IPL round up - The Aussies and an Irishman.
What odds on an Australian not playing in the 2023 Indian Premier League (IPL) final but an Irishman doing so? Long, I would say. Similar to Josh Little’s IPL 2023 price tag.
The Gujarat Titans made history in the 2023 Auction by signing Little, the Irish left-arm quick, for the hefty sum of INR 4.40 Crore (820,000AUD).
Little missed out on a winner's medal; however, from 10 games, he took 7 wickets, averaged 3.5 overs a game, and maintained a respectable strike rate (SR) of 8.64. Irrespective of his birthplace, his numbers represent a solid body of work.
However, it's hard not to chuckle ruefully when first reading that Little is going to Gujarat.". A Dubliner, not impartial to enjoying a drink, playing for Gujarat, which has a sumptuary law in force that proscribes the manufacture, storage, sale, and consumption of alcoholic beverages. But then, even an Irishman might conform for $800K!
In comparison, we'll go through the Australians who featured in the IPL 2023 and evaluate how they performed.
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Cameron Green (MI) - 16 innings, 452 runs, avg, 50.22, and SR. 160.28 / 6 wickets from 16 innings, 38 overs, economy 9.50. Team: Mumbai, 8/6, 16 points, 4th.
Green stands out as the top Aussie performer in my assessment, amassing an impressive 452 runs from 16 innings with a strike rate (SR) of 160.28. Mumbai's owners certainly got a solid return on their extended investment. He showed reassuring adaptability in a strong batting line up. Green also played his part with the ball, consistently delivering important overs, often during the powerplay. As a rookie in the IPL, he deserves high praise, and I would confidently give him an A-minus rating.
And the rest in no particular order:
Jason Behrendorff (MI) - 14 wickets from 12 innings, 42 overs, economy 9.21. Team: Mumbai, 8/6, 16 points, 4th.
Behrendorff was a vital asset for the Mumbai team during IPL 2023. As their key bowler in the powerplay, he consistently averaged 3.5 overs per game and provided crucial breakthroughs with his ability to swing the new ball and take early wickets. Behrendorff demonstrated an intuitive understanding of the risk-and-reward equation, effectively managing the balance between aggression and control. While his contractual situation remains uncertain, it would be surprising if Mumbai doesn't retain him for the 2024 season, given his valuable contributions.
Tim David (MI) - 15 innings, 231 runs, avg. 25.67, and SR. 158.21. Team: Mumbai, 8/6, 16 points, 4th.
Tim David was handed a challenging role in Mumbai's batting lineup, often responsible for closing the innings from the fifth to seventh spots. While he started the tournament strongly, his form tapered off towards the latter stages. Sustaining momentum throughout the tournament, especially in such a pivotal batting role, is devilishly difficult. If you had to point the finger in one direction it would be him playing too conservatively leading into the innings’ later stages. He should be back and better in 2024. My rating would be a B-minus.
Riley Meredith (MI) - 7 wickets from 5 innings, 19.4 overs, economy 10.52. Team: Mumbai, 8/6, 16 points, 4th.
Meredith will no doubt be better for his time in and around the Mumbai setup. Expect a big BBL season from the Hurricane.
Josh Hazlewood (RCB) - 3 wickets from 3 innings, 9 overs, economy 8.44. Team: Bangalore, 7/7, 14 points, 6th.
Hazlewood will no doubt be focused on regaining full fitness and playing a huge part in Australia’s 2023 Ashes campaign.
Glenn Maxwell (RCB) - 14 innings, 400 runs, avg, 33.33, and SR. 183.48 / 3 wickets from 7 innings, 10.2 overs, economy 9.09. Team: Bangalore, 7/7, 14 points, 6th.
Maxwell featured in all 14 games, consistently occupying favourable batting positions. As expected, his SR remained impressively high, securing the fourth position overall, with only Suryakumar Yadav outperforming him as a front-line batter. Maxwell's is known for his explosiveness, and while some argue for a more conservative approach, it's hard to deny the game-changing ability he possesses with the bat. The term 'mercurial' comes to mind when describing his impact. I believe he marks as a solid B-plus rating.
Marcus Stoinis (LSG) - 15 innings, 408 runs, avg, 31.38, and SR. 150.00 / 5 wickets from 5 innings, 11 overs, economy 9.23. Team: 8/5, 17 points, 3rd.
I remain undecided on Stoinis. At first glance, his numbers appear solid; however, I anticipated a greater influence with the ball. As for his batting, Stoinis still remains uncertain about his best position—whether that's at the top of the order or in the middle. The verdict is still out on that aspect as well. Some allowances can be made for him after coming off a disjointed BBL season.
David Warner (DC) - 14 innings, 516 runs, avg. 36.86, and SR. 131.63. Team: Delhi, 5/9, 10 points, 9th.
Mr. Warner will have bigger fish to fry in England—bring forwards the Broad vs. Warner match-up! Crudely speaking, Delhi were terrible; they started slowly and stumbled. Warner followed suit before coming home strong with a flurry of runs. If I had anything to do with DW, I might be saying, "Let someone else captain, and just bat and make plenty! And then he might just listen to Mrs. Warner.
Mitch Marsh (DC) - 9 innings, 128 runs, avg. 14.22, and SR. 131.95 / 12 wickets from 8 innings, 20.1 overs, economy 8.42 Team: Mumbai, 5/9, 10 points, 9th.
It was a quiet tournament for Mitch Marsh. If anything progressed, it was his bowling in the middle overs, specifically his off-speed into the pitch variations to the longer sides. This helped him to the 12-wicket tally and an impressive economy rate of 8.42. His hitting on slow pitches is still suspect, or, on a positive note, a work in progress. An average B-rating.
Adam Zampa (RR) - 6 wickets from 6 innings, 22 overs, economy 8.54. Team: Rajasthan, 7/7, 14 points, 5th.
Not much doing for Zamps this time around. You feel like he enjoys the protection of bigger boundaries in Australia. And it’s worth highlighting that there is no shortage of batters who play spin well in the IPL!
Nathan Ellis (PBKS) - 13 wickets from 10 innings, 38 overs, economy 8.92. Team: Punjab, 6/8, 12 points, 8th.
Always the dark horse, Nathan Ellis would have benefited more than most from his 2023 IPL experience. He continues to add variations to his bowling and, as always, is 100% committed to every ball he bowls. No doubt Trevor Bayliss had plenty to share with Ellis as the Hurricane eyes a spot in the upcoming World Cup.
Matt Short (PBKS) - 6 innings, 117 runs, avg. 19.50, and SR. 127.17 Team: Punjab, 6/8, 12 points, 8th.
Short, like Nathan Ellis, will have profited from having Trevor Bayliss coaching him. If he comes back, Short will be keen to move his SR north and convert more of his starts. Surprising not to see him bowling.
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Running out of space here! Below is a list of the local talent we highlighted throughout IPL 2023. Maybe over the weekend I’ll write a short review of them also. I can leave links to their season stats. Watch out for Yashasvi Jaiswal in the World Test Championship.
Shahbaz Ahmed, Suyash Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ishan Kishan, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Sanju Samson, Rinku Singh, Shivam Dube, Venkatesh Iyer
Back to Test cricket next week; I'm looking forwards to that.
