Hits and flops: The names that shone and those that did not in IPL 2023

IPL 2023 was a breakout season for Rinku Singh, while Shubman Gill and a few others cemented their stakes; Prithvi Shaw was among those who disappointed

Jerseys change, as do team compositions and names. The Indian Premier League’s original roster of teams, too, has changed over its 16-season run. What hasn’t changed, however, is a consistent unfolding of new talent and world-beaters. From Ravindra Jadeja and Yusuf Pathan in IPL 2008 to Rinku Singh in 2023, the rise and fall of cricketing stars provide the essential spice for BCCI’s T20 juggernaut.

IPL 2023 was no different. The latest season had its fair share of dormant players turning into match winners, and proven match winners sliding into a seasonal slump. Here’s a look at the best and worst of Indian performers that the latest IPL had on offer.

The Sizzlers

Shubman Gill
 

The opener for the Gujarat Titans emerged as the orange cap winner in IPL 2023. A picture of calm and composure in the middle of some of the steepest chases this season, Gill displayed exceptional form from the very beginning. He played crucial knocks against Royal Challengers Bangalore and Mumbai Indians, registering blistering hundreds. Gill remained consistent and finished the season with 890 runs in 17 innings, averaging 59.33 with a strike rate of 157.80, including 4 fifties and 3 centuries.

Rinku Singh

Kolkata Knight Riders might have crashed out before the playoffs, but Rinku Singh’s five-star finish of a chase with five consecutive sixes has immortalised his name in IPL folklore. The KKR wunderkind’s fierce six-hitting abilities not only made him the backbone of his team’s batting attack this season but also one of the more dependable players across teams. Rinku became an overnight star after his sixes against Gujarat Titans to gun down 29 runs in the last over in Ahmedabad. Since then, Rinku emerged as the finisher of the season for KKR, scoring 474 runs at an astonishing average of 59.25.

Mohammad Shami

The senior India pacer was in blistering form throughout this season. With his pace and seam movement, Shami rattled the batters with ease, proving to be the Titans’ go-to pacer during power plays. Discarded from India’s T20 squad, Shami has been a consistent performer for the Titans in the last two editions. He picked up 28 wickets in 17 games, with an economy rate of 8.03, and finished as the leading wicketkeeper for the season. Shami’s bowling performance also put him in direct competition with his teammate Rashid Khan for the purple cap. Shami beat Khan to the pole position by a single wicket.

Yashasvi Jaiswal

The young opener for Rajasthan Royals proved to be a worthy investment. Yashasvi was among the top 5 run-scorers this season and played a crucial role, especially during the power-play overs. His knack of taking advantage of the fielding restrictions and smashing boundaries at will earned him a century against the Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede. In 14 innings, he accumulated 625 runs at an average of 48.07 and a superb strike rate of 163.61, smashing five half-centuries on the way.

Suryakumar Yadav

Fresh off a dream run in international games, SKY headed into the tournament as a hot property for the Mumbai Indians. However, the right-handed batter known for his 360-degree stroke play had a troubled start. Thankfully for MI, he began to gain momentum midway through the series. His 55 against the Rajasthan Royals in a run chase of 214 turned things around for the team. SKY ended the season with 605 runs in 16 innings at a blistering strike rate of 181.13. He smashed 5 half-centuries and a memorable 103 off of 49 balls against the Gujarat Titans.

The Failures

Prithvi Shaw

While Gill earned the orange cap with his phenomenal form, his U-19 World Cup-winning teammate, Prithvi Shaw, proved to be one of the biggest disappointments this year. The Delhi Capitals opener had a great run in the domestic circuit ahead of IPL 2023. However, just after the tournament started, Shaw lost his form and became a liability for Delhi Capitals. In 8 matches, he was able to eke out a meagre tally of 106 runs at an average of 13.25 and a strike rate of 124. No wonder, he was dropped from the playing XI mid-way through the season.

Mayank Agarwal

Mayank Agrawal is another name, who proved to be a no-show despite his immense promise. Agarwal was able to score only 270 runs in 10 matches. Sunrisers Hyderabad had bought him with a lot of expectations as the franchise splashed Rs 8.25 crore at the IPL auction earlier this year. But the batter had only one good innings with an 83 that came as late as SRH’s last match of the season in a losing cause against Mumbai Indians.

Deepak Hooda

Deepak Hooda also makes it to the list of promising batsmen who did not live up to their billing. The Lucknow Super Giants batters were consistent in their scoring in several games, which led to Hooda being dropped from the playing XI. In 12 matches, he scored just 84 runs at a paltry average of 7.64 and a strike rate of 93.33.

Riyan Parag

IPL 2023 proved to be one of the worst seasons for the Rajasthan Royals’ all-rounder. Parag managed to score only 78 runs in 7 games at an average of 13.0. His best effort was 20 runs at a strike rate of 118. Parag’s place in the pink brigade’s batting line-up was that of a finisher. But he failed to deliver.

Washington Sundar

Among all-rounders, Washington Sundar was another name who let fans down with his performance this season. Sundar, who boasts a Team India cap, scored 620 runs across 7 matches for the Sunrisers and took 3 wickets. Due to his poor show, he was also dropped from the playing XI.