As the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL) season progresses, the competition intensifies with each passing game. With 34 matches already played across various venues, eight teams have completed seven matches each, while two teams have played six matches each, shaping a fiercely contested battle among the ten teams. Currently, Rajasthan Royals (RR) lead the table, while Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) find themselves struggling at the bottom.
As we conclude Week 4, let's reflect on the thrilling course of action witnessed before embarking on the fifth week:
Hits
Vintage MS Dhoni
Whenever Chennai Super Kings grace the field, the timeless brilliance of MS Dhoni takes centre stage. In the season's most anticipated showdown, the El Clasico between Chennai and Mumbai Indians, Dhoni showcased his vintage form with a quickfire 20 off just 4 balls, including three consecutive sixes off MI skipper Hardik Pandya. CSK ultimately triumphed by a margin of 20 runs – exactly the same number of runs scored by Dhoni.
Come the match against Lucknow Super Giants, on a tricky pitch, Dhoni delivered another blockbuster with his blistering cameo of 28 runs off just 9 balls, boasting a strike rate of 311.11. Although CSK faced defeat on this occasion, Dhoni's brilliance overshadowed any discussion of the team's loss.
Whatever You Can Do, Jos Buttler Can Do It Better
Jos Buttler extended his purple patch by notching his second magnificent century of the season against Kolkata Knight Riders, overshadowing Sunil Narine's maiden three-digit score in the thrilling contest at the Eden Gardens. Despite grappling with a foot injury, the English batter unleashed an onslaught of authoritative strokes, smashing 6 maximums and 9 boundaries in his 107-ball innings, accumulating 60 runs at a remarkable strike rate of 178.3 to make way for the way for the joint-highest run-chase in IPL history.
Notably, this was the second time Buttler spoiled someone's century party, having earlier dampened Virat Kohli's century with a match-winning knock against Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
SRH Batters Break Records, Again!
This season has all been about shattering records, with Pat Cummins' Sunrisers Hyderabad emerging as the frontrunners in setting new benchmarks. Having previously recorded the highest-ever IPL score of 277 against Mumbai, the men in orange showcased their dominance by bettering their own record in the match against Royal Challengers Bangalore, amassing a formidable 287/3.
Leading the charge was Australian batting maestro Travis Head, who notched up a half-century within the powerplay for the second time in the season, followed by a blistering 39-ball century adorned with 9 fours and 8 sixes. Supported by Heinrich Klaasen's rapid 31-ball 67, Abdul Samad's explosive 10-ball 37, and Abhishek Sharma's brisk 22-ball 34, the SRH batters continued their record-breaking spree.
Misses
Punjab Kings’ Batting Woes
In recent matches, Punjab Kings' spotlight has been on the dynamic duo of Shashank Singh and Ashutosh Sharma, with their key players struggling for form. In a thrilling clash against the Mumbai Indians, while PBKS' other batters struggled, Shashank contributed a valuable 42 runs off 25 balls, while Ashutosh notched an impressive 61 runs from just 28 deliveries. In their previous encounter against the Rajasthan Royals, Ashutosh stood out with 31 runs, the only batter to surpass the 30-run mark.
However, those who were expected to lead the charge – Liam Livingstone, Jonny Bairstow, Sam Curran, Jitesh Sharma and Prabhsimran Singh have not been able to make a significant impact in recent games. With their batting lineup faltering, Punjab Kings will have to work on their batting woes to mount a comeback in the tournament before it's too late, as they have already lost five matches.
What Happened to Mitchell Starc?
After four weeks and six games played, Mitchell Starc is yet to justify his price tag of Rs 24.75 crore. Expected to spearhead Kolkata Knight Riders' pace attack and wreak havoc with the new ball, Starc has only managed to secure three wickets in the powerplay and has struggled with an economy rate of 9.8 runs per over.
In four out of six innings, the Australian speedster has returned with no wickets. Barring decent displays against the Capitals and the Super Giants, Starc has largely failed to make an impact in the tournament. Thus far, he has only claimed five wickets from six matches, averaging 46.4 with an economy of 10.5.
A Struggling Rachin
Despite starting steadily, CSK's New Zealand signing Rachin Ravindra has encountered a slump in his last four games, falling short of expectations as as a reliable replacement of the injured Devon Conway. Let's take a look at the numbers: 0 (1) against LSG , 21 (16) against MI, 15 (8) against KKR, and 12 (9) against SRH.
In a total of 7 matches, Ravindra has accumulated 133 runs, with his highest score being 46, averaging 16. Despite CSK holding a respectable third place in the points table with 4 wins out of 7 games, Ravindra's recent performances raise some concerns, suggesting a need for improvement in the upcoming matches.
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