The Indian Premier League (IPL) has, over the years, emerged as a cricketing extravaganza with top cricketers from all over the world clashing under one roof. The 14th edition was no different; there were some extraordinary performances in both the departments, which kept fans glued to their screens amidst these disturbing conditions. The tournament though was yet just halfway done before Covid-19 enforced its suspension. Nonetheless, a set of players left an impression and here we look at the best bunch among the lot under the following constraints: Not more than 2 players from one franchise, 4 overseas and 1 uncapped player, each player picked as per his playing position in the tournament (except a few).
Kl Rahul — Punjab Kings
Kl Rahul arrived at the IPL 2021 with a lot to prove. He had an unreal last season but failed miserably thereafter in the international set-up. However, the Punjab Kings captain maintained his status in the league by pulling off some impressive outings with the bat. He hit a 91-run knock in the first match to help his team start on a winning note.
The wicket-keeper batter went on to smash three more half-centuries, including unbeaten innings of 91 and 60 against Royal Challengers Bangalore and Mumbai Indians, respectively. He amassed a total of 331 runs in 7 matches at an average of 66, finishing as the second-highest run-getter before the tournament was called off.
Shikhar Dhawan — Delhi Capitals
Dhawan was arguably the most fluent and consistent batter in the IPL 2021. The southpaw enjoyed his batting, making it tough for bowlers to execute their plans against him. He used his gears smartly by picking the right balls and bowlers to attack, scoring an impressive 380 runs in 8 matches.
The 35-year-old also started pretty well. He scored 85 runs in the first match and continued his form throughout. With 3 half-centuries and a couple of 40-plus scores, he stood at the top of the top-scorers table.
Sanju Samson — Rajasthan Royals
Samson is regarded as one of the most talented young batters in India. The right-hander, however, lacks consistency. The same was the case with him in IPL 2021 as well. He fired a brilliant knock of 119 runs in the first match against Punjab Kings before returning with dismal numbers of 4, 1, and 21 in the next three games.
After a lot of noise about his inconsistency, the Rajasthan Royals captain decided to put a hold on his all-aggressive approach. He concentrated on giving himself some time at the crease and it helped him return with better numbers of 42, 42*, and 48 in the remaining matches.
Moeen Ali — Chennai Super Kings
If there was a batter who played in top gear in all the matches, it has to be Moeen Ali. The England cricketer was given the role of accelerating the innings and he didn’t shy away from going after everything thrown at him. His attacking display of batting was one of the major causes of Chennai doing well in this edition of IPL.
Not to forget, his role with the ball as well. His off-spin bowling was also quite handy for CSK. Apart from those quick-fire cameos, he picked some wickets in the middle overs. The all-rounder made 206 runs and scalped 5 wickets in 6 matches.
AB de Villiers — Royal Challengers Bangalore
AB de Villiers and scoring big runs are synonymous. The South African veteran just doesn’t get tired of scoring plenty, especially in the IPL. Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) looked the team to defeat in IPL 2021 and a lot of credit for that goes to ABD.
The right-handed batsman pulled off a few unreal knocks, steering his team home in style. His unbeaten 76 runs against Kolkata Knights Riders at the slow deck of Chenna left many stunned. He played a similar inning against Delhi Capitals as well.
Kieron Pollard — Mumbai Indians
Kieron Pollard, another T20 veteran, was on his usual duty when he took the field in this year’s IPL. He, to a large extent, lifted the hopes of defending champions, Mumbai Indians after their unimpressive show earlier on.
The tall lad scored a few unbeaten cameos before finally unleashing his superpowers against Chennai Super Kings. The Windies cricketer played one of the best T20 innings to help Mumbai chase down a massive total of 221 runs. He scored unconquered 34-ball 87 runs, winning it single-handedly at the end.
Chris Morris — Rajasthan Royals
After being bought at a whopping 16.25 crore, Chris Morris entered IPL 2021 under a lot of pressure. This huge price tag often impacts players’ performance in a negative way. However, the case was different with Morris. The South African kept his nerves calm, delivering for Rajasthan Royals in both the departments.
He scalped a total of 14 wickets in 7 games while also struck a handy cameo in one of the matches. The right-arm quick was at third place among the highest wicket-takers when the IPL was suspended.
Harshal Patel — Royal Challengers Bangalore
“Who will bowl at the death?” was the question being raised constantly by experts and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) fans. However, the answer was unveiled in the very first match. Harshal Patel, the uncapped medium-pacer, picked a five-wicket-haul against star-studded Mumbai Indians, leaving everyone awestruck.
The pacer, laced with a wide range of variations, continued to be amongst the wickets, especially at the slow Chennai decks. He took as many as 17 wickets in 7 matches to ensure the purple cap remains on his head.
Avesh Khan — Delhi Capitals
No doubt, Harshal picked the most number of wickets but Avesh Khan was doubtlessly the most impressive bowler of IPL 2021. The youngster ran in hard and produced magic irrespective of the conditions and surface.
He scalped wickets in all 8 matches and on top of that, he was quite economical as well. The Madhya Pradesh-born cricketer had 14 wickets under his belt at an impressive economy of 7.70.
Rahul Chahar — Mumbai Indians
Unlike previous seasons, spinners weren’t the talk of the town this IPL. However, Mumbai Indians’ Rahul Chahar was the only guy who caught the spotlight with his extraordinary bowling. There was a lot of dew, majorly in the second innings, making it tough for tweakers to grip the ball.
The leg-spinner though did the job anyway. He gave those important breakthroughs to his team in the all-important middle-overs. He took 11 wickets in 7 matches, finishing at number 4 in the most-wickets table.
Deepak Chahar — Chennai Super Kings
Over the years, Deepak Chahar has earned the reputation of the new-ball expert with his swing bowling. The pacer continued to impress with his expertise in the power-play, picking wickets at the front for Chennai Super Kings (CSK).
His 4/13 against Punjab Kings (PBKS) almost finished the match right there. He sent back PBKS’ top and middle-over, steering CSK to an easy win. Similarly, he picked another four-for against Kolkata Knight Riders as well, which again became the major reason behind their win.
Honorable Mentions
Apart from the 11 players mentioned above, there were a few more players who set the tournament on fire. Faf du Plessis, the CSK opener, played some fine knocks, so did Prithvi Shaw and Jonny Bairstow for their respective franchises. Pertinently, the star-duo of Glenn Maxwell and Andre Russell also produced a few handy performances for RCB and KKR, respectively. Rashid Khan, the Afghan superstar, too did quite well with the ball for the struggling Sunrisers Hyderabad.
