IPL 2018: One surprise package from each IPL team

Qualification for this year IPL’s playoffs was an intriguing affair as the top four was decided after the very last match of the league stage as Kings XI Punjab failed to beat the Chennai Superkings and hence were knocked out of the IPL.

It was a season of disappointment for the three-time champions Mumbai Indians as well since they could not qualify for the playoffs.

The perennial underachievers, Royal Challengers Bangalore and the Delhi Daredevils continued to disappoint their fans and finished at sixth and eighth position respectively.

Sunrisers Hyderabad, Chennai Superkings, Kolkata Knightriders and Rajasthan Royals have qualified as the top four teams for the playoffs.

The Sunrisers Hyderabad squared off against the Chennai Superkings in Qualifier 1 on Tuesday, where CSK progressed to the final, while the Kolkata Knightriders and Rajasthan Royals go up against each other in the eliminator on Wednesday.

As the league stage is now over, we take a look at one player from each franchise that has surpassed expectations and has emerged as the surprise package.

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#8 Prasidh Krishna (Kolkata Knightriders)

Krishna was signed as a replacement for Nagarkoti

Signed as a replacement for the injured U-19 star Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Prasidh Krishna has grabbed his opportunity with both hands.

He has picked up nine wickets from just the five matches that he has played in. Given the responsibility of bowling at the death, the 22-year-old lad from Karnataka has passed the test with flying colours.

He has impressed everyone with his composure at the death. Krishna mixes his length very well in the later overs and is also capable of firing in a wide yorker.

In a must-win game against Sunrisers, Krishna bowled an exceptional last over, giving away just four runs and picking up three wickets.

Kolkata would be hoping that he would continue his good work in the playoffs as well.

#7 Suryakumar Yadav (Mumbai Indians)

Yadav amassed 512 runs from 14 matches

Suryakumar Yadav had his best season of the IPL as he amassed 512 runs from 14 matches.

In the process, he became the first uncapped Indian to score more than 500 runs in a single season of IPL.

He began the season in the middle order with a well-made 43 against Chennai. However, the real turn in fortunes came in the match against Delhi where he opened the innings along with Evin Lewis.

Yadav impressed everyone with his all-around strokeplay, making a swashbuckling half-century off just 29 balls.

He did not look back after that innings and scored three more half-centuries in the tournament.

#6 Umesh Yadav (Royal Challengers Bangalore)

Umesh Yadav emerged as the second-highest wicket-taker after the group stages

Umesh Yadav showed his true mettle this season for his new franchise RCB. He is known to be expensive in the shortest form of the game and struggles to control runs at the fag end of the innings.

However, Bangalore’s team management decided to bowl his full quota of overs before the death. The move worked wonders as Umesh emerged as the second highest wicket–taker after the group stages with 20 wickets.

Umesh bowled a tight wicket-to-wicket line and troubled top-order batsmen with his pace. He also picked up two Man of the Match awards for his stellar show throughout this IPL.

#5 Siddarth Kaul (Sunrisers Hyderabad)

Kaul earned a call-up to the Indian team due to his good form in the IPL this season

2018 turned out to be the season where Siddarth Kaul finally emerged from the shadows of Bhuvneshwar Kumar for the Sunrisers.

With Bhuvi missing from the line up due to injury, Siddarth took the responsibility of leading Hyderabad’s attack on his shoulders.

Mastering control over the knuckleball and possessing an excellent yorker at the death, Kaul emerged as the leading wicket-taker for the Sunrisers with 19 wickets.

His best performance came in the game against Mumbai in which he picked up three wickets for just 23 runs and helped Hyderabad defend a total of 119. Kaul earned a place in the Indian ODI team through his consistent performances in the IPL.

#4 Mujeeb ur Rahman (Kings XI Punjab)

The Afghan spinner picked up 14 wickets in the tournament

The 17-year-old Afghan, Mujeeb-ur-Rehman, was an unknown quantity for all the teams at the start of this year’s IPL.

The mystery spinner surprised everyone with wonderful control over his variations. Rahman picked up 14 wickets from the 11 matches that he played in, having an impressive economy of less than 7 runs per over.

He made everyone take notice of his spin bowling when he bowled Virat Kohli through the gate with a very well-disguised wrong-one in only his second game.

Such was his impact that he even outshone the senior spinners in the team, Ravichandran Ashwin and Axar Patel. A finger injury brought a premature end to his IPL campaign.

#3 K. Gowtham (Rajasthan Royals)

Gowtham has played some handy cameos lower down the order for the Royals

Krishnappa Gowtham is a known name in the domestic circuit but not many knew about him before the start of this year’s IPL.

However, the Karnataka lad has been shining with both the bat and the ball for the Rajasthan Royals this season.

Coming in to bat late in the innings, Gowtham has played some very handy cameos. His 33 not out of just 11 balls guided the Royals home in a tight chase against Mumbai.

Gowtham has made a case for promotion up the order by some lusty hitting at the end of the innings.

With the ball as well, Gowtham has done a decent job by not giving away runs in the powerplay.

#2 Sandeep Lamichhane (Delhi Daredevils)

Lamichhane showed plenty of promise this season

The Delhi Daredevils surprised everyone by picking up the 17-year-old leg spinner from Nepal, Sandeep Lamichhane at the auctions.

Although he was included in the playing XI only for the last three games, Lamichhane made great use of the limited opportunities that he got.

His tight spell against Chennai helped Delhi defend a score of 163. He was excellent in the last game against Mumbai as well, picking up three wickets including that of Kieron Pollard.

The leg-spinning duo of Amit Mishra and Lamichhane showed plenty of promise and should be a regular feature for the Delhi side next year.

#1 Ambati Rayudu (Chennai Superkings)

Rayudu was the leading run-scorer for Chennai with 586 runs

Ambati Rayadu has now been around for a quite a long time. After a successful stint with the Mumbai Indians, Rayadu was picked up by Chennai at the auctions this year.

The 32-year-old batsman has had his best season this year, emerging as the leading run scorer for Chennai with 586 runs.

He has already hit more sixes this year than his last two seasons combined. His knocks of 100 against the Sunrisers and 82 against RCB were a treat to the eyes.

It would not be wrong to say that Rayadu has surprised even himself with his stupendous performances this season. He has even earned a call-up to the Indian ODI team for the England tour.

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