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Cricketers from all over the world dream of playing in the Indian Premier League. With just four foreign players allowed in a team, it becomes very difficult to accommodate everyone and unfortunately, some of them miss out on being a part of this tournament. When world-class players miss out, fans are the most affected as they don't get to see their favourite players plying their trade in the IPL.
At the half-way stage, as usual, it is the batsmen who have dominated the proceedings in IPL. While the likes of Gayle and Watson rely on power, there are players like Kane Williamson and Virat Kohli who are sweet timers of the cricket ball. There are a few other batsmen who fall into these moulds and one wonders how exciting it would be if they were a part of this year's IPL.
Here's a look at the five world-class batsmen who are being missed in this year's IPL:
#5 Eoin Morgan:
Eoin Morgan is one of the four players to have represented two different nations in Cricket World Cup. The current captain of the England ODI team is known for his inventive shots and fluent stroke-making abilities. Under his leadership, England have transformed into one of the top teams in white ball cricket.
Eoin Morgan's connection with IPL dates back to 2010 where he played for Royal Challengers Bangalore. Last year, he just played four matches for Sunrisers Hyderabad. He has a modest IPL record scoring 854 runs at a strike-rate of 121.
During this year's auction, he was one of the high profile players who was not picked by any team. His addition to the IPL would have made fans witness some audacious shots.
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#4 Hashim Amla
Most of the cricketing legends regarded Hashim Amla as a one-dimensional player who was suited only for Test cricket. He proved all the naysayers wrong with his performances in ODI cricket. Currently, he is one of the best batsmen in ODI cricket and has scored 7535 runs at an average of more than 50.
The technically sound batsman from South Africa has seamlessly adapted to the shortest version of the game and excelled in the role as a top order batsman. His performance in IPL 2017 was majestic, where he played for Punjab and scored two hundreds and finished as the sixth highest run-getter in the tournament.
In this year's IPL, the South African's absence has definitely been felt as there are a very few batsmen who have been successful playing orthodox cricket.
#3 Ross Taylor
Ross Taylor is considered to be one of the most destructive top order batsmen in the world. Though his name is not taken amongst the greatest in ODI cricket, he has been a consistent performer for New Zealand and has amassed an impressive 7262 runs at a healthy average of 46.25.
He is remembered in IPL for his on-side strokeplay and slog sweeps. During his stint for Royal Challengers Bangalore, he played some excellent knocks. One of them was against KKR where he smashed an unbeaten 81 off 33 in a difficult situation.
His shot-making prowess in the IPL would have wowed the fans and helped teams to close out the games. Unfortunately, without his presence, the IPL is much poorer.
#2 Martin Guptill
Martin Guptill is one of the core players of the New Zealand team. His ability to give solid starts and convert them into big scores has made him a reliable player. He has played previously in the IPL with Mumbai Indians and Kings XI Punjab.
After being snubbed during the auctions this year, the Kiwi batsman slammed the fastest ton for New Zealand against Australia in a T20I match. He scored it off just 49 balls and became only the sixth player to have two or more tons in the shortest format.
His brilliant stroke-play coupled with the ability to deal with the spinners would have made him an ideal player in the IPL. It is sad to not see the Kiwi batsman in one of the most popular leagues in the world.
#1 Joe Root
The current captain of England Test team, Joe Root has been in phenomenal touch in the past two years or so. Along with Virat Kohli and Steven Smith, Root is hailed as one of the top three batsmen of the modern era. His batting technique and off-side stroke-play are pleasing to watch.
Root's consistency in white ball cricket can be gauged by the numbers that he has managed to garner in a couple of years. He averages a handsome 51 in ODI cricket and 39 in T20I. His right arm off-breaks and fielding prowess make him a complete player.
After being open to playing IPL this year, it was widely believed that most teams would be bidding for his services. Surprisingly, he was not picked by any team this year. His inclusion would have made the IPL enthralling and the audience would have been delighted with his stroke-play.
Our tournament homepage has IPL live score, Match Analysis, Detailed Stats, Fantasy Tips, Controversies, Match Predictions and much more. Bookmark it now!
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