IPL 2019 | Team of Week 6 ft. Shubman Gill, Andre Russell and MS Dhoni
Another nail-biting week of the IPL has come to end and it saw some young guns making the mark while the veterans rekindled memories of their prime with some monstrous hitting and effective captaincy. While Shubaman Gill scaled newer heights, MS Dhoni kept getting better like a fine wine.
Shubman Gill: The 19-year-old Punjab lad has been a sensation to watch at the top of the order for KKR. His flawless technique and stroke-making abilities have impressed many cricketing greats and he has managed to score runs without taking too many risks at the top. He set the tone with a brisk half-century against Mumbai Indians and gave a testament to his calm and composed temperament in the high-voltage run-chase against Kings XI Punjab with another determined fifty.
David Warner: When one glances through David Warner’s performance this season, it will definitely look surreal. The southpaw has been as consistent as sunrise and sunset, scoring the tough runs at the top. He is yet to be dismissed for a single digit score this season, which rightly speaks about the kind of impact the Orange Cap holder has had. Warner would walk into any team of the week named this season and this one is no different. He played a sluggish 37 against Royals, which is rare, and then wreaked havoc against Kings XI to help his side post a challenging total.
Manish Pandey: The ability to step up when the chips are down is what makes great players. Just when the going was getting tough and SRH were in desperate need of finding solidity in the middle-order, Pandey delivered with flair and elegance. He has batted with unmatched confidence at three and passed the litmus test with flying colours after scoring an unbeaten 71 to help SRH initially to tie the game. He also managed a couple of impactful scores of 61 against royals and 36 against KXIP respectively. SRH would have certainly been more than happy to see this magic a few weeks ago, but it’s better late than never. With David Warner unavailable for the remainder of the series, Pandey’s resurgence should infuse a new life in SRH.
Andre Russell: The Caribbean all-rounder requires no introduction, in fact, this season has mostly revolved around his maverick form and monstrous hitting. He has been in such an explosive form that the bowlers are actually scared to put in the hard yards against him. On a batting paradise against Mumbai Indians, Russell took guard at three and stitched one of the finest innings of his career. There was calculated aggression, manic hitting, deft touches and every other adjective that would define a classic T20 innings. He was equally influential with the ball, chipping in with two wickets alongside remaining economical.
Hardik Pandya: There is something about Hardik Pandya’s form that has turned his haters into fans. He has looked unstoppable and has hit the cricket ball very hard compelling it to beg for mercy. Pandya’s 91 off 34 deliveries against KKR was easily one of the finest innings ever played in the history of IPL. It was unfortunate that such a valiant effort didn’t end up on the winning side. Not just with the bat, the all-rounder has been impactful with the ball as well and has been more than effective. With the playoffs around the corner, MI would be very pleased to see their Most Valuable Player hit the ball in that manner.
MS Dhoni: No IPL team is complete without MS Dhoni; he sports a different look when he is at the helm of affairs for CSK. And it won’t be wrong in saying that CSK looked like a toothless tiger in his absence, such has been his impact in marshalling the yellow army. On his comeback against Delhi Capitals, Dhoni not only rekindled memories of his prime with the bat (scored 44 not out off 22) but also gave a testament to his athleticism by accounting for lightning-quick stumpings off the spinners.
Mohammad Nabi: The Afghan all-rounder has been a sensation to watch in the IPL. Gradually, he is evolving as a handy batsman lower down the order further earning the tag of a dependable all-rounder. He can hit the leather hard and his cameo against Kings XI is an apt illustration to it. He also played a crucial role in getting SRH close to victory against MI, which ended in a tie (MI won in super over). With the ball, Nabi banks heavily on the art of deception and lures batsmen into his trap with guile. On most of the days, Nabi would be very economical and hardly has a bad day with the ball. Against MI, he bagged a wicket at an economy of six in four overs. Although he didn’t have a great day with the ball against KXIP, his rhythm still looked good.
Shreyas Gopal: T20 is rightly known as format of uncertainties; an over can make someone a hero while some emerge as the antagonist. And Shreyas Gopal tasted almost both the sides within a span of six deliveries. In a rain-affected encounter against Royal Challengers Bangalore, the match was reduced to a five-over a side. Gopal conceded 12 runs off the final over but returned with a hat-trick to break RCB’s spine in a single over. His prized scalps included Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers and Marcus Stoinis. Had this match concluded with a result, there wouldn’t have been a better pick than Gopal for Man of the match award.
Imran Tahir: There is a reason why he celebrated every dismissal in such an energetic manner; he takes his cricket very seriously and knows the importance of every dismissal. Second on the list of Purple Cap holders, Tahir has been a force to be reckoned in CSK’s line-up. After a modest outing against Mumbai Indians, the South African leggie spun a series of web around Delhi Capitals’ batsmen and picked three wickets for 12 to steer his side to a commanding position. Leg-spinners are no more run leakers and players like Tahir, Rashid Khan, Rahul Chahar are debunking the myth quite effectively.
Sandeep Warrier: In a languishing KKR side, Warrier’s inclusion has turned their fortunes upside down. In a run-fest against MI, Warrier bowled out four overs straight, conceding just 29 on the back of some lateral movement and seam movement. Then came the must-win game against KXIP, where he outfoxed the two big fishes – Chris Gayle and KL Rahul - with the new ball to make early inroads in KXIP’s side.
Jasprit Bumrah: World’s No. 1 white-ball bowler and rightly so! The super over against SRH was a prime example of his ability to take control of things under the pump. With a bowler like Bumrah, the match gets involuntarily reduced to 16 overs. He is one bowler who is capable of bagging two successive wickets in no time and turns the game on its head. He picked 2 for 10 in three overs against CSK after which had a rare off day against KKR on a surface that had absolutely nothing for the bowlers. Then came the nerve-wracking game against SRH where he scalped 2 for 31 before winning the game in the Super Over.
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