The 2023 edition of the Indian Premier League continues to showcase plenty of international and local talent with bat, ball and both.
Top batsman: Faf du Plessis (Royal Challengers Bangalore)
Faf du Plessis remained at the the top of the IPL Power Rankings for a second successive week amid a prolific run of form for the Royal Challengers Bangalore.
Du Plessis struck 84 against the Punjab Kings in Mohali and 62 against the Rajasthan Royals in Bengaluru. Those half-centuries were followed by a relative failure – 17 against the Kolkata Knight Riders in Bengaluru.
Du Plessis has been batting despite injury. He isn’t Bangalore’s captain for the time being. They substitute him in for the batting innings. Fellow opener Virat Kohli is captaining the XI in du Plessis’ fielding absence. Crafty tactics and clever exploration of the tournament rules, indeed, from RCB.
Top bowler: Rashid Khan (Gujarat Titans)
Rashid Khan continued to be key to the Gujarat Titans’ pursuit of a second IPL title. They’re the reigning champions, with Khan instrumental in 2022 and 2023’s campaign.
The Afghanistan leg-spinner has averaged almost two wickets per match for his last five – an outstanding ratio in a format frequently dominated by the batsmen.
Like Khan, RCB seamer Mohammed Siraj, has the most wickets in the 2023 IPL so far – 14. But Siraj has played more matches and bowled more overs than Khan.
Top all-rounder: Moeen Ali (Chennai Super Kings)
It has taken an extended period for a genuine all-rounder candidate to emerge for the IPL Power Rankings. Khan and the Rajasthan Royals’ Ravichandran Ashwin were thereabout, but Chennai Super Kings all-rounder Moeen Ali is top of the pops this week.
Ali hasn’t necessarily taken the most wickets or scored the most runs, but his bowling average is among the best in this season’s tournament.
Ali has averaged a mere 14 runs for each of his seven wickets. The Super Kings have deployed him sparingly with the bat, but he has largely made the most of his brief appearances at the crease.
Ali has been a veritable livewire in the field, too, and is one of the reasons CSK remain in contention for a record-equalling fifth IPL title.
