Top 5 most valuable wicketkeeper-batsmen of IPL 2018 thus far

Wicket-keeping is one of the most vital and strenuous roles on the cricket field due to its physical and mental demands. Every side wants someone with safest hands behind the stumps. In cricket's early days, the role of wicket-keepers was primarily to keep wickets but, in the last two decades, however, the role of the wicket-keeper has undergone drastic changes due to the exploits of a few gentlemen who have redefined the very art.

This trend began with the feats of Australia’s Adam Gilchrist who was one of the most dangerous batsmen for Australia in all forms of the game besides being one of the finest artists behind the stumps. And now every team expects wicketkeepers to perform like specialist batsmen especially in the shorter formats of the game.

In T20 format a wicketkeeper-batsmen hold high value for their dexterity in multiple aspects of the game.

With the largest cricket festival of the year, Indian Premier League 2018 is underway let us take a look at the top five wicketkeeper-batsmen who have been exceptional thus far to their respective teams with both bat and gloves this season.

#5 Ishan Kishan

The former India U-19 captain from Ranchi was roped in by Mumbai Indians for a whopping 6.2 Cr. which was around 15 times his base price of 40 lakhs. The 19-year-old was the third highest bid among the uncapped players this season.

With 151 runs thus far in six innings at an average of 25.17 and a strike-rate of 141.12, the southpaw is the second highest run-getter for Mumbai Indians this season.

The youngster leads the wicketkeepers column with six catches, two stumpings, and a run-out assist to his name.

Despite scoring fewer runs than RCB wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock, Kishan's contribution behind the stumps gives him an edge over QDK to snatch the fifth spot of the list.