In the 14th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL), eight franchises will be battling it out for the coveted crown. Delhi Capitals, Mumbai Indians, Chennai Super Kings, Punjab Kings, Rajasthan Royals, Kolkata Knight Riders, Sunrisers Hyderabad, and Royal Challengers Bangalore are the world-class T20 teams contesting this illustrious cricket league. Here are the top 10 batsmen you need to keep an eye out for in the latest season of IPL cricket.
1. KL Rahul
KL Rahul is among the top-three run-getters for the Punjab Kings franchise in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Since KL Rahul joined the Punjab Kings, he has consistently scored over 500 IPL runs each season. In 2020, he won the ‘Orange Cap’ after racking 670 runs in 14 matches.
2. Virat Kohli
Hardly any surprise that Virat Kohli tops the list of top-performing batters in the IPL. He won the ‘Orange Cap’ at the end of the 2016 season after scoring a staggering 973 runs comprising of4 centuries, which steered Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) into the final. King Kohli will always look to score big for RCB in the VIVO IPL 2021 season.
3. Shikhar Dhawan
Shikhar Dhawan is a left-handed opening batsman and is widely popular for his calm and composed demeanor yet aggressive batting style. He plays for the Delhi Capitals in the VIVO IPL, has scored over 520 runs, and followed it up with 618 runs in IPL 2020.
4. David Warner
Warner captained Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) to their maiden tournament win in 2016. He scored the second-highest number of runs for the team in their title-winning campaign, with a monumental contribution of 848 runs at a strike rate of 151.42. He will be eager to clinch the VIVO IPL 2021 trophy.
5. Ishan Kishan
Kishan is a left-handed batsman and wicket-keeper who plies his trade for the Mumbai Indians. He debuted for the Indian national side in the second Paytm T20 match against England earlier this year. Kishan was among the top run-getters for the Mumbai Indians in the last VIVO IPL season.
6. Rishabh Pant
Rishabh Pant is a brilliant wicketkeeper-batsman who, as of 2021, captains the Delhi Capitals in the VIVO Indian Premier League in the absence of Shreyas Iyer (IPL). He has a century and a further 12 IPL fifties to his name. Watching the youngster perform on the pitch for Delhi Capitals this season will be a joy.
7. Quinton De Kock
The South African international cricketer plays in the Indian Premier League for the Mumbai Indians. The wicket-keeper batters scored 503 runs, including four half-centuries, while batting at the top in the 2020 season. His performance will play a key role in the fortunes of the Mumbai Indians.
8. Suryakumar Yadav
Suryakumar outperformed himself in the last season of IPL. He scored 480 runs with a strike rate of 145 and went on to make his T20 International debut soon after in India. It will be interesting to see if he can replicate these performance levels again this season.
9. Devdutt Padikkal
Devdutt Padikkal became the only player in IPL history to score three fifties in his first four games. Padikkal is a left-hand batsman playing for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). He is one of the most exciting young players to keep an eye out for.
10. AB De Villiers
De Villiers has had many eye-catching innings for RCB. Known as ‘Mr360’, he is one of the complete batsmen produced by South African cricket. With almost every shot from the book in his locker, his elegant batting strokes set him apart from most batters. Surely, we will witness more electric performances from the iconic South African veteran this VIVO IPL season.
