The opening round of matches in the 2020 IPL have lived up to the league’s reputation of being the most entertaining in the world, with several twists and turns along the way.
There have been several notable contenders when it comes to compiling the Team of Week, and we have entrusted the final decision to our nearly 33,000 followers on Instagram.
After a 24-hour voting period where a total of 22 players were considered, this is what the final XI looks like.
KL Rahul (Kings XI Punjab)
Position: Opener
Image credit – SPORTZPICS/BCCI.
Taking over from where he left off in the previous season, KL Rahul has started the 2020 edition with purpose. The right-hander has been given the additional responsibility of captaincy the side and has risen to the challenge with two mammoth knocks. His unbeaten 132 off just 69 deliveries against Royal Challengers Bangalore is the highest score by an Indian in the IPL’s history.
The century was followed up with a fine fifty against the Rajasthan Royals, with Rahul also forging an excellent opening partnership with Mayank Agarwal in the process. The KXIP skipper is on course to make it a hat-trick of prolific IPL campaigns if the start of the 2020 edition is any indication.
Steve Smith (Rajasthan Royals)
Position: Opener
Image credit – RajasthanRoyals/Twitter
While Mayank Agarwal has a strong claim based on his showings, Steve Smith pips him for the role by the barest of voting margins. The Australian has had an equally impressive start to the campaign with Rajasthan Royals and is enjoying life in an opener’s shoes.
Despite never having opened the innings previously in any form of cricket, the Aussie star has adapted brilliantly to deliver two half-centuries in as many games. T20 might be his least favoured format, but Smith’s two outings in Sharjah have shown that he can pump up the aggression.
His 27-ball 50 in the recent clash against Kings XI was a delight to watch, with the Royals skipper taking the attack to the opposition in the successful pursuit of 224.
Sanju Samson (Rajasthan Royals)
Position: Number 3/Wicketkeeper
Image credit – BCCI/SPORTZPICS
Following Smith at No3 with a near-unanimous vote is his team-mate Sanju Samson. With a potential India wicketkeeping spot up for grabs, Samson has come out firing on all cylinders for the Royals.
His 159 runs in two innings have come at an astonishing strike-rate of nearly 215. Sixteen sixes in two innings is the sign of a batsman in prime form and each one of them has been struck in the cleanest manner.
What makes a Samson in full flow so good is the elegance and oomph in his batting style, which make his previous inconsistencies all the more frustrating. If Samson can maintain this start for the remainder of the campaign, Rajasthan will go far.
AB de Villiers (Royal Challengers Bangalore)
Position: Number 4
Image credit – BCCI/SPORTZPICS.
With Virat Kohli having a disastrous start to his campaign, Royal Challengers Bangalore will be relieved to see AB de Villiers pick up the pieces. The ever-reliable South African has held fort for his team during testing phases of their matches, and his two brisk half-centuries have been pivotal to RCB’s promising start.
He has helped them up the ante in the death overs, with his 24-ball 55 digging Bangalore out of a big hole against the Mumbai Indians on Monday. He is the perfect candidate to take the No4 slot and can perform the dual role of anchoring and finishing with equal distinction.
Eoin Morgan (Kolkata Knight Riders)
Position: Number 5
It has been just two innings so far for Eoin Morgan, though the signs are there that this could finally be his big year in the IPL. He is a batsman who has surprisingly not delivered in the IPL, despite enjoying a reputation as one of the most dangerous middle-order batsman in the game.
This time though, the start from Morgan has been encouraging. His unbeaten 42 (29) against the Sunrisers Hyderabad helped Kolkata Knight Riders in closing out a comprehensive win in Abu Dhabi. In a batting line-up already containing the powerhouse that is Andre Russell, an in-form Morgan could turn the side into title-contenders.
Marcus Stoinis (Delhi Capitals)
Position: Number 6
Image credit – BCCI/SPORTZPICS
The Australia all-rounder can be a bit of an enigma due to how hot and cold he blows, and he has never really shown the consistency to tie down a spot for Australia. The same has applied to his IPL career, with Stoinis failing to impress in previous campaigns for Kings XI Punjab and Royal Challengers Bangalore.
A new franchise with compatriot Ricky Ponting as head coach might just be the push Stoinis needed and his showing against KXIP was worth every penny the Delhi Capitals are paying him.
His blazing half-century bailed Delhi out of a sticky situation before his two wickets at the death earned them a tie and eventual victory in the Super Over.
Sam Curran (Chennai Super Kings)
Position: All-rounder
Image credit – BCCI/SPORTZPICS
In a team full of ageing veterans, young Sam Curran has been a refreshing addition to the Chennai Super Kings. The England all-rounder has been class with the ball in hand and has fetched his team five wickets in a total of three appearances.
If there were any doubts over whether Curran’s seamers would work on the pitches in the UAE, they have been put to bed by the all-rounder’s intelligent use of variations. He has also shone in a new avatar as a pinch-hitter with the bat, and has come up with the big heads on both occasions that he has been sent up the order.
He is contention to be the all-rounder of the tournament if he keeps up his current trajectory.
Yuzvendra Chahal (Royal Challengers Bangalore)
Position: Spinner
Image: BCCI/SPORTZPICS.
He might have copped some serious punishment in Royal Challengers Bangalore’s nervy win over the Mumbai Indians, but that doesn’t take away from a brilliant start to the campaign for the leg-spinner.
He was absolutely phenomenal in the victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad, with three wickets that completely derailed the opposition. A fine showing against the Kings XI might have gone under the radar due to Bangalore’s commanding defeat, and Chahal can still be happy with his individual performance.
No other spinner has picked up more wickets than Chahal’s five so far in the campaign and he is shaping up nicely as a Purple Can contender.
Rahul Tewatia (Rajasthan Royals)
Position: Spinner
Image credit – BCCI/SPORTZPICS.
It would be an injustice to classify Tewatia as merely a spinner after his zero-to-hero batting performance against Kings XI Punjab. His incredible hitting after a massive struggle in the first 19 deliveries he faced has become the biggest story to come out of the IPL this year.
While his batting heroics are hard to ignore, Tewatia is primarily in the side due to his ability with the ball. His three wickets on a flat batting track against Chennai Super Kings was decisive in clinching victory for Rajasthan in another high-scoring clash.
Two match-winning displays in as many matches means the leggie gets into the XI by a thumping majority.
Jofra Archer (Rajasthan Royals)
Position: Pacer
Image: Rajasthan Royals/Twitter.
Like every other bowler in the game, the England pacer was on the receiving end of some heavy blows in Rajasthan’s thrilling victory over KXIP. However, he more than made up for it with two much-needed sixes in a record run chase.
The big hits from Archer came as no surprise, especially after he thumped four sixes in a row off Lungi Ngidi in the previous clash against Chennai Super Kings. Those crucial runs in the final over of the Rajasthan innings proved to be huge, with Rajasthan ultimately prevailing by 16 runs.
The fast bowler was also a cut above the rest with the ball in the same clash, and his figures of 1-26 were commendable on a pitch where over 400 runs were scored in total.
Kagiso Rabada (Delhi Capitals)
Position: Pacer
Image – @IPL/Twitter.
The South African has been a key reason for Delhi’s early dominance in this IPL and has arguably been the best fast bowler on display in the competition. Five wickets in two matches do not tell the whole story of Rabada’s brilliance, with his sensational Super Over against the Kings XI being the difference between a win and a loss for the Capitals.
His pace partnership with fellow countryman Anrich Nortje is looking extremely threatening and few batsmen will fancy their chances while going up against the duo.
Everything about Rabada revolves around ferocious intensity and batsmen have been given no breathing room whatsoever. Even more impressive is the fact that his economy-rate has been maintained below seven.
