The first round of matches of the Indian Premier League have drawn to a close with each of the eight franchises getting their campaign under way in the UAE.
The matches held so far have shown it all – from the sublime to the ridiculous in equal measure.
Some players have shown signs of rustiness after a prolonged break from competitive crickets, but others have taken no time at all in finding the right intensity and rhythm.
Here, we look at the players who have set the tournament ablaze already and those who have had a shocking start.
THE HITS
Sanju Samson (Rajasthan Royals)
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The Kerala batsman’s sensational onslaught of sixes against Chennai Super Kings was a sight to behold and arguably the best innings of the opening fixtures.
Samson was in a belligerent mood on a flat track in Sharjah and dealt only in sixes to plunder a formidable Chennai attack. Nine towering sixes from the Rajasthan star decimated MS Dhoni’s men on the night and paved the way for a massive total of 216.
What stood out about Samson’s batting was his clean hitting down the ground, with Piyush Chawla and Ravindra Jadeja bearing the brunt of his attack.
The challenge for Samson though, will be to do this on a more consistent basis for Rajasthan. He has played such terrific knocks in almost every IPL campaign only to go off the boil for the remainder of the matches.
Jofra Archer (Rajasthan Royals)
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It is still early doors in the competition, but Jofra Archer is certainly looking looking like a man on a mission.
The England pacer not only impressed with the ball in Rajasthan’s win over Chennai, he also showed he can cause some serious damage with his bat.
Archer’s late onslaught of sixes against Lungi Ngidi changed the complexion of the match completely, with the Englishman landing four maximum hits in successive deliveries. He then followed it up with an exhibition of fast bowling, conceding just 26 runs off his four overs while also snaring an important wicket.
That Archer extracted those displays on Sharjah’s flat surface and short boundaries only enhanced his reputation as one of the greatest T20 bowlers on the circuit. His yorkers were pin-point while his leg-cutters were smartly delivered.
Samson’s innings might have set the tone for Rajasthan, though it was Archer who proved to be the real match-winner with his all-round show.
KL Rahul (Kings XI Punjab)
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After starting the campaign with a modest 21 against Delhi Capitals, KL Rahul burst into life with an innings that decimated Royal Challengers Bangalore.
Having been handed the responsibility of being captain for the season, Rahul came out all guns innings with a knock that is now the highest ever by an Indian in the IPL.
Carrying his bat through the innings with an unbeaten 132 (69), Rahul showed why he is one of the most-destructive T20 batsmen in the world. Playing anchor and then destructor with equal aplomb, the KXIP skipper toyed with the RCB bowlers in devastating style.
The likes of Dale Steyn and Umesh Yadav were taken to the cleaners, with Rahul’s side ultimately wrapping up an emphatic 97-run win.
The right-hander is now looking in ominous touch and a third straight IPL season of his brilliance is looking increasingly on the cards.
Sam Curran (Chennai Super Kings)
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Not many expected the England all-rounder to make the Chennai playing XI, especially with the likes of Imran Tahir and Mitchell Santner also in the overseas contingent.
Not only has young Curran made the cut in both Chennai matches so far, he has done it with panache. Fears that his gentle pace would make for ripe picking on UAE pitches appear to be misplaced, with the Englishman impressing with his bowling intelligence in both appearances.
An ability to prize out wickets while also keeping things tight with the economy-rate has been displayed amply by Curran, and it is easy to see why he has earned skipper MS Dhoni’s trust.
His two cameos up the order as a pinch-hitter have been another refreshing aspect of his performances. A plucky performer with a youthful energy about him is exactly what an ageing Chennai squad need right now.
THE MISSES
Virat Kohli (Royal Challengers Bangalore)
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It has been a mixed bag for the RCB so far, with the perennial underperformers notching up a win and defeat apiece from their two games. It’s a completely different matter for skipper Virat Kohli though, with the highest paid player in the league yet to get going with the bat.
The India superstar has been uncharacteristically subdued in his two outings which have yielded a total of just 15 runs. Kohli’s stay at the crease in both innings has been unconvincing and speaks of a player who lacks sharpness.
The long break from cricket seems to have taken its toll on the biggest name in the sport, and RCB will be desperately hoping that this start is not a sign of things to come.
Form is temporary though, and class is permanent. Expect Kohli to come good soon rather than later.
Ravindra Jadeja (Chennai Super Kings)
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He usually is Chennai’s most-reliable performer, but Ravindra Jadeja has been anything other than ordinary in the initial stages of the 2020 edition.
His left-arm orthodox spin has gone for more than 40 runs in each of Chennai’s three clashes, while he has hardly made an impression with the bat in hand either.
While spin was meant to be CSK’s greatest asset on the pitches of the UAE, Jadeja’s lack of bite has left the side extremely vulnerable. With the likes of Imran Tahir left on the bunch, MS Dhoni has entrusted all his spin responsibilities on Jadeja and Piyush Chawla. The latter has still managed to chip in with the odd good display, while the same cannot be said of Jadeja.
If CSK’s fortunes are to turn around, they will need the India all-rounder to rediscover his rhythm.
Nicholas Pooran (Kings XI Punjab)
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The expectations from Nicholas Pooran were huge, especially after his superb 2019 in West Indies colours. Sadly, that international form has not translated into his IPL performances this year.
In the first clash against Delhi Capitals, he suffered the ignominy of becoming only the third player in T20 history to bag a pair/ His duck in the regulation innings was followed by another one in the Super Over as Kings XI fell to a defeat against the Capitals.
There was barely any improvement in fortunes in the subsequent match against RCB, with Pooran falling after a scratchy 17. With the overseas riches at Punjab’s disposal, the Windies batsman could find himself dropping out of the playing XI if such performances continue.
He is certainly a much better batsman than what he has shown so far in the UAE.
Murali Vijay (Chennai Super Kings)
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Chennai’s hiccups this year has been exacerbated by many factors, not least due to their ageing roster.
While the side’s lack of explosiveness towards the latter half of the innings is clearly a burning issue, they haven’t been helped by the sedate starts provided by their openers.
There is blame to be laid at Shane Watson’s feet too, but Murali Vijay has arguably cost the team more dearly. The 36-year-old has hurt Chennai with his inability to pierce the field in the powerplay and his aggregate of 32 runs in three innings have come at a strike-rate of just 74.
His run-a-ball 21 against Rajasthan Royals, in a clash where both sides scored over 200 was absolutely criminal and the difference between a win and a loss for the franchise.
CSK need to shake things up immediately, and dropping Vijay from the XI could be the first change they make.
