Marcus Stoinis: All you need to know about the Kings XI Punjab all-rounder

Kings XI Punjab’s Marcus Stoinis made the headlines after his match-winning performance against Delhi Daredevils in Match 36 of this year’s Indian Premier League. The Aussie all-rounder made 52 as an opener and also took 3/40 in his 4 overs.

Stoinis has played four games in the current season and definitely has impressed with his batting skills, scoring important runs as an opener and also when coming to bat at number 6. Let us take a look at the most interesting facts about the promising all-rounder.

1. Marcus Stoinis was born on 16 August 1989 in Perth, Western Australia. He made his List A debut against Queensland in the 2008-09 season, representing Western Australia. Soon he made his First Class debut against the same opposition. Later on, for more opportunities, he switched to Victoria in the 2012-13 season.

2. Stoinis is a top-order batsman and a medium pace bowler. As a batsman, he averages 39.05 and 28.40 in First Class and List A cricket respectively. While as a bowler, his averages are in excess of 40. So we can say, he is more of a batting all-rounder than a bowling all-rounder.

3. Stoinis was a part of Australia’s U-19 squad in the 2008 World Cup with the likes of Steven Smith, James Faulkner, Josh Hazlewood and James Pattinson. But he is still to make himself a regular in the Australian national team unlike his fellow mates.

4. He has also represented Australia in the 2009 edition of the Hong Kong Super Sixes, which tells he can definitely hit the ball a long way!

5. After his switch to Victoria, Stoinis batted at number 3. He scored runs in bulk and ended as the leading run-scorer for his side in the 2014-15 Sheffield Shield season which earned him a call-up to the national side.

Stoinis has won two Big Bash League titles with the Perth Scorchers

6. Stoinis made his T20I and ODI debuts against old foe England, but failed to impress in the limited opportunity he got with the bat and ball. He scored 10*(T20I) and 4(ODI) with the bat while did not pick any wicket with the ball.

7. Stoinis has won two Big Bash League titles with the Perth Scorchers and then in 2014-15, he moved to Melbourne Stars. He had a mediocre 2015-16 season as he scored just 169 runs and took 9 wickets in the 10 matches he played.

8. Stoinis was a part of Delhi Daredevils 2015 squad but could not get a game. He made his IPL debut against Gujarat Lions this season, where he scored 33 vital runs coming at number six and picked up 1 wicket. Unfortunately, KXIP lost the match.

9. He has bowled intelligently in the current IPL season with picking wickets with a ‘change of pace’. All wickets picked by him have come with a slower ball which tells us he is a clever bowler.

10. The “think-tank” at Kings XI Punjab has got it right with Stoinis opening the innings in the last two matches. If the batting all-rounder continues to perform with both, bat and ball, the Rs. 55 Lacs spent to buy him would turn out to be a great deal.