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Three teams are at the top of the table with 10 points halfway through the tournament. Many individuals have performed exceptionally for their respective teams and were crucial in their team's success. In the 27 matches played so far, a total 8956 runs have been scored and 336 wickets were claimed. But the question is who are the top performers at various positions.
Here are the top performers in the tournament so far:
*All the stats are for the first 27 matches*
Openers:
K Lokesh Rahul
KL Rahul has been the most fluent batsman in the tournament so far. He scored 268 runs in seven matches at a strike rate of 170.07. He provided great starts to his team and the Rahul-Gayle duo is one of the most dangerous opening pairs in the tournament. He scored two fifties in the tournament so far, the first one being the fastest 50 in IPL history coming off just 14 balls. What makes Rahul's strike rate more commendable is that most of his shots are risk-free in nature.
Matches Played: 7, Runs: 268, Average: 38.28, Strike rate: 170.07
Shane Watson
Shane Watson has been the most valuable player in the tournament after each side played their first six matches. He not only performed with the bat but has also performed well with the ball. He has taken 6 wickets in 7 matches with an economy rate just above 8.5. With the bat, he scored a total of 203 runs, including a century over Rajasthan Royals. The experienced campaigner has been a vital cog in the success of CSK's journey to the top of the table.
Matches Played: 7, Runs: 203, Average: 29.00, Strike rate: 157.36
Wickets: 6, Economy Rate: 8.61, Strike Rate: 21.00
Notable Mention:
Chris Gayle has scored 252 in the four innings that he played including a century and two half-centuries but lost the opening spot to Shane Watson's all-around abilities.
Middle order:
Virat Kohli
The Indian cricket team captain has been in good form and has scored two half-centuries. Kohli has scored 249 runs in six matches with an average of 49.80 and has a strike rate of 136.81. Both his half-centuries came in a losing cause and he will look to change that in the games to come. Virat Kohli and Suresh Raina are competing hard against each other to be the highest run scorer in IPL with Virat trailing the southpaw by just two runs after the sixth match of each team.
Matches Played: 6 Runs: 249, Average: 49.80, Strike rate: 136.81
Ambati Rayudu
Ambati Rayudu is the current orange cap holder of the tournament with 329 runs. Rayudu has been in sublime form and has donned the role of the opener for CSK wonderfully. In six outings, he scored half-centuries against SRH and RCB. When other batsmen were struggling against SRH bowlers, Rayudu took the attack to the Sunrisers bowlers scoring 79 runs off just 37 balls and helped his side set a target of 183.
Matches Played: 7, Runs: 329, Average: 47.00, Strike rate: 154.46
AB de Villiers
AB de Villiers has been in ominous form scoring three half-centuries in six matches. With a match in hand, ABD is just 39 runs behind Ambati Rayudu in the race for orange cap and will look to get it in the next match. In the six matches that he played, he scored 280 runs and has an average of 56.00. He has scored runs at an insane strike rate of 184.01, just behind Andre Russell and Dwayne Bravo.
Matches Played: 6, Runs: 280, Average: 56.00, Strike rate: 184.21
Notable Mention:
Kane Williamson has led the Sunrisers even in the batting department. With Shikhar's injury, the whole responsibility is now on Williamson's shoulders and he rose to the occasion for SRH with 259 runs from seven outings.
Wicket-keeper and all-rounder:
Mahendra Singh Dhoni(c&wk)
MS Dhoni and the Chennai Super Kings have been synonymous with each other and Dhoni donning the yellow has been a celebration so far. In the six matches so far, he scored 235 runs with an average of 58.75. While chasing big totals against KXIP and RCB, Dhoni scored 79(44) and 70(34) respectively but could end up on the winning side only against RCB.
Matches Played: 7, Runs: 235, Average: 58.75, Strike rate: 159.86
Notable Mention:
Sanju Samson is second best-performing wicketkeeper in the tournament. He is the leading run scorer for Rajasthan Royals with 239 runs in 6 matches.
Dwayne Bravo
Dwayne Bravo has performed well the ball and the bat so far in the tournament. He has picked 7 wickets in seven matches and has been an effective bowler at the death. Batting lower down the order, he has scored 118 runs and got out only twice in the tournament so far. He has been striking the ball tremendously and has a strike rate just below 200.00, the second best in the tournament.
Matches Played: 7, Runs: 118, Average: 59.00, Strike rate: 196.66
Wickets: 7, Economy Rate: 9.52, Strike rate: 19.71
Notable Mention:
Andre Russell has performed exceptionally well with the bat but his performances with the ball and in the field have been poor. He scored 207 runs at a strike more than 200 but with the ball in hand, he has conceded runs at a rate of 10.61 per over.
Spinners:
Rashid Khan
Rashid Khan has been exceptional with the ball so far, barring the two anomalies against KXIP and CSK. As an effect of Chris Gayle's and Ambati Rayudu's outbursts, Rashid conceded 104 runs in those two matches. He came back strongly in the next two matches and was crucial in bowling out Mumbai Indians and Kings XI Punjab for 87 and 119 respectively. In the remaining five matches his combined figures read 20-1-97-7.
Matches Played: 7, Wickets: 9, Economy Rate: 7.17, Strike rate: 18.66
Mayank Markande
Mayank Markande is undoubtedly the find of the season for Mumbai Indians. He has troubled many batsmen and has taken the wickets of MS Dhoni and Shikhar Dhawan in his first two outings. In total, he has picked up 10 wickets and is a tough contender for the purple cap, which he lost to Trent Boult.
Matches Played: 7, Wickets: 10, Economy Rate: 7.52, Strike rate: 17.30
Notable mention:
Sunil Narine has not only taken 8 wickets in 7 matches but also scored 139 runs at a strike rate of 178.66. He performed well with the ball but could not create the impact that was expected of him.
Fast bowlers:
Trent Boult
Trent Boult, the purple cap holder has picked up 11 wickets from 7 matches and has a strike rate of 14.09. He has been consistent with the ball picking up at least one wicket in every match. He has an economy rate of 8.74 which is decent considering the stage of the innings in which he bowls his four overs.
Matches Played: 7, Wickets: 11, Economy Rate: 8.74, Strike rate: 14.09
Siddarth Kaul
Siddarth Kaul was exceptional for the Sunrisers last year picking up 16 wickets in 10 matches and he has picked up from where he left last season. In the 7 seven matches that he played so far, he has picked up 9 wickets with an economy rate of 7.03. His economy rate is what makes him a stand out performer. He has been crucial in Sunrisers success of defending low scores in the last two matches. With his performances, he will definitely aim to break into the Indian squad very soon.
Matches Played: 7 Wickets: 9, Economy Rate: 7.03, Strike rate: 18.66
Notable Mention:
In the four matches that he played Bhuvneshwar Kumar has picked up 6 wickets with a strike rate of 15.00 and conceded runs only 6.86 runs per over.
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