IPL 2022: 5 unlikely opening pairs we have seen in the Indian Premier League

The openers play a hugely significant role in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Being a T20 tournament, the opening batters are expected to get their team off to flying starts in the powerplay. Also, in a T20 game, openers have the best chance of scoring big runs once they spend some time in the middle.

Over the years, winners of the Orange Cap in the IPL have mostly been opening batters - be it Shaun Marsh of Punjab in the inaugural 2008 edition or Ruturaj Gaikwad of Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in IPL 2021. Even the great Virat Kohli opened the batting when he notched up a record 973 runs for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) during the 2016 edition, with his IPL team finishing runners-up.

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Unconventional opening pairs in the IPL

Since the T20 format provides plenty of scope for experimentation, the IPL has seen some unexpected players opening the batting over the years. We look back at five such instances.

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#1 Praveen Kumar-Wasim Jaffer (IPL 2008)

Former India pacer Praveen Kumar. Pic: Getty Images

During the inaugural edition in 2008, RCB sprung a surprise by sending pacer Praveen Kumar to open the batting with Wasim Jaffer. In what can be described as one of the oddest opening combinations in IPL history, the experiment lasted just five balls.

Kumar managed to swing the second ball of the first over from Glenn McGrath to the extra cover boundary. However, he was dismissed for 6, looking to work a good length delivery over the in-field on the on-side. Kumar only managed to find the fielder at the edge of the circle.

RCB were chasing 192 for victory but ended up losing by 10 runs despite Jacques Kallis’ 54. McGrath was named Player of the Match for returning with figures of 4 for 29.

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#2 James Frankin-Sachin Tendulkar (IPL 2012)

James Franklin during a T20 game. Pic: Getty Images

Definitely not an opening combination that you can think of! In match 33 of IPL 2012, Mumbai Indians (MI) sent left-arm pacer James Franklin to open the innings with Sachin Tendulkar as they set out to chase 169 in Mohali. Now, Franklin was no mug with the bat and even has a Test hundred to his name. But the New Zealander was always seen as a lower-order hitter.

MI’s decision to open the innings with Franklin was a mini-success. He scored a run-a-ball 22 and featured in a 52-run opening stand. The Kiwi struck two boundaries before getting a beauty of a delivery from Azhar Mahmood. The ball landed on the middle stump and moved late, squaring up Franklin, who could only edge the ball to the keeper.

Rohit Sharma hit a half-century for MI but they still stumbled to 135 for 16. Ambati Rayudu (34* off 17), with help from Robin Peterson (16* off 7), guided Mumbai to a tense four-wicket triumph with one ball to spare.

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#3 Ravichandran Ashwin-Mike Hussey (IPL 2013)

Ravichandran Ashwin batting during the ODI series in South Africa. Pic: Getty Images

Yes, off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has also opened the innings in the IPL. He got the chance to do so during the 2013 edition, turning out for Chennai Super Kings (CSK) against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in Kolkata. Ashwin walked out to bat with his Australian left-hander Mike Hussey.

CSK were chasing 120 for victory in the match and Ashwin contributed 11 off 13 balls. He began in style by flicking Lakshmipathy Balaji for a four through square leg in the first over. Ashwin hit one more boundary by sweeping Sachithra Senanayake over the square leg region. He was dismissed by Sunil Narine in the fifth over, miscuing an off-break straight to midwicket.

Hussey went on to top-score for CSK with 40 while Ravindra Jadeja smacked an unbeaten 36 off 14 as Chennai won the game by four wickets. Jadeja had also claimed three wickets earlier in the game and was named Player of the Match.

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#4 Sunil Narine-Gautam Gambhir (IPL 2017)

Sunil Narine in the Big Bash League. Pic: Getty Images

Seeing Sunil Narine open the batting for KKR in recent times is not a surprise, but back in 2017, it was. Narine opened the batting three times for the Melbourne Renegades in the 2016-17 Big Bash League (BBL) and KKR also decided to experiment with him. The left-hander opened the batting in the IPL for the first time against Kings XI Punjab in Kolkata.

It was quite a successful debut as an opener for Narine, who smacked 37 off only 18 balls. He began by hitting Sandeep Sharma for a four to deep third man. In the pacer’s next over, he lofted a length ball over long-off for a maximum. After hitting Glenn Maxwell for consecutive boundaries, Narine thumped Varun Aaron for 6,6 and 4.

Aaron had his revenge in the same over when the KKR pinch-hitter miscued a short ball to deep midwicket. He did his job, though, as Kolkata raced to 76 for 1 at the end of the powerplay. Kolkata romped home to victory in 16.3 overs with eight wickets to spare, as Gambhir remained undefeated on 72 off 49.

Check out the IPL 2022 News here.

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#5 Rahul Tripathi-Jofra Archer (IPL 2018)

Jofra Archer in the Big Bash League. Pic: Getty Images

Rajasthan Royals (RR) tried to get cheeky when they sent England fast bowler Jofra Archer to open the innings with Rahul Tripathi in the 53rd match of IPL 2018 against RCB in Jaipur. RR batted first after winning the toss but Archer’s stay ended in the second over itself. He was out for a four-ball duck, gloving Umesh Yadav down the leg as he was cramped for room by a ball that angled back in.

Archer’s opening partner Tripathi remained unbeaten on 80 off 58 balls, hitting five fours and three sixes. RR finished their innings on 164 for 5 after which Shreyas Gopal ran through RCB with figures of 4 for 16. The leggie dismissed Parthiv Patel, AB de Villiers, Moeen Ali and Mandeep Singh as Rajasthan registered a 30-run victory.