IPL 2024: Hits & Misses From Week 5 – From Vintage Bhuvi To Struggling Gill

1 week ago 126

Week 6 of action in the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL) burst forth with a surge of power-packed performances, as the teams entered a phase where the tiniest of errors could prove to be fatal.

With Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Mumbai Indians (MI) languishing at the bottom, holding the 10th and 9th positions respectively, Rajasthan Royals (RR) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have staked their claim at the apex with confidence and ease. The six teams in between have been engaged in a spirited tussle with their positions in flux.

As we enter the fray of the seventh week, let's reflect on the hits and misses from Week 6:

Hits

The Return of Vintage Bhuvi

Veteran Indian pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar looked at his best against the table toppers Rajasthan Royals in what was a last-ball thriller, to seal a win for his side. Defending a total of 201 runs, the 34-year-old immediately put the Royals on the defensive with the new ball. Employing impeccable swing bowling skills, Bhuvi sent T20 World Cup-bound batters – English skipper Jos Buttler and Indian wicketkeeper Sanju Samson – back to the pavilion, both for ducks.

But the drama didn't end there. When the pressure was at its peak, Pat Cummins entrusted him with the ball for the crucial final over. Tasked with defending 13 runs against power-hitter Rovman Powell, Bhuvneshwar rose to the occasion. With Powell facing the last delivery and two runs required for victory, Bhuvneshwar executed a masterful in-swinging low full-toss that trapped the batter leg before wicket.

'Will'-Power of Jacks

While Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) are yet to lay hands on an IPL trophy, their legacy of producing power-hitters remains unparalleled over the past 17 years.

The latest player to grab the spotlight is Englishman Will Jacks. Having missed the last season due to injury, Jacks made a resounding statement in the ongoing season.

Despite featuring in only half of RCB's ten games thus far, the all-rounder rose to the occasion against GT, slamming a knock of an unbeaten 100 off just 41 balls.

In an innings that was reminiscent of RCB's legendary AB de Villiers, Jacks formed an unbroken 166-run partnership with Virat Kohli. Having reached his half-century in just 31 deliveries, Jacks accelerated further to reach his maiden IPL century in just 10 more balls, smashing five fours and 10 sixes at an astonishing strike rate of 243.9.

Bairstow is Back in Business

Punjab Kings' opener Jonny Bairstow had a slow start to the 2024 IPL season but quickly turned things around within a week. Prior to the match against KKR, the 34-year-old hadn't scored a fifty in five out of six innings, even enduring a duck dismissal.

The English batter looked far away from his best until he wasn’t anymore. Against KKR at the Eden Gardens - after warming the bench for two previous games, Bairstow made a roaring return with an aggressive innings. His unbeaten 108 off 48 balls powered Punjab Kings to the highest successful T20 run-chase.

But what was more impressive was that building on that stellar innings from last week, Bairstow continued being influential this week as well, with a crucial 30-ball 46, comprising 7 boundaries and a six, guiding Punjab Kings to a seven-wicket victory over CSK.

From Bhuvneshwar Kumar turning the clock back to Shubman Gill's woes, let's revisit highlights of week 5.

Misses

MI’s Top Order Batting Woes

Despite boasting a star-studded batting lineup, Mumbai Indians have had a turbulent season. The 5-time champions endured their fourth consecutive loss of the season on Friday (3 April), and with it, they have lost nearly all of their hopes of qualifying.

The team's struggles primarily stem from their top-order batsmen faltering. Ishan Kishan's recent outings of 13, 32, 20, 0, and 8 highlight the issue, while former captain Rohit Sharma, despite a solitary unbeaten century this season, has had a string of modest scores: 11, 4, 8, 6, and 36.

Additionally, Suryakumar Yadav, known for his explosive hitting, managed three fifties this season but delivered underwhelming performances with knocks of 10 against Rajasthan Royals, 26 against Delhi Capitals and 10 against Kolkata Knight Riders. Though he scored a half-century against Kolkata Knight Riders, Naman Dhir – who batted at three in that match – could barely manage 11.

Gill's Dismal Run

In IPL 2023, Shubman Gill emerged as a dominant force, winning the Orange Cap with an impressive tally of 890 runs from 17 matches, including three centuries and four half-centuries. However, tasked with leading the Gujarat Titans franchise this year, Gill appears to have hit a rough patch.

Despite his undisputable talent, the 25-year-old has struggled to replicate his previous success. Thus far, the GT skipper has mustered only 320 runs in 10 innings, averaging 35.56.

His last four outings – scoring 16 against RCB, 6 against DC, 35 against PBKS, and 8 against DC again – highlight the issue, with his team losing three of these four matches.

Rahane’s Fading Form

Just as RCB are known for producing batting maestros, Chennai Super Kings have carved a niche for themselves in revitalising fading careers. In the previous season, they worked their magic on veteran batter Ajinkya Rahane, who smashed 326 runs at an average of 32.6 and a strike rate of 172.5.

However, this season presents a stark contrast for the right-handed batsman. Rahane has only managed 199 runs in 10 innings, indicating a dip in form. While he had a decent start to the season with scores of 27, 12, 45, and 35 in CSK's initial four games, his performance in the subsequent five matches paints a grim picture – with scores of 5, 36, 1, 9, and 29.

(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a membe r. Because the truth is worth it.)

Read Entire Article