IPL 2018: Ranking the batting of each team after two weeks
In the first two weeks of IPL, all teams played at least 4 games. In the first 17 games, a total of 5722 runs were scored of which 3422 came in the form of boundaries. While batsmen cleared the ropes 245 times, the fielding team claimed a wicket 211 times.
Only three times in the seventeen matches has a bowler received the Man of the Match award, showing the impact of batsmen on the outcome of the games.
Four teams have won three matches each and the competition is stiff. But the question is 'which team performed better with the bat?'
All records and statistics for the first two weeks, i.e., from Saturday 7th April till Friday, 20th April have only have been taken.
Here are the rankings of teams based on batting:
#8 Rajasthan Royals
Rajasthan Royals are heavily dependent on Sanju Samson and Ajinkya Rahane. It was Sanju Samson who was the Man of the Match in Rajasthan's two wins. Rahane seemed to be in good touch, after the initial lull in first two matches.
Apart from these two, Stokes and Buttler are the other two Rajasthan players who reached the 100-run mark but it took them 5 innings to reach the mark.
Except the mammoth 217 against RCB, their batting in other matches hasn't been that impressive. In their first match, they were almost bowled out by SRH for a paltry total. The inevitable happened in their fifth match against CSK as the Rajasthan batsmen got bowled out for 140 in their attempt to chase a target of 205.
In this IPL, their runs-per-wicket ratio is the worst and the players need to concrete more on building partnerships if they want a quick turnaround to their campaign.
Top performers with the bat:
1) Sanju Samson: Total runs - 187, Innings: 5, HS - 92*, SR: 155.73, Avg: 46.75
2) Ajinkya Rahane: Total runs - 146, Innings: 5, HS - 45, SR: 141.74, Avg: 29.20
Average Run Rate: 8.28
Runs per wicket: 22.08
*Complete innings was considered in the rain-curtailed match against DD*