IPL 2018: Six batsmen with maximum no. of sixes in IPL

Cricket fans across the world are eagerly waiting for yet another edition of the Indian Premier League. In another episode of riveting cricketing encounters, there are lots of things to look forward to.

Mumbai Indians have been the most successful team to date with 3 titles in 10 seasons and are followed by the Kolkata Knight Riders and the Chennai Super Kings with 2 titles each. Ahead of the new season, all the teams look more or less capable of winning and it may well go down to a situation where it is about holding one’s nerves better.

Although many people come to witness a close contest between the bat and the ball, the big hits- the fours and sixes are the firecrackers that set up the league on fire.

Here are 6 batsmen with maximum sixes in IPL.

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#6 AB de Villiers (156 sixes,129 matches)

Mr. 360 would try and aid RCB to its maiden title

Mr. 360 is a class apart when it comes to T20 cricket. De Villiers can make a mockery of the best bowling attacks in the world and because of his ability to play all around the park, he can make an otherwise decent delivery look ordinary.

The right-handed batsman has a massive fan following in India and fans love to watch him for the genius he is on the field. The dashing batsman has been a great ambassador for the game over the years.

ABD, as he is popularly known among the fans, is number six on the list of maximum sixes in IPL- with 156 sixes in 129 matches. Playing for the Royal Challengers Bangalore this season, the South African great would try and aid his team to its maiden IPL title.

#5 Virat Kohli (160 sixes, 149 matches)

Although not a power hitter, Kohli times his shots to score the maximums

The Indian captain may not be a power hitter at all but sometimes big hits are all about perfect timing and shot selection. Kohli is certainly the master of the latter and is aware of his own strengths.

The Delhi lad is one of the greats of modern day cricket and has proved his class against quality attacks time and again. Kohli is one of those rare batsmen who do not alter their technique in all 3 forms of the game and has still managed to produce some staggering numbers.

The chase-master took the 2016 IPL season by storm scoring an unheard of 973 runs (including 4 hundreds) in a season which saw him dominate the bowlers.

The right-handed batsman has 160 sixes to his credit in 149 matches and will try and keep them coming in his attempt to lead the RCB to an IPL win.

#4 David Warner (160 sixes, 114 matches)

Warner will not feature in IPL 2018

The pocket-sized dynamo will not feature in the eleventh edition of the league after the recent ball-tampering saga. The southpaw was remarkably consistent for the Sunrisers Hyderabad and was one of the main reasons why SRH was successful in the past few seasons.

The opening batsman had provided stability to the SRH squad leading them by example and providing them with good starts more often than not. Much of SRH's batting revolved around Warner's innings.

With no Warner in the team, openers like Shikhar Dhawan and Alex Hales would have to bat with extra responsibility and step up to the occasion.

Warner has over 4000 IPL runs in 114 innings and a terrific strike rate of 142.13. With 160 sixes in 114 games, the Aussie batsman is perhaps one of the most explosive batsmen to miss out on IPL this year.

#3 Rohit Sharma (172 sixes, 159 matches)

Rohit Sharma's strokes are quite pleasing to the eye

The most successful captain in IPL history, Rohit Sharma is a limited overs genius. The right-handed batsman does not hit sixes, he effortlessly caresses them instead.

To make batting look so elegant and graceful is something that comes naturally to Sharma. With 4207 runs in his tally, the Hitman is one of the leading run scorers of IPL. The Mumbaikar is known for his daddy scores once set and is the only batsman in the world to score 3 double hundreds in ODIs.

Sharma has 172 sixes in 154 innings. A Hitman in form would be a delight for the Mumbai Indians supporters as the MI Unit tries to defend its title.

#2 Suresh Raina (173 sixes, 161 matches)

Raina is nicknamed

Mr.

IPL

Suresh Raina is aptly nicknamed Mr. IPL. With 161 appearances in the tournament, Raina has played the most number of matches in the IPL and is also the league’s all-time highest run scorer.

One of India’s best fielders and a handy bowler, the left-hander is an asset to the Chennai Super Kings squad this season. Raina has 173 sixes in 161 matches but that is not all.

This is also a very significant season for the southpaw considering his International Career. A good season in the IPL may put him back on track for a potential spot in the 2019 World Cup squad. After his good outings in the T20Is, a healthy IPL can strengthen his case further.

The southpaw has also the most number of boundaries in IPL alongside his name and has sent the ball to the boundary line 402 times. He will have a significant role to play if Chennai are to do well this season.

#1 Chris Gayle (265 sixes, 101 matches)

Gayle has hit scarcely believable 265 sixes in 100 innings

The Caribbean Giant simply had to be on top of such a list. While all other batsmen are a safe distance away from 200 sixes in the IPL, The Six Machine has 265 sixes to his name and that too in just 100 innings.

Chris Gayle at his peak was a no-brainer retention. He would loot the morale of the opposition's bowling attack and force them to bowl at his strengths.

Even in this stage of his career, he is quite a force to reckon with. Playing for the Kings XI Punjab, the power hitter will have to re-define his IPL career after a dismal outing for the RCB last season.

If Gayle gets going, there is not much one can do as an opponent captain. After all, he is the "Universe Boss".