IPL 2020 - Ranking the power hitters of all 8 teams

The wait for the Indian Premier League has begun. Cricket enthusiasts across the country are buzzing with excitement for the new-look teams which they support.

In less than 3 months, the much-anticipated cricket carnival will begin. Many notable players were auctioned ahead of the 2020 season. Chennai Super Kings and Sunrisers Hyderabad decided to retain the core of the team and made only a few changes to their squads. However, the majority of the teams actively took part in the auctions to make many interesting buys.

In this article, we will focus on the power hitters of each 2020 IPL franchise and rank them according to their abilities.

Also see – PSL 2020 schedule

Power hitters such as Andre Russell have the ability to turn the game on its head and take the game away from the opposition. Russell's blitzkrieg of 48 off 13 deliveries had helped KKR defeat RCB in IPL 2019 from a virtually impossible situation. The knock included 7 sixes and a four as KKR won comfortably in the end with 5 deliveries to spare.

With the ability to produce such knocks from nowhere, power-hitters are always looked at closely in the IPL as they are potential match winners.

Without further ado, we rank the power hitters of the 8 IPL teams this season. A criterion used in the article is that the strike rate of the player in his IPL career has to be over 135. That is the reason why a few IPL veterans such as Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have not been considered in the rankings. We have, however, made a few exceptions.

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#8 Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB)

AB de Villiers

Power-Hitters: AB de Villiers, Shivam Dube, Moeen Ali, Chris Morris

The three-time IPL runners up have sufficient power hitters to turn things around for their team. AB de Villiers is undoubtedly the most important one. The WK-batsman has an astonishing IPL career. In 154 matches, Mr. 360 has scored 4395 runs at an average of 39.95 and a phenomenal strike rate of 151.23. He is also 2nd on the most sixes chart with 212 maximums to his name.

The experienced player also has 3 centuries and 33 50s to his name. To add to this his athleticism and brilliance in the field, AB is a great force to have in the team. The 35-year-old was retained for ₹11 crores by the Bangalore-based franchise and will look to create an impact this season as well.

Shivam Dube is also a destructive batsman. However, the youngster is yet to prove his mettle in the IPL. Experts predict that he is one of the players to watch out for in future Indian cricket. The Mumbai-born player packs a punch and he proved it by hitting 5 sixes in an over during a Ranji Trophy match. Dube has also hit 5 sixes in an over in the T20 Mumbai League.

The young Dube is a part of the Indian T20 squad currently playing against Sri Lanka. A few good power-packed performances could do him a lot of good by boosting his confidence.

English all-rounder Moeen Ali is also a power-hitter. The 32-year-old has a strike rate of 165.92 in the IPL and is an economical right-arm off-break bowler as well.

Chris Morris was recently roped in by RCB for a hefty sum. The bowling all-rounder can wreak havoc with the bat once he gets going. A strike rate of 157.62 in the IPL is a testament of this fact. The Pretoria-born player failed with the bat in the previous season and will be looking to make amends in IPL 2020.

#7 Rajasthan Royals (RR)

Jos Buttler in action

Power-Hitters: David Miller, Jos Buttler, Sanju Samson, Ben Stokes

The inaugural IPL champions also have a few good explosive batsmen in their ranks.

David Miller was roped in by the Royals for his base price of ₹75 lakh. Miller has scored 1850 runs in 79 IPL matches at a Strike rate of 138.78 and an average of 34.25. The aggressive southpaw was not at his smashing best in IPL 2019 and will look to make a place for himself in his new franchise.

Jos Buttler is another hard-hitting batsman. The English player is one of the most explosive players in world cricket. Buttler has been excellent for the Royals. The enigmatic player has an IPL strike rate of 150.81 and was also impressive in the 8 matches he played last season. He scored 3 fifties in those games and the Royals missed the dashing opener dearly once he left midway.

Sanju Samson is one of RR's key batsman. The shotmaker is extremely reliable and his sizzling strokes have impressed one and all in the IPL. He scored 342 runs in 12 games for the Royals in the previous edition at a strike rate of 148.69.

Ben Stokes is one of the best all-rounders in world cricket at the present moment. Fantastic fielding, bowling variations, and power-hitting ability make Stokes a mainstay in the Royals' set up. No wonder they paid ₹12.5 crore to retain his services. Stokes' previous two IPL seasons have been below par as per his standards and he will look to finally prove his worth in IPL 2020.

#6 Chennai Super Kings (CSK)

MS Dhoni in action

Power-Hitters: Suresh Raina, MS Dhoni, Shane Watson, Sam Curran

CSK retained 20 players in their squad ahead of the auction. Suresh Raina is an IPL veteran. He is only behind Virat Kohli in the all-time IPL run tally with 5368 runs in 193 matches. Raina had a lacklustre season last time around but he continues to be an important part of the team. Retained for a staggering ₹11 crores, the elegant batsman will be looking to get things back on track.

MS Dhoni is the engine behind the CSK unit and the most important component in the squad. Mahi has 4432 runs in 190 IPL matches at a strike rate of 137.85. In the most sixes tally, however, the veteran CSK skipper is just 3rd on the list with 209 maximums (only behind Gayle and AB de Villiers). Dhoni was CSK's leading run-scorer in IPL 2019. An inspiration to many, the swashbuckling WK-batsman continues to be feared by even the best of bowlers.

If Shane Watson gets going, then there aren't many bowlers who have the ability to stop him. With an IPL strike rate of 139.54, the opener has continued to impress season after season with the exception of Season 12. Watson is a brilliant player of both spin and pace. He has sufficient experience of playing in Indian conditions as well. His most memorable knock for CSK was an unbeaten 117 off 57 balls in the 2018 IPL final.

Sam Curran is another power-hitter who has joined CSK's ranks. The Chennai-based franchise paid a hefty ₹5.50 crores to acquire his services. Curran scored a fifty in the previous edition and also has an IPL strike rate of 172.73. The expectations from the youngster are colossal this season and it will be interesting to see if he can live up to them.

#5 Delhi Capitals (DC)

Rishabh Pant has played quite a few explosive knocks for the Delhi-based franchise

Power-Hitters: Prithvi Shaw, Shimron Hetmyer, Jason Roy, Rishabh Pant

Prithvi Shaw has had a troubled year due to his ban. The youngster has the chance to redeem himself by coming out all guns blazing in IPL 2020. The 20-year-old has a strike rate of 141.04 in the IPL. Shaw will look to improve on his average this season and prove his mettle on the big platform.

23-year-old Shimron Hetmyer is an exception to the 135 strike rate criteria mentioned earlier at the beginning of this article. The destructive batsman failed to make a mark with RCB in the previous edition but is in brilliant form currently. A match-winning 139 off 106 balls in the recent ODI series against India is a testament to his power-hitting abilities.

Another exception to the criterion is Jason Roy. The England opener was a key figure in England's World Cup-winning campaign last year. Roy has a strike rate of 133.58 in the IPL but a commendable Strike Rate of 145.12 in T20Is. Jason Roy is a steal for ₹1.5 crores considering his ability.

Rishabh Pant is the X-factor player in the Delhi Capitals squad. The WK-batsman scored 488 runs in 16 matches last season at an astounding strike rate of 162.66 and an average of 37.53. Pant scored a fifty off just 18 deliveries in Delhi's opening game against MI last season. He was also 2nd highest run-scorer in IPL 2018 and has a phenomenal ability to hit sixes.

#4 Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH)

Jonny Bairstow

Power-Hitters: David Warner, Jonny Bairstow, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan

The Champions of the 2016 season have a few good power-hitters in their ranks.

David Warner is undoubtedly one of the best openers in the shortest format of cricket. Warner is the all-time 4th highest run-getter in the IPL with 4706 runs to his name in 126 matches at an average of 43.17. The other three above him in this list (Kohli, Raina, and Rohit) have played at least 50 more matches than him. The Paddington-born southpaw is one of the most feared openers in the IPL. What is most impressive, however, is his strike rate of 142.39.

Warner won the orange cap in 2015, 2017, and 2019 editions -- and is the only player to win it three times. He scored 692 runs in 12 games last season and smashed 8 fifties and a century. The stylish left-hander is a top gun for Australia as well and is enjoying tremendous form internationally. He is one of the most consistent performers in world cricket and will be one of the players to watch out for this season as well. Warner was also influential in SRH's 2016 title-winning campaign.

Warner's opening partner Jonny Bairstow is also lethal with the bat. The left-right combination of Warner and Bairstow has done the team a lot of good in the past. IPL 2019 was Bairstow's debut season and he made a huge impact by scoring 445 runs in 10 matches at an average of 55.62 and strike rate of 157.24. The naturally attacking WK-batsman was retained by SRH for ₹2.2 crores ahead of IPL 2020.

Mohammad Nabi is an excellent power-hitter down the order. The experienced player played a few good cameos for SRH last season. Overall, he has a strike rate of 148.35 in the IPL. Nabi is also highly economical as a spinner and has a knack of picking up wickets as well. The Afghan cricketer is Mr. Dependable for SRH.

Rashid Khan is another Power hitting option for SRH down the order. Surprised to find his name here? Well, don't be! Rashid Khan has been working a lot on his batting skills and has a strike rate of 165.07 in the IPL. A few good cameos with the bat can be expected from the leg-spin wizard in the coming season.

#3 Kings XI Punjab Squad (KXIP)

Gayle

Power-Hitters: Chris Gayle, Glenn Maxwell, KL Rahul, Gowtham Krishnappa, Nicholas Pooran, Sarfaraz Khan

Chris Gayle is the first name that comes to mind when one thinks of power-hitting. The Jamaican holds the record for the most number of sixes (326) in all editions of the IPL. 2nd placed AB de Villiers has 212 sixes which just proves Gayle is a galactico when it comes to smashing them out the part and there is no one better than him. Gayle has a phenomenal 4484 runs in 125 IPL matches with a strike rate of 151.02.

KXIP broke the bank to have Glenn Maxwell in their ranks. Maxwell is also known as 'The Big Show' for his power-hitting ability. With 1397 runs in the IPL at a strike rate of 161.13, Maxi is sure to add sufficient firepower in KXIP's potent batting line-up. There is no dearth of quality power-hitters in KXIP now so they are rated high up in the rankings.

KL Rahul was the 2nd highest run-getter of the previous IPL edition. The opening batsman forms a lethal pair with Chris Gayle. An IPL strike rate of 138.15 along with ample experience playing at the international level makes him the top choice of captain after the departure of Ashwin.

Gowtham Krishnappa is an explosive lower-order batsman and has a strike rate of 173.49. An uncapped player, Gowtham was traded in by KXIP for ₹ 6.2 crores. Known for his tidy off-breaks, the Bangalore-born player has played a few good cameos with the bat as well. However, he is yet to bring out his best in the IPL.

Nicholas Pooran played a few impressive knocks last season. The stylish southpaw played good cameos for Punjab and scored a total of 168 runs in 7 matches at a strike rate of 157.01. Furthermore, 22-year-old Sarfaraz Khan is a pocket-sized dynamo. The hard-hitting lower-middle order batsman has a strike rate of 142.66 in the IPL. His handy cameos can do KXIP a lot of good.

#2 Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR)

Sunil Narine

Power-Hitters: Andre Russell, Nitish Rana, Rahul Tripathi, Tom Banton, Dinesh Karthik, Sunil Narine

The two-time IPL champions also have plenty of good power hitters. Andre Russell has the highest strike rate (186.41) in the history of IPL. The Jamaican is the first player to come to mind when one thinks of match-winning knocks.

There are numerous instances in which Russell has turned things around for his team both with the bat and the ball. He proved to be a nightmare for bowlers last season and went on a spree of power-hitting. In IPL 2019, Russell had a strike rate of 204.81 and an average of 56.66. He will surely be a key figure in the KKR set up in IPL 2020.

Nitish Rana is another potent batsman in the KKR line-up. He has a strike rate of 134.61 in his IPL career but is another exception to our criteria as not including him will be an injustice.

Rahul Tripathi has been impressive in the 34 IPL matches he has played. He might not get many opportunities in the star-studded KKR line-up but he will need to ensure he makes the most of the limited ones that he gets.

Newly roped in Tom Banton is yet to make his IPL debut but is one of the batsmen to watch out for in the coming edition. The WK-batsman can make the ball disappear with his willow and is a fine stroke maker.

Dinesh Karthik is another exception to the criteria and finds himself in this list. KKR's skipper can up the ante and has played many match-winning knocks. He is one of the most experienced IPL players around and will look to lead KKR to their 3rd title in the coming season.

Sunil Narine, initially a mystery spinner, has fantastic hitting ability. Narine opens for KKR and his blistering cameos at the top set the pace for the remaining batsmen. Narine has a strike rate of 168.34 in the IPL.

#1 Mumbai Indians (MI)

Hardik Pandya (Image Credits - Wisden)

Power-Hitters: Kieron Pollard, Hardik Pandya, Krunal Pandya, Chris Lynn, Sherfane Rutherford

There is an abundance of Power hitters in the Mumbai Indians team.

Kieron Pollard is currently the West Indies captain for ODIs and T20Is. With his brute force, the Trinidad-born player is highly experienced in the IPL. 2755 runs in 148 IPL games at a strike rate of 146.78 is no mean feat. His knack of plundering sixes makes him one of the best middle-order batsmen. Pollard also has 176 sixes to his name in the IPL.

Hardik Pandya is one of the most influential all-rounders in the IPL. The 26-year-old has match-winning abilities with the bat. With over a thousand runs in the IPL at a strike rate of 154.78, the power-packed Pandya can hit any bowler out of the park on his day.

Krunal Pandya is also potent with the bat and can be devastating. The 28-year-old has a strike rate of 146.07 with the bat and is effective with the ball as well.

MI have got an exceptional player in the experienced Chris Lynn. The Brisbane-born player has a strike rate of 140.66 and a healthy average of 33.68 in the IPL. He has scored 10 quickfire fifties in the 41 matches played in IPL.

Lynn is also a good fielder and is surely a weapon for the Mumbai-based franchise. His current form is also good and he is putting up stellar performances for Brisbane Heat in the Big Bash League. The explosive batsman is also the all-time highest run-getter in the BBL.

Mumbai Indians roped in Sherfane Rutherford from Delhi Capitals during the transfers. The hard-hitting southpaw has a strike rate of 135.19 in the IPL. Rutherford does not have much experience but showed glimpses of his ability in the previous edition with the Delhi Capitals.

If given sufficient opportunities in the star-studded MI line-up, Rutherford might just live up to his reputation of being a ferocious hitter.