The SportsRush looks at the names who disappointed clubs and fans alike in this season’s IPL.
The league stage of IPL finished yesterday as SRH, CSK, KKR and RR qualified for the play-offs. This has been one of the closest IPL seasons till date, with three teams in contention for the final play-off spot on the final league day of the season. The stats-men were loaded with extra work as equations changed after every game.
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There was only one IPL match throughout the season with no impact on the play-off race, which signifies the intensity of the competition this year. We have seen individual brilliance on display which changed the course of the game.
We have, however, also seen many individuals who, although, were consistent, but in failures. These names came before the season with a lot of expectations on their shoulders, but maybe, the burden was too heavy.
We look at the players who make to theSportsRush Worst XI of the IPL 2018 season.
Openers
D’Arcy Short
The Australian batsman made his name after the exploits in the Big Bash earlier this year, which led him to his first IPL contract. However, D’Arcy Short has been a big disappointment to the Rajasthan Royals camp in his debut season.
In the 7 games he played this season, he scored only 115 runs with a meagre average of 16.4. His struggles against spin were evident, and his highest score of 44 against Kolkata Knight Riders came in 43 deliveries.
Rohit Sharma
Mumbai Indians failed to qualify for the play-offs as they lost on the final day of IPL league phase to Delhi Daredevils. A key factor to their disappointing run has been the failure of captain Rohit Sharma.
Rohit has been the backbone of Mumbai’s batting lineup for many years now, and even though others players like Surya Kumar Yadav, Evin Lewis and Ishan Kishan stepped up to occasion at times, MI missed the captain’s rigour.
In the first time in his IPL career, Rohit failed to cross the 300-run mark. To put things in perspective, he is the third-highest scorer in the history of IPL, behind only Virat Kohli and Suresh Raina. Throughout the season, he shuffled with his batting position which didn’t help the team. Rohit registered three ducks in 14 games, scoring 286 runs.
Middle-Order
Manish Pandey
Sunrisers Hyderabad have had an incredible IPL season so far. They finished as table-toppers with 18 points, and play CSK in qualifier 1 on Tuesday. But their star batsman Manish Pandey didn’t have similar fortunes.
Pandey failed with his bat in this season’s IPL, scoring only 276 runs in 14 games. One of his major issues is batting through the middle-overs. He scored three fifties this season, but on most occasions, he threw away a good start in an attempt to do something unconventional.
Manish Pandey failed to bring the stability required in the middle-order when Kane Williamson was forced to open the innings in the absence of Shikhar Dhawan.
Glenn Maxwell
A lot was expected by Glenn Maxwell as the new-age Delhi Daredevils took over the field under Ricky Ponting’s guidance. However, both failed to leave a mark in this IPL. Delhi Daredevils, although won the “we ended Mumbai Indians’ campaign” title, and they can claim the badge proudly.
Glenn Maxwell played 12 games in the IPL, scoring only 169 runs. He played reckless, and without a sense of responsibility. The persistence of Ricky Ponting after Aussie’s consistent failures was annoying for the Daredevils fans as well.
Sam Billings
Like SRH, Chennai Super Kings had a great comeback season in the IPL. The team finished second with same points as table-toppers Sunrisers. Their English batsman, Sam Billings, although, had a different story.
Scoring only 108 runs in 10 games, Sam Billings had one half-century in this IPL. Which, according to calculations, leaves us with 52 runs in 9 games. (He scored 56 in one game)
Billings’ struggles against spin were as clear as the days in Pune this season. However, Dhoni has continued to show faith in the Englishman and Billings has a chance to rediscover his form when CSK plays SRH in qualifier 1.
All-Rounders
Ben Stokes
The most expensive buy of IPL couldn’t really live up to his price tag. The price-tag wasn’t his fault, but he did plenty of faults on the field, particularly with the bat.
Stokes couldn’t even cross the 200-run mark in the 13 games he played, scoring 196 at an average of 16.3. With the ball too, the Englishman had a rough patch, picking only 8 wickets in 12 games. However, with an economy of 8.18, he proved to be economical and useful in crunch match situations.
However, with a player of that stature, everyone expects more than just an economy of 8.18, and it is safe to say that Ben Stokes failed the Royals this season.
Axar Patel
The all-rounder was retained by Kings XI Punjab, but Axar Patel failed to repay the faith his owners had in him. Axar failed drastically, both with bat and bowl, as Kings XI finished a disappointing 7th in the IPL standings.
Playing in 9 matches, Patel scored only 80 runs, and took merely 3 wickets with a staggering average of 72.6.
Axar Patel was the only player to be retained by Kings XI Punjab before the start of the auctions, which further worsens the look of his failures.
Wicketkeeper
Wriddhiman Saha
Saha’s is another classic case of reverse fortunes. While his team finished first, Saha failed drastically for SRH.
Saha scored only 87 runs in the 10 games he appeared in, four of which he played as an opener. He averaged a mere 12. After being removed as opener, he even came at 3, but failed to establish himself at his new position as well.
Bowlers
Jaydev Unadkat
Unadkat had been a revelation of sorts in the previous season’s IPL, and naturally became the most expensive Indian player in the auction this year.
But Unadkat was hardly as impressive as he was last year. He took only 11 wickets in the 14 games he played, which is quite less for a strike bowler.
Unadkat was predictable and dire in his line and lengths, and clearly failed to restart his ongoing poor run from the South African tour.
Harbhajan Singh
This was the first season when Harbhajan didn’t don the Mumbai blue. However, his poor performances didn’t leave him this season again.
Harbhajan played 12 matches in this season’s IPL, taking only 7 wickets. He was however, relatively economical, with the rate of 8.48. Harbhajan has been playing the role of frontline spinner along with Ravindra Jadeja, from whom one expects more success.
Mohit Sharma
Mohit was bought by Kings XI Punjab for 2.4 crore, which couldn’t justify his performances in the IPL this season. He played 9 games, taking only 7 wickets.
Moreover, Mohit registered an economy rate of 10.85. Only Marcus Stoinis and Yuvraj Singh had a poorer economy rate for Kings XI Punjab, both of whom are part-time bowlers
