IPL 2019: Five major highlights from the first week

#3 Samson becomes the first centurion of the season

Samson became the first centurion of the season. (Picture courtesy: BCCI/iplt20.com)

Sanju Samson hit a sensational hundred against the Sunrisers Hyderabad on Friday. His stroke-filled 102* off 55 balls was a show of pure class, with almost all his boundaries being good cricketing shots and not rash slogs. Coming in early after the fall of the dangerous Buttler, Samson forged a crucial partnership with Ajinkya Rahane and then with Ben Stokes, and helped his team to a total of 198.

This knock comes as a huge positive for RR as they managed to get to such a total against a very good bowling lineup without any contribution from Buttler. Shane Warne claimed Sanju Samson to finish as the player of the tournament this season, and the way the RR wicket-keeper batsman has started, Warne's claims seem right on track.

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#4 Yuvraj turning back the clock

Yuvraj Singh went unsold in the first round of the 2019 auctions, but MI bought him in the second round. The decision did raise a few eyebrows but the management had faith on the veteran and much to everyone's surprise, Yuvraj found a place in the starting XI ahead of an in-form Ishan Kishan.

The first match at Wankhede saw Yuvraj being the lone fighter in a tall chase of 214 against the Delhi Capitals. Though he struggled a bit to consistently time the ball, he batted with much more confidence than he did in the last couple of years. His 35 ball 53 included 5 fours and 3 sixes.

The second game saw Yuzvendra Chahal feeling the heat as Yuvraj hit him for 3 consecutive sixes. The fourth ball of the over was well on course for another six before a brilliant effort from Mohammed Siraj at the long-off boundary got Chahal the wicket. Looking at the way Yuvraj is batting at the moment, it would not be a surprise if he finishes the season as his best IPL season ever.

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#5 Warner returns with a bang

SRH's title-winning skipper, David Warner returned to the IPL after serving a one-year ban. Warner also suffered from a minor injury before the start of the tournament. The injury and rustiness, however, did not affect his IPL form. He started with a bang, scoring 85 off 53 balls against KKR, including 9 fours and 3 sixes.

The second game against RR saw Warner at his devastating best as he bludgeoned almost every RR bowler he faced. His 69 off 37 balls included 9 fours and 2 sixes and has propelled him to the top in the list of run-getters of the season.

Warner's form will be crucial in SRH's fate this season and going by the way he has batted, it would not be a surprise if he ends up with the Orange Cap for the third time.