IPL Hidden Gems: Week 1
These five players may have slipped under the radar, but they certainly are impactful
The first week of Pepsi IPL 2014 saw Glenn Maxwell and JP Duminy script some incredible run-chases. Maxwell, who became only the third player to score 80-plus runs in consecutive innings in the IPL, left everyone spell bound with his audacious stroke-play, while Delhi Daredevils’ JP Duminy impressed with his match-awareness and decision-making skills. In both matches, Duminy played himself in before his end-overs assault. While those four knocks made headlines, there were several other outstanding performances which got overshadowed. Here’s a pick of some such performances from the past week, which didn’t get as much attention as they merited.
Killer Miller
Twice in two matches this season, KXIP have chased down improbable targets – 206 against CSK first, followed by 192 against RR. In both those chases, Glenn Maxwell’s assault stole the limelight, and rightly so. However, Maxwell’s was not a solo effort in both those run-chases; he was ably supported by David Miller, who was just as forceful and ensured the job was done. What was most incredible about Miller's innings was the varying styles of his performance. In the first outing against CSK, he played himself in in the company of Maxwell, and flourished after his partner was dismissed. From 32 off 28 balls when Maxwell was dismissed, Miller broke loose to score 22 off the next nine balls to take his team past the finishline.
In the next outing, Miller walked out to bat in the 14th over with his team needing 66 from 35 balls. The only lull in his innings came in the first five balls he faced – there were three dot deliveries in that period. Thereafter, it was the destructive Killer Miller who took centrestage; six of the next nine deliveries sailed into the stands as he brought up his half-century off 19 balls – the second-fastest in the IPL – and took his team past the finishline yet again. It is incredible how a batsman fresh at the crease can get into that hitting zone and create so much momentum almost immediately.
Chahal Works His Magic
Haryana’s YuzvendraChahal was with the Mumbai Indians for three seasons prior to Pepsi IPL 2014, but he got just one outing during that time. However, the 23-year-old seemed to have spent his time with MI wisely, picking the brains of mentor Anil Kumble. Part of the Royal Challengers Bangalore this season, the leg-spinner wasted little time to prove his credentials. In his inaugural outing against the Delhi Daredevils, he impressed with a tidy Man of the Match-winning spell of one for 18, during which he did not concede a single boundary and kept dangerous batsmen like Ross Taylor and JP Duminy quiet. In the following game too, he used the knowledge of bowling to Mumbai Indians’ batsmen in the nets and skillfully eked out the dangerous Rohit Sharma and Kieron Pollard. Speaking to iplt20.com soon after that tidy spell of 4-0-17-2, he said, “I have seen the way Rohit Sharma bats, and today, I went with the plan of bowling at the right channels to him. I bowled the googly to him and he played an aerial shot, which helped me take his wicket. Same is the case with Kieron Pollard; I knew I had to mix up my deliveries and bowl with a lot of variations in pace to him, which got me his wicket.” After these two outings, opponents will now start to pay more time attempting to work out strategies to score off him. Well done lad!
Akshar Patel
Akshar Patel was a relatively unknown coming into Pepsi IPL 2014. However, in his two matches so far, the 20-year-old from Gujarat has quickly established that he is a force to reckon with. Impressive numbers all-round – with bat and ball – in domestic cricket indicate that he has the talent. He justified his selection in the KXIP XI with two impressive performances straight away. When the likes of Dwayne Smith, Brendon McCullum, Suresh Raina and MS Dhoni were going hammer and tongs, most of the KXIP bowlers came for stick. Not Akshar. He conceded only 34 runs in four overs and conceded only two fours and a six. In the next match against Rajasthan Royals, bowling with the new ball yet again, Akshar finished with the best economy rate in the KXIP line-up for the second straight game. The left-arm spinner conceded only 22 runs in his four overs – and fired in the armer to breach past the defenses of a dangerous looking Shane Watson – to finish with an economy rate of 5.50 when the rest of the KXIP bowlers leaked runs at 10.38 runs per over. They say it is about grabbing the opportunity when it comes. Akshar Patel has certainly grabbed it with both hands!
Sanju Samson & Manish Pandey
Amidst all the power and unorthodoxy one has seen so far in Pepsi IPL 2014, Rajasthan Royals’ Sanju Samson and Kolkata Knight Riders’ Manish Pandey have been like a whiff of fresh air. The 19-year-old from Kerala and the 24-year-old from Bangalore have played some exquisite strokes – most of them coming straight out of the coaching manual. Both batsmen have also shown to have a good head on their shoulders and have shown they possess the hunger for runs. While Pandey looked good in both his innings (64 against Mumbai Indians and 48 against Delhi Daredevils), young Samson looked in pristine touch in his knock of 52 against Kings XI Punjab. The purists will certainly enjoy watching them play.
Killer Miller
Twice in two matches this season, KXIP have chased down improbable targets – 206 against CSK first, followed by 192 against RR. In both those chases, Glenn Maxwell’s assault stole the limelight, and rightly so. However, Maxwell’s was not a solo effort in both those run-chases; he was ably supported by David Miller, who was just as forceful and ensured the job was done. What was most incredible about Miller's innings was the varying styles of his performance. In the first outing against CSK, he played himself in in the company of Maxwell, and flourished after his partner was dismissed. From 32 off 28 balls when Maxwell was dismissed, Miller broke loose to score 22 off the next nine balls to take his team past the finishline.
In the next outing, Miller walked out to bat in the 14th over with his team needing 66 from 35 balls. The only lull in his innings came in the first five balls he faced – there were three dot deliveries in that period. Thereafter, it was the destructive Killer Miller who took centrestage; six of the next nine deliveries sailed into the stands as he brought up his half-century off 19 balls – the second-fastest in the IPL – and took his team past the finishline yet again. It is incredible how a batsman fresh at the crease can get into that hitting zone and create so much momentum almost immediately.
Chahal Works His Magic
Haryana’s YuzvendraChahal was with the Mumbai Indians for three seasons prior to Pepsi IPL 2014, but he got just one outing during that time. However, the 23-year-old seemed to have spent his time with MI wisely, picking the brains of mentor Anil Kumble. Part of the Royal Challengers Bangalore this season, the leg-spinner wasted little time to prove his credentials. In his inaugural outing against the Delhi Daredevils, he impressed with a tidy Man of the Match-winning spell of one for 18, during which he did not concede a single boundary and kept dangerous batsmen like Ross Taylor and JP Duminy quiet. In the following game too, he used the knowledge of bowling to Mumbai Indians’ batsmen in the nets and skillfully eked out the dangerous Rohit Sharma and Kieron Pollard. Speaking to iplt20.com soon after that tidy spell of 4-0-17-2, he said, “I have seen the way Rohit Sharma bats, and today, I went with the plan of bowling at the right channels to him. I bowled the googly to him and he played an aerial shot, which helped me take his wicket. Same is the case with Kieron Pollard; I knew I had to mix up my deliveries and bowl with a lot of variations in pace to him, which got me his wicket.” After these two outings, opponents will now start to pay more time attempting to work out strategies to score off him. Well done lad!
Akshar Patel
Akshar Patel was a relatively unknown coming into Pepsi IPL 2014. However, in his two matches so far, the 20-year-old from Gujarat has quickly established that he is a force to reckon with. Impressive numbers all-round – with bat and ball – in domestic cricket indicate that he has the talent. He justified his selection in the KXIP XI with two impressive performances straight away. When the likes of Dwayne Smith, Brendon McCullum, Suresh Raina and MS Dhoni were going hammer and tongs, most of the KXIP bowlers came for stick. Not Akshar. He conceded only 34 runs in four overs and conceded only two fours and a six. In the next match against Rajasthan Royals, bowling with the new ball yet again, Akshar finished with the best economy rate in the KXIP line-up for the second straight game. The left-arm spinner conceded only 22 runs in his four overs – and fired in the armer to breach past the defenses of a dangerous looking Shane Watson – to finish with an economy rate of 5.50 when the rest of the KXIP bowlers leaked runs at 10.38 runs per over. They say it is about grabbing the opportunity when it comes. Akshar Patel has certainly grabbed it with both hands!
Sanju Samson & Manish Pandey
Amidst all the power and unorthodoxy one has seen so far in Pepsi IPL 2014, Rajasthan Royals’ Sanju Samson and Kolkata Knight Riders’ Manish Pandey have been like a whiff of fresh air. The 19-year-old from Kerala and the 24-year-old from Bangalore have played some exquisite strokes – most of them coming straight out of the coaching manual. Both batsmen have also shown to have a good head on their shoulders and have shown they possess the hunger for runs. While Pandey looked good in both his innings (64 against Mumbai Indians and 48 against Delhi Daredevils), young Samson looked in pristine touch in his knock of 52 against Kings XI Punjab. The purists will certainly enjoy watching them play.
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