against CSK, David Miller played one of the best innings of IPL 15, smashing an unbeaten 94 off 51 balls.
The knock came after Mukesh Choudhary and Maheesh Theekshana had triggered a top-order collapse.
With the Titans needing 76 runs in 7 overs, Miller and Tewatia combined to put up an unbeaten partnership of 79 runs in 40 balls. Miller has remained unbeaten seven times. The Miller-Tewatia pair have scored 319 runs at an average of 45.57 and bailed GT out of crisis throughout a tremendous debut IPL season.
1. Shimron Hetmyer - Rajasthan Royals
Matches: 11, Innnings: 11, Runs: 291, Average: 72.75, Strike Rate: 166.28
Hetmyer has scored 210 runs in the last four overs of matches at a strike rate of 214.28. He was unbeaten at the end of the innings on seven occasions. He has the best batting average in the tournament and has also struck 21 maximums.
He started the IPL season against SRH with a 13-ball 32-run cameo and followed it with a 14-ball 35 against MI. In the fourth match of the IPL season for RR, he scored an unbeaten fifty at a strike rate of 163.88, hitting six maximums in the knock.
His most impactful performance came in a steep chase against PBKS. Hetmyer single-handedly won the game for RR by taking the duo of Kagiso Rabada and Arshdeep Singh to the cleaners, scoring 31 runs at a strike rate of 193.75.
Hetmyer has now left the bio-bubble for the momentous birth of his first child but will be back in time for the all-important play-offs of IPL 15.
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