IPL 2019: Top 3 all-rounders of the season
The presence of a quality all-rounder has always been a prerequisite for any team to be successful in any format of the game. And over the years in the IPL we have seen many outstanding performances from multi-faceted cricketers, which have ensured victory for their respective teams.
Mumbai Indians, Chennai Super Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders have been highly successful in the IPL until now, mainly due to the presence of dependable all-rounders. These teams have had renowned players like Dwayne Bravo, Andre Russell, Hardik Pandya, Kieron Pollard, Sunil Narine, Albie Morkel and Jacques Kallis in their ranks, who played a vital role in their success.
This is further reinforced by the fact that both the finalists in IPL 2019, CSK and MI, had bankable all-rounders in their playing XI. On the other hand, teams like RCB and KXIP have struggled to perform consistently due to the lack of quality all-rounders in their squad even though they've had strong batting line-ups.
In this article, we take a look at three efficient all-rounders who played a crucial role in their team's journeys this season.
#3 Ravindra Jadeja (CSK) - 15 wickets
Ravindra Jadeja has not scored as many runs as the others on this list, but he played some rapid cameos at crucial junctures for CSK. In the bowling department though, Jadeja's importance cannot be overstated.
Chennai have played their home matches on turning pitches this year, and Jadeja along with Harbhajan and Tahir played an instrumental role in restricting their opponents to small totals. He was a consistent wicket-taker for CSK throughout the season, helping his team reach the final.
#2 Hardik Pandya (MI) - 402 runs and 14 wickets
After enduring a lot of backlash for his off-field behavior in the months leading up to the IPL, Hardik Pandya managed to impress everyone with his majestic hitting displays this season. He played several destructive knocks at the back end of the innings which provided a boost to MI's totals.
On the bowling front, Pandya provided good support to Bumrah and Malinga and once again proved his wicket-taking abilities. In the 15 matches he played, he scored 402 runs and picked up 14 wickets.
#1 Andre Russell - 510 runs and 11 wickets
This has by far been Russell's best IPL season, as he was highly consistent with the bat throughout. He scored over 500 runs at a stunning strike rate of 204.82, and his consistent performances helped KKR stay in contention for the playoffs spot until their last league match.
Russell was not at his best with the ball this season, but still made several important breakthroughs. He played 15 matches and scored 510 runs while picking up 11 wickets, and also won the league's MVP award.