TOURNAMENT REVIEW
Follow UsVirat Kohli
In IPL 2023: 639 runs, 53.25 average, 139.82 strike-rate, six 50s, two 100s
After three below-par seasons, Virat Kohli emerged rejuvenated with another 600-run season. But this time, it wasn’t a 600-run season with an underwhelming strike-rate; it was one where he threatened to take the attack to the opposition and showed excellent attacking intent in the powerplay.
In fact, it was his second-best IPL season by runs, and his numbers against pace were equally incredible, with a strike-rate of 163.2, his highest in an IPL season. However, familiar problems resurfaced this year when he struggled against spin. For the top-three batters, only Mitchell Marsh and Wriddhiman Saha had a lower strike-rate than Kohli (111.6).
In short, Kohli aced against pace and continued to struggle against spin.
India's team status: Maybe
Rohit Sharma
In IPL 2023: 332 runs, 20.75 average, 132.80 strike-rate, two 50s, two ducks
Unlike Kohli, Rohit Sharma could not arrest his slump this season. In the 2023 IPL, Rohit scored 332 runs and got past the 50-run mark twice, but his performance when it mattered was underwhelming. Not just that, during the course of the season, the right-handed opener also got to 16 ducks, the most for any batter in IPL history before Dinesh Karthik took over.
In short, the right-hander endured a tough run and had an average of 20.75 and a strike-rate of 132.8. On average, the MI opener had faced 15.6 deliveries before getting out, his lowest in any IPL season.
India's team status: No
Mohammed Shami
In IPL 2023: 28 wickets, 18.6 average, 8 Economy, two four-wicket hauls
Since the 2019 IPL, Shami has ensured that he’s been consistent. Last T20 World Cup, the right-arm pacer was a late replacement call-up for the injured Jasprit Bumrah, and that was heavily debated. But this season, Shami ended all those debates with a display of the highest kind.
In IPL 2023, Shami picked up 28 wickets, averaging 18.6. Not just that, he also picked up two crucial four-wicket hauls, in Gujarat’s daunting run to a second straight IPL final. In the powerplay stage, the 32-year-old picked up 17 wickets, bowling 152 dot-balls, the most for any bowler, and by a mile.
Never before in an IPL season had any bowler picked up as many wickets in the powerplay. In all, if India does persist with Shami in the shortest format, it would now be deserving.
India's team status: Yes
Hardik Pandya
In IPL 2023: 346 runs, 31.45 average, 136.8 strike-rate, two 50s
As a captain, Hardik Pandya was yet again at his impressive best, pulling out stuff from thin air and bringing out the best of yesteryear's IPL star, Mohit Sharma. Alongside that, the smooth transitioning of Noor Ahmad and Josh Little into the setup was perhaps a masterstroke. Time and again, his trust in his team was evident, be it Vijay Shankar getting an extended run or Sai Sudharsan answering all his calls in the IPL final.
But as an all-rounder, Hardik’s season left a lot to be desired. Neither was he as effective as a batter, with 346 runs at an average of 31 nor was he penetrative with the ball, picking up just three wickets in the season. He averaged 76 with the ball and had a strike-rate of 50. That’s where the concern lies, not in his leadership abilities.
India's team status: Yes
KL Rahul
In IPL 2023: 274 runs, 34.25 average, 113.2 strike-rate, two 50s
KL Rahul’s IPL career went from bad to worse in 2023. Not only did Lucknow botch up a few games, but Rahul’s batting display ensured he was still heavily criticised. There are multiple occasions in which his batting was the big difference between Lucknow losing two points and gaining two points.
Leaving those aside, his batting average 34.25 was the lowest for him in any IPL season. His strike-rate in the middle-overs - 111.5 - was the third-lowest amongst all batters. Alongside that, there was a dot-ball percentage of 38, his highest since 2013. In all, Rahul had a forgettable IPL, and the only hope remains that the selectors don’t forget that.
India's team status: No
Ravichandran Ashwin
In IPL 2023: 14 wickets, 26.3 average, 7.5 economy
Ravichandran Ashwin grew from strength to strength in this IPL. While Washington Sundar was the firm favourite for team India, it wouldn’t be a big surprise if Ashwin is considered a level-up over the other off-spinner. After the 2019 IPL with Punjab Kings, where he picked up 15 wickets, this is Ashwin’s second-best IPL since 2015.
Ashwin is in an elite company, conceding under 7 RPO against left-handers in this IPL. Twice in the season, both against Chennai, Ashwin turned back the clock with some scintillating performances. However, his batting wasn’t what he would have wanted. That, though, might not stop India from picking him in the squad.
India's team status: Yes
Harshal Patel
In IPL 2023: 14 wickets, 32.4 average, 9.7 economy
If you ask Harshal Patel how his IPL season was, he would openly say “underwhelming”, and it was exactly that. He picked up 14 wickets this year, but all of that came with an average of 32.4, and an economy of 9.7.
In this season, the right-arm seamer conceded 16 wides and bowled five no-balls. Whilst he picked up wickets regularly in the previous few years, this year, he had a strike-rate of 20.1. In all, there are high chances that he won’t be in contention anytime soon.
India's team status: No
Bhuvneshwar Kumar
In IPL 2023: 16 wickets, 26.6 average, 8.3 economy, one five-wicket haul
Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s T20I career has passed, but the 33-year-old would have hoped for a great IPL season to be back in the reckoning. Even that didn’t happen as Bhuvneshwar would have anticipated, with 16 wickets in the season, and the only silver lining in the season for the Sunrisers Hyderabad pacer was his five-wicket haul against the eventual finalists, Gujarat Titans.
India's team status: No
Arshdeep Singh
In IPL 2023: 17 wickets, 29 average, 9.70 economy rate, one four-wicket haul
Arshdeep Singh picked up 17 wickets in the 2023 IPL. But that’s only half of the story. The other half is his economy rate of 9.7 was his worst in any IPL season since 2020, after his debut year in the competition. There were some contests - like against Mumbai Indians - where the opposition unit had no clue about his consistent yorkers.
But in his last seven matches, Arshdeep averaged 72.3 with the ball, showing a real concern over his form. While his left-handedness will tilt the scales in his favour, the emergence of other left-arm seamers in the competition will come as a stiff task for Arshdeep.
Not the best IPL but not the worst too.
India's team status: Maybe
Dinesh Karthik
In IPL 2023: 140 runs, 11.67 average, 134.6 strike-rate, four ducks
One of the most disappointing players in this year’s IPL was Dinesh Karthik. The Tamil Nadu wicket-keeper batter who turned heads around last year with his swashbuckling batting was a mere formality this year. Both in terms of batting average (11.67) and runs (140), Karthik had a season to forget.
Amongst all batters, he had the lowest average against pacers (9.57) and was dismissed seven times. For a finisher like him, only 18 boundaries in the season is a declining return, and there are high chances he has played his last game in India colors.
India's team status: No
Suryakumar Yadav
In IPL 2023: 605 runs, 43.21 average, 181.14 strike-rate, five 50s, one 100
After an amazing last few seasons of IPL, the world had already seen the best of Suryakumar Yadav. Or at least that’s what they believed. Suryakumar turned that perception around, and said to the world, “This is just the beginning of greater things.”
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The right-hander did not have the best of starts, with 59 runs off 44 balls, averaging 14.75. However, in the last ten matches, there was none as good. Suryakumar pummeled 482 runs, at an average of 60.25 with a staggering strike-rate of 184.7. His only IPL century came against a strong Gujarat bowling unit, which showed his quality.
Suryakumar is only getting better.
India's team status: Yes
