IPL 2015 Halfway Review – The Stars and Surprise Packages

Summary


The 8th edition of the Indian Premier League has reached the midway point in the group stages. Despite heavy congestion down the bottom of the points table, the early front-runners Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals are out on their own at the top. Closely behind them and breathing down their necks are the defending champions, Kolkata Knight Riders. The team who the Knight Riders defeated in 2014 to claim their first crown have been desperately disappointing thus far. Kings XI Punjab have struggled to reach the lofty heights of their campaign from last year and currently sit bottom after 7 games. Delhi Daredevils finally ended their barren spell by overcoming the Kings XI by 5 wickets and are level with Royal Challengers Bangalore and Sunrisers Hyderabad on 6 points. The side currently entertaining the Kings XI down the bottom are the Mumbai Indians who, like Punjab, have simply failed to fire.

The IPL 2015 Points Table at the halfway stage


Chennai Super Kings


Brendon McCullum during his 100* vs SRH
(PHOTO: Prashant Bhoot/SPORTZPICS/BCCI)

Star man – Brendon McCullum

The New Zealand captain carried his dazzling World Cup form into the IPL and struck a hundred in just his second game. The Kiwi has also hit the highest amount of sixes (15) and is currently 4th in the race for the Orange Cap with a strike rate of 168.

Surprise package – Ashish Nehra

The soon-to-be 36-year-old veteran has been in incredible form thus far. The left-arm pacer has picked up 13 wickets to sit in joint-1st place in the Purple Cap standings whilst boasting an impressive average of 13.46. He picked up 3-25 in the tense 1-run victory in Super Kings’ opener against the Daredevils and produced brilliant figures of 4-0-10-4 to dismantle the Royal Challengers , as well as picking up the man of the match against Mumbai Indians.


Rajasthan Royals


Deepak Hooda celebrates a
maiden IPL fifty vs DD
(PHOTO: Shaun Roy/SPORTZPICS/BCCI)

Star man – Ajinkya Rahane

The diminutive opening batsman has had a brilliant IPL so far and his form has been rewarded as he currently holds the Orange Cap after the scoring the most runs (323). The Indian batsman has played some sublime knocks, notably the 76* to guide the Royals to victory against the Super Kings and the knock of 62 to help steady the victorious runchase against the Sunrisers.


Surprise package – Deepak Hooda 

The 20-year-old has come onto the IPL scene in spectacular fashion. The Indian all-rounder has struck 117runs at an incredible strike-rate of 209. His clean hitting has seen him crash 11 sixes in the 56 balls he has faced, almost 1 six every 5 balls he has faced. 






Kolkata Knight Riders


Star man – Morne Morkel

Andre Russell during his blitzkrieg
vs KXIP (PHOTO: Pal Pillai/SPORTZPICS/BCCI)
Morkel has spearheaded the Knight Riders’ attack superbly in the 6 games he has played so far, taking 9 wickets. In every game Morkel has taken at least one wicket, with 4 games culminating in the big South African picking up 2 victims. Morkel picked up only 12 wickets in as many games last year, but has an impressive overall IPL record and he is proving that so far this year.

Surprise package – Andre Russell

Not a massive surprise, although the West Indian all-rounder has shown relative consistency in his 3 innings so far, scoring 126 runs at an average of 63. The 66 he scored against Kings XI Punjab exemplified the maturity in his batting, coming in at 60-5 to help his side to victory. His bowling has also shown signs of improvement, with Knight Riders' captain Gautam Gambhir able to call upon him with increasing regularity.




Royal Challengers Bangalore

Mitchell Starc celebrates a wicket (PHOTO:
Pal Pillai/SPORTZPICS/BCCI)

Star man – Mitchell Starc 

Although he has only played 3 games so far, the Australian quick has shown what the Royal Challengers were missing with some wonderful displays and has already picked up 7 wickets. Coming off the back of a World Cup campaign where he was the leading wicket-taker, Starc has slotted straight into his rhythm and is a huge threat at both ends of an innings, be it with the new ball or at the death.

Surprise package – David Wiese

The burly South African all-rounder has enjoyed a good start to his IPL career. He began with 4-33 and 47* against Mumbai Indians in an unsuccessful chase of 210. Wiese is certainly a useful component in the Royal Challengers XI and has initially beaten off competition from Darren Sammy for the overseas all-rounder slot.




Sunrisers Hyderabad


Star man – David Warner

David Warner plays the switch-hit during his
innings of 91 vs KKR (PHOTO: Ron Gaunt/SPORTZPICS/BCCI)
The consistency that the Sunrisers’ captain has shown is a huge reason as to why the side from Hyderabad have managed to pick up 6 points so far. The Australian opener has underlined his importance, cracking 4 half-centuries, with 3 leading to their only wins – if Warner fails, Sunrisers fail. His top score of 91 led to an impressive victory over holders Kolkata Knight Riders and the destructive batsman has cleared the ropes 13 times whilst collecting a strike rate of 154.

Surprise package – Ravi Bopara

The English all-rounder has been a mainstay for the Sunrisers in the first half of the IPL and is the only overseas player to appear in all 7 games, along with Warner. This means World Cup star Trent Boult, number 1 Test bowler Dale Steyn and highly-regarded Kiwi Kane Williamson are all battling for places because of his performances. Bopara has struck 111 runs with 6 sixes, as well as taking 5 wickets.


Delhi Daredevils


Imran Tahir sets off after taking a wicket
(PHOTO: Shaun Roy/SPORTZPICS/BCCI)

Star man – Imran Tahir

The South African legspinner is currently the joint-holder of the Purple Cap after a fine start to IPL 8 that has seen him snare 13 victims. Tahir is a major reason why the Daredevils are experiencing relative success this year and his 3-22 against Mumbai Indians was pivotal in them picking up their 3rd win of the season. The 36-year-old has shown no indications of his age as he frequently celebrates taking wickets by leaping around the outfield, a sight Daredevils’ fans will be hoping to see a lot more of in the 2nd half of the tournament.

Surprise package – Shreyas Iyer

Like Deepak Hooda, Shreyas Iyer has come into this IPL as a relative unknown but has shot into the limelight with a number of eye-catching innings. Perhaps the most impressive innings the 20-year-old has played has been the 83 he scored against Mumbai Indians, sharing a huge partnership of 154 with his captain JP Duminy. The young opener is also 2nd in the sixes chart behind McCullum on 14 and is currently striking at 139.


Mumbai Indians


Star man – Rohit Sharma 

Kieron Pollard hits out vs CSK (PHOTO:
Pal Pillai/SPORTZPICS/BCCI)
The Mumbai Indians captain has played a number of typically enterprising knocks, most notably the opening day 98* against Kolkata Knight Riders and the 42 off 15 balls against Royal Challengers. That 98 was followed by two consecutive ducks, almost summing up the Indians’ season thus far. Despite being 3rd in the Orange Cap standings with 244 runs, Sharma will need to ensure his form is reflected in the performances of the team if they are to mount a play-off challenge.

Surprise package – Kieron Pollard

Like Russell, probably not a huge surprise. However, Pollard has played some mature innings and is in the top 10 runscorers. Two consecutive fifties, against the top two Rajasthan and Chennai, showed what Pollard is capable of when given a significant amount of time in the middle. His batting performances so far have differed from recent years, with the West Indian all-rounder showing some mettle to match his force.


Kings XI Punjab


Sandeep Sharma celebrates during his 4-25 vs KKR
(PHOTO: Vipin Pawar/SPORTZPICS/BCCI)

Star man – Sandeep Sharma 

Sharma has gone from being Punjab’s surprise package of the 2014 IPL to being their star man a year later. Sharma’s control at the start of the innings has seen him pick up several top-order wickets with his ability to swing the ball both ways almost at will. Sharma has also improved his death bowling, hitting his yorker length more consistently as well increasing his pace. An economy rate of 6.35 is testament to his accuracy in the powerplays as well as an astonishing 4 maidens bowled in his 28 overs so far.


Surprise package – Anureet Singh 

A relative newcomer to the Kings XI, Anureet is Punjab’s leading wicket taker with 10 and has cemented his place in the XI with some fine performances. His ability to bowl at the death has brought a lot of success for him and Kings XI, although his economy rate of 8.64 isn’t really a fair reflection of his IPL so far.


(Statistics correct up to completion of Match 28, KKR vs CSK, 28/04/15)

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