Benchwarmers XI - picking the best 11 players who didn't play a single game in IPL 2023
The 2023 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) concluded recently, with Chennai Super Kings (CSK) beating Gujarat Titans (GT) by five wickets (via the DLS method) in a thrilling last-ball finish at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
GT had dominated the league stage and finished as table toppers. However, Chennai beat Gujarat in both Qualifier 1 and the summit clash to emerge as the deserving champions.
There were some fantastic individual performances by players from across franchises in IPL 2023. Gujarat Titans opener Shubman Gill was the Orange Cap winner for smashing 890 runs in 17 matches at an average of 59.33 and a strike rate of 157.80. Gill’s tally, which also included three hundreds, was the second-best in a season after Virat Kohli's 973 runs in 2016.
In the bowling department, Gill’s GT teammate Mohammed Shami was the leading wicket-taker. The right-arm pacer picked up 28 wickets in 17 matches at an average of 18.64 and an economy rate of 8.03. Shami claimed two four-wicket hauls in IPL 2023.
While many star performers featured in all the games for their franchise, there were a number of players who did not get to play a single game.
In this feature, we put together the ‘benchwarmers XI’ of IPL 2023.
Openers: Matthew Wade (c&wk), Johnson Charles
Matthew Wade had a disastrous IPL 2022 for GT even as the franchise lifted the title in their maiden season. He scored 157 runs in 10 games at an average of 15.70.
Still, when Gujarat retained him for the 2023 season, one felt that he would get to play at least a couple of games, given his reputation as a dangerous T20 hitter. However, that wasn't the case.
West Indies batter Johnson Charles joined Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) as a replacement for Litton Das. A part of Windies’ 2012 and 2016 T20 World Cup-winning squads, Charles has scored over 5600 runs in 224 T20s.
He even smacked a hundred against South Africa in a T20I in Centurion recently.
Middle order: Dewald Brevis, Karun Nair, Nishant Sindhu, and Shaik Rasheed
One of South Africa’s bright batting talents, Dewald Brevis gave glimpses of his talent during IPL 2022 for Mumbai Indians (MI). He contributed 161 runs in seven matches at a strike rate of 142.48.
After Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) skipper KL Rahul was ruled out due to injury, Karun Nair replaced him in the squad. He, however, did not get a chance to showcase his T20 skills during IPL 2023. The Karnataka batter has 2989 runs to his name from 150 T20s, which includes two hundreds.
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India’s 2022 U-19 World Cup stars Nishant Sindhu and Shaik Rasheed also feature in the benchwarmers XI. Sindhu had a decent Ranji Trophy campaign for Haryana, scoring hundreds in consecutive matches against Baroda and Odisha.
Rasheed scored a fifty against England in the final of the 2022 U19 World Cup. He also scored 37* on debut for Andhra in Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2022 and is considered a bright upcoming talent.
Both Sindhu and Rasheed were part of CSK in IPL 2023.
All-rounders and bowlers: Shams Mulani, R Sai Kishore, Shivam Mavi, Sandeep Warrier, and Lungi Ngidi
Mumbai all-rounder Shams Mulani was part of the Mumbai Indians outfit for IPL 2023. The 26-year-old had a terrific Ranji Trophy season, claiming 46 wickets at an average of 23.89 with his left-arm spin. He also chipped in with handy contributions with the bat.
R Sai Kishore had a decent campaign for Gujarat Titans in IPL 2022. The left-arm orthodox spinner picked up six wickets in five matches at an average of 20.17 and an economy rate of 7.56. He claimed 29 wickets in six matches for Tamil Nadu in the Ranji Trophy and also played a couple of decent knocks.
Uttar Pradesh pacer Shivam Mavi played six matches for KKR in IPL 2022, claiming five wickets. He subsequently represented India as well in six T20Is, picking up seven wickets at an average of 17.57. He was purchased by GT for ₹6 crore at the 2023 auction.
After Jasprit Bumrah was officially ruled out of IPL 2023, MI signed Tamil Nadu fast bowler Sandeep Warrier as his replacement. The 32-year-old, who made his T20I debut for India in 2021, has the experience of 68 T20 games in which he has claimed 62 scalps.
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South African fast bowler Lungi Ngidi was purchased by Delhi Capitals (DC) at the IPL 2022 auction for ₹50 lakh. He did not play a single match for the franchise in the 2022 season and it was the same story this year as well.
Ngidi, who previously represented CSK, has an impressive IPL record. In 14 matches, he has claimed 25 wickets at an average of 17.92.