The 2023 Indian Premier League has a few early contenders for top batsman, top bowler and most valuable all-rounder.
Top batsman: Shikhar Dhawan (Punjab Kings)
Dhawan had surged to the top of the 2023 Indian Premier League run-scoring charts at the time of writing – and for good reason. He hasn’t let the added responsibility of the Kings’ captaincy negatively affect his primary role with the bat – and could be key to their pursuit of a maiden IPL title.
Dhawan’s 99 not out against the Sunrisers Hyderabad, although in defeat, was arguably the best knock of the 2023 IPL season so far. His near century accounted for almost 70% of his side’s total.
That standalone innings was preceded by 86 not out against the Rajasthan Royals and 40 versus the Kolkata Knight Riders for an inflated tournament average of 220-plus.
Royal Challengers Bangalore captain Faf du Plessis, meanwhile, has collected 175 runs in three innings to be third only to Dhawan and Chennai’s Ruturaj Gaikwad among this IPL season’s leading run-scorers.
Du Plessis has opened the innings well alongside fellow talisman Virat Kohli, but faced criticism for batting too slowly against spin.
“When we were batting, it was quite slow between overs seven to 14; a little bit dry,” conceded du Plessis after a high-scoring defeat to the Lucknow Super Giants. By his own admission, those so-called middle overs of slow bowling need stronger navigation.
Longest six in IPL 2023. 115 meter by Captain FAF DU PLESSIS. 🤯#RCBvsLSGpic.twitter.com/DgeXDz9MHC
— Sexy Cricket Shots (@sexycricketshot) April 10, 2023
Top bowler: Mark Wood (Lucknow Super Giants)
England fast bowler Wood is loving his maiden stint in the IPL. He’s one of the main reasons the Super Giants have started the 2023 tournament so successfully. They headed into week three of this season’s IPL at the top of the 10-team standing, having lost just one of four matches.
Wood set an early precedent with a five-wicket haul against the Delhi Capitals. He then took three against the Super Kings and one versus Bangalore. He has bowled with consistent pace and accuracy in Lucknow, Bengaluru and Chennai conditions that haven’t traditionally suited out-and-out fast bowlers.
Among South African bowlers at the IPL, belated Bangalore recruit Wayne Parnell has been the pick of the bunch, albeit marginally. Parnell was drafted by RCB as a replacement for the injured Reece Topley and slotted straight into the XI.
He bowled with reasonable pace and plenty of swing against the Super Giants, snaring three wickets, but also took some tap as Australian Marcus Stoinis and West Indian Nicholas Pooran duly tucked in.
Mark Wood taking 5 in the IPL yesterday 🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/SeHVswhp9l
— England's Barmy Army (@TheBarmyArmy) April 2, 2023
Top all-rounder: Rashid Khan (Gujarat Titans)
Khan has been characteristically busy, jetting around the world to various domestic T20 leagues. From the BBL in Australia, SA20 in South Africa, then others, and now the IPL, the Afghanistan all-rounder captained the defending champions in the absence of the ill Hardik Pandya recently.
He put in a characteristic cameo with the bat against the Super Kings and took a hat-rick against the Knight Riders. The 2023 IPL has yet to yield a genuine best all-rounder, but Khan is an early contender.
South Africans-wise, Dwaine Pretorius played his first match of the 2023 IPL for the Super Kings recently.
Given a sustained berth in the playing XI and an elevated role with the bat, he could emerge as a top all-rounder this IPL season. Pretorius, remember, has retired from international cricket and is keen to thrive – not just survive – on the global T20 circuit more consistently.
𝐇𝐀𝐓-𝐓𝐑𝐈𝐂𝐊 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐑𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐝 𝐊𝐡𝐚𝐧! 👏 👏
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 9, 2023
Andre Russell ✅
Sunil Narine ✅
Shardul Thakur ✅
We have our first hat-trick of the #TATAIPL 2023 & it's that man - @rashidkhan_19! 🙌 🙌
Follow the match ▶️ https://t.co/G8bESXjTyh#TATAIPL | #GTvKKR | @gujarat_titans pic.twitter.com/fJTg0yuVwu
