FEATURES
Follow Us(All stats are as of May 4 after the clash between Gujarat Titans and Royal Challengers Bengaluru)
KL Rahul in Lucknow - 273 runs @45.5 with SR of 147.6
KL Rahul’s game is perhaps perfectly suited to the conditions at the Ekana International Cricket Stadium in Lucknow. That’s one of the biggest reasons why Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) paid him big bucks.
He has held his fort in Lucknow, with 273 runs at the venue averaging 45.5 while upping his strike rate to 147.6 this season.
He has also shown a different kind of pedigree against spin this year. In Lucknow this year, Rahul has struck at 141.2 against tweakers while still putting a huge price on his wicket. But whenever he has played away from home, Rahul’s numbers have dipped - with a strike rate of 133 - averaging 33 despite playing at M Chinnaswamy Stadium and Eden Gardens.
B Sai Sudharsan in Ahmedabad - 219 runs @54.75 and SR of 144.1
Let’s get this straight: Sai Sudharsan has impressed all and sundry with his consistency in this year’s IPL. Batting at a tricky position for Gujarat Titans, the left-hander has shown his range, with 219 runs coming in Ahmedabad at an average of 54.75 and a strike rate of 144.1.
What makes it even more impressive is how he has adapted to the wickets at home, where others have struggled to pick any pace. It is evident in how he has tackled spin, scoring 108 runs off 65 deliveries.
If you look at the way he has batted against spin in Ahmedabad, he has struck at 166.2. Overall, only at one venue in Delhi does Sudharsan have a better strike rate (166.7).
Sanju Samson in Rajasthan - 272 runs @136 and SR of 156.3
It is shocking to see Sanju Samson on this list, isn’t it?
At the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur, the right-hander has amassed 272 runs in 174 deliveries, averaging a staggering 136 while striking impressively at 156.3. Three out of the four fifties for the right-handed batter has come at home, with the other one coming in Lucknow, where he helped Rajasthan Royals (RR) beat Lucknow Super Giants (LSG).
But if you remove the Rajasthan factor, Samson has only scored 113 runs, averaging 10.5. More shockingly, the right-handed batter has scores of 12, 0, 12, 71, and 18 in the five other contests away from home.
It is even more unbelievable that in three high-scoring venues (Kolkata, Hyderabad and Mumbai), Samson only averages eight this season.
Phil Salt in Kolkata - 344 runs @68.8 and SR of 187
Of course. Phil Salt has scored 397 runs in this year’s IPL, but he often hits his runs at home. 86.6% of his all IPL runs this year have come at the Eden Gardens, where he has been quite a monster. In six innings at the venue this year, Salt has scored 344 runs, averaging a staggering 68.8, with an SR of 187.
It is evident that the true surface in Kolkata has come of brilliant help for Salt, who has smashed all of his four fifties at home. Barring that one clash against RR (10), he has at least hit 48 runs in every game. His scores at home read 54, 89*, 10, 48, 75, and 68, wherein he has shown his abilities.
But his knocks away from home have been quite worrying, with just 53 runs, out of which 30 came in the clash against RCB on March 29 (Friday).
Harshal Patel in Mullanpur - 11 wickets @13.1 and ER of 8.5
Harshal Patel in Mullanpur is a beast. In five games at the venue, Harshal has shown quite a strong display, all because of his ability to use the slower delivery to his best. If you look at the split of his wickets, the all-rounder has trusted largely on the pace off deliveries, making him successful.
In Mullanpur, Harshal has bowled 7.1 overs of off pace, and the result has been largely successful, with seven wickets, averaging nine and striking every 6.1 deliveries, showing his prowess. It is that one particular ability of his alongside the slow wicket in Mullanpur that has resulted in his resurgence.
Mustafizur Rahman in Chennai - 11 wickets @15.7 and ER of 7.7
One factor that binds both Mustafizur Rahman and Tushar Deshpande in this year’s IPL is their incredible success in Chennai. Prior to the start of the competition, it was evident why CSK wanted Mustafizur because he was tailor-made for the wickets in Chennai, where it is usually slow.
22.2 out of the 34.2 overs he bowled this year was in Chennai, where his record read: 11 wickets @15.7 and ER of 7.7. Before heading back to Bangladesh, Mustafizur only played three games outside Chennai, picking up three wickets. But across all the venues away from home, he has quite a high ER: 13.8 vs MI, 11.8 vs DC and 10.8 vs LSG.
Tushar Deshpande in Chennai - 9 wickets @18 and ER of 9
Tushar, too, has been quite effective at home, with nine wickets in Chennai, where he averages 19. Shockingly, he has only picked a solitary wicket away from home but has maintained his economy rate in Mumbai and Vishakapatnam.
Yash Thakur in Lucknow - 8 wickets @19.5 and ER of 9.9
The surfaces in Lucknow have been hugely beneficial for the slower bowlers and tweakers. That’s where Yash Thakur took the opportunity with both hands, bowling with great venom. In 15.5 overs at the venue, Thakur has picked up eight wickets, averaging 19.5, with an economy rate of 9.9.
It is not very shocking that Thakur hasn’t been very effective outside Lucknow, just like the team, with an economy rate of 9.5 vs RCB, 12.5 vs KKR, 11.8 vs CSK and 14.3 vs RR. If you take away the slow and sluggish conditions combined with the longer square, he hasn’t been that effective.
