3 players who need to step up in the second half of IPL 2023
The 16th edition of the IPL is now past its midway stage and the stakes are getting higher by the day. The 10 teams will look to put their best foot forward from now on as things can get quite tricky towards the end of the league stage.
The teams will hope for their in-form players to continue the good work they have done thus far. They will also be desperate for others to step up at the earliest. Those who have performed up to now might not enjoy the same rich vein of form for long, so it is important for the other players to come good.
On that note, here's a look at three players who need to step up in the second half of IPL 2023:
#1 Jos Buttler
Jos Buttler had a brilliant season in 2022, taking home the Orange Cap after scoring 863 runs. However, the Englishman hasn't been able to replicate the same form in IPL 2023 as he has only compiled 271 runs across eight innings.
While those are still decent numbers, he has struggled in the last four games, scoring two ducks.
While Rajasthan are in a good position to qualify for the playoffs, they will hope that Buttler regains his touch so that they can continue their strong momentum.
#2 Deepak Hooda
Thanks to his performances in IPL 2022, Deepak Hooda earned a national team call-up and delivered some fine performances for India. He was expected to shoulder the responsibility of LSG's middle order in IPL 2023, but his batting hasn't been up to the mark so far.
Hooda has scored just 52 runs in eight games this season at a disappointing strike rate of under 100.
His poor form has led to a demotion in the batting order. The Super Giants will hope for an improved showing from their experienced batter in the second half of IPL 2023 as they look to make the playoffs.
#3 Rohit Sharma
Rohit Sharma has not been at his best in the past few IPL seasons. The story has been the same this year as well, as the Mumbai Indians skipper has managed just 181 runs in seven innings. While he has a good strike rate for an opener, MI would expect more from their talisman.
With three wins from seven games, MI are struggling as a team. To make matters worse, Sharma's opening partner Ishan Kishan is also in poor form. Hence, the need for Rohit Sharma to fire is vital as far as MI are concerned.