Picking the best performer from each IPL 2024 side ft. Sunil Narine and Virat Kohli
After two months of intense cricketing action and several records being broken, the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) were crowned IPL champions for the third time in their history. The long wait of ten years finally came to an end as the purple brigade thrashed the Sunrisers Hyderabad in the final to lift the trophy.
The Knight Riders were the team to beat for the majority of the tournament and were fittingly crowned the 2024 champions.
Throughout these two months, we witnessed several last over finishes and hard fought contests. The mindset of the batters changed drastically with scores of 250 being chased down comfortably.
However, as the tournament progressed into its second month, we started seeing slower pitches which provided some assistance for the bowlers. Powerplays turned out to be decisive in the eventual outcome of games and the impact player rule allowed batters to play with freedom and not worry about giving their wickets away.
After the culmination of the tournament, let us now have a look at the best performers from each IPL side:
# 1. Sunil Narine- Kolkata Knight Riders
The MVP of IPL 2024, Sunil Narine had a season to remember. He was by far the best player of the competition, who provided balance to the KKR side with his phenomenal all-round performances.
Narine, who had batted lower down the order in the last three seasons, was used as an opener, which sparked a remarkable turnaround in his form. He scored 488 runs in 14 matches at an incredible strike rate of 180.74.
One of the most successful bowlers in IPL history, Narine had a brilliant time with the ball as well. He controlled the game in the middle overs and bagged 17 wickets in 14 innings and at an impressive average of 21.64.
# 2. Travis Head- Sunrisers Hyderabad
One of the cleanest ball-strikers going around, Travis Head came into the tournament after winning the ODI World Cup for Australia with a brilliant knock in the final. He continued his rich vein of form in India and ended the competition as the leading run scorer for the Sunrisers Hyderabad.
The opening duo of Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma scripted the turnaround for SRH with exceptional ball striking in the powerplay. He scored 567 runs in 15 matches at 191.55 with a century and four fifties.
# 3. Riyan Parag- Rajasthan Royals
Riyan Parag was one of the most underperforming players in the IPL coming into the 2024 season. Having been bought by the Rajasthan Royals in 2019 for his base price of Rs 20 lakhs, Parag failed to put up consistent performances. However, the management kept faith in his abilities and the youngster had a breakthrough year in 2024.
Parag was given a specific role of batting at number four and the clarity gave him the confidence to express himself. The season was a mixture of flamboyance and maturity from Parag as he finished as the third leading run scorer in the tournament with 573 runs in 16 games which included four fifties.
# 4. Virat Kohli- Royal Challengers Bengaluru
Arguably the greatest white ball batter of all time, Virat Kohli had a tremendous season with the bat and was pivotal in RCB's turnaround during the second half of the competition. While Kohli was at his consistent best throughout the tournament, it was his aggressive approach towards the latter half of the competition which helped RCB rise from the ashes and qualify for the playoffs.
RCB's campaign seemed done and dusted after losing seven out of their first eight games. Kohli was the lone warrior for the Royal Challengers, scoring runs for fun. However, he took his game to a whole new level when their backs were against the wall.
Kohli ended the competition with 741 runs, winning the orange cap. The strike rate of 154.67 is a fair reflection of how he moulded his game for the team's benefit. He smashed 62 fours and 38 sixes during the course of the season.
# 5. Ruturaj Gaikwad- Chennai Super Kings
While Ruturaj Gaikwad couldn't lead the Chennai Super Kings to the playoffs, personally it was another brilliant season with the bat for the stylish strokeplayer. After MS Dhoni stepped down from the captaincy role, Ruturaj was asked to fill the shoes of arguably the biggest name in Indian cricket history.
Gaikwad let his bat do the talking and was consistent all through the tournament. Some of his decision-making in the field did cost CSK on a few occasions but overall it was a good experience for Ruturaj who is tipped to be a future Indian captain.
He ended the competition as the second-highest run-scorer with 583 runs in 14 games including four fifties and a century. It was always going to be a huge void to fill but with the experience of this season, Ruturaj might come out as a better version of himself as a captain in the next season.
# 6. Jake Fraser-McGurk- Delhi Capitals
While Rishabh Pant ended the competition as the leading run scorer for the Delhi Capitals, he looked a bit scratchy after being out of the game for one and a half years. Leading his franchise in the IPL after his near-fatal accident in December 2022 was an incredible achievement from Rishabh.
However, Australian swashbuckling wicket-keeper batter Jake Fraser-McGurk was the Capitals' best player this season. He grabbed the opportunity with both hands and became a serious threat, especially in the powerplay.
He scored 330 runs in nine games but what made everyone take notice was his incredible strike rate of 234.04. It was carnage from ball one and once he started middling the ball, there was no looking back for the powerful striker. He played a few stunning knocks but couldn't take his side to the playoffs.
# 7. Nicholas Pooran- Lucknow Supergiants
Having someone like Nicholas Pooran in a T20 line-up puts the opposition on the backfoot even before the first ball is bowled.
While the Lucknow Supergiants couldn't qualify for the playoffs, Pooran displayed his prowess with the bat and was the most consistent run scorer for LSG. The ultra-aggressive left-handed batter scored 499 runs in 14 games at an incredible average of 62.37 and a strike rate of 178.21.
# 8. Sai Sudharsan- Gujarat Titans
Having won the tournament in 2022 and finished as the runners-up in 2023, a lot was expected from the Gujarat Titans this season. However, under new captain Shubman Gill, the Titans were not even a shadow of themselves as they kept losing games and were eventually knocked out of the competition.
Despite the below-par showing from the team, young top-order batter Sai Sudharsan again showed his class for the majority of the season and was by far the leading run scorer for the Titans in 2024.
The southpaw scored an incredible century against the Chennai Super Kings and shared a stunning partnership with his skipper Shubman Gill. He scored 527 runs in 12 games with a century and a couple of half-centuries.
# 9. Shashank Singh- Punjab Kings
While the Punjab Kings had another forgettable season, they will be delighted with the emergence of two exciting talents: Shashank Singh and Ashutosh Sharma. From being an unwanted pick in the auction to becoming the most consistent batter for Punjab, Shashank had an incredible IPL 2024.
Shashank was unfazed by the big stage and scored 354 runs in 14 games. He played an important knock against the Kolkata Knight Riders as Punjab chased down the highest T20 score ever. His form tapered off a bit during the latter stages of the season but it was certainly a breakthrough year for Shashank.
# 10. Jasprit Bumrah- Mumbai Indians
Despite an utterly disappointing performance from five-time champions Mumbai Indians, speedster Jasprit Bumrah went about his business in a terrific manner. He was in the race for the Purple Cap for the majority of the season before being overtaken by Harshal Patel.
Bumrah is the best all-format bowler in the world and yet again showed why he is regarded in the category of greats. With the new ball and with the old ball, Bumrah was quite incredible with his skill set and pace variations.
Bumrah was rested from the final group game but he still picked 20 wickets in 13 games at an economy rate of 6.48. He will be hoping to continue his incredible form in the upcoming T20 World Cup slated to start on June 1.