(L-R) Ruturaj Gaikwad, Yuzvendra Chahal and Mark Wood are all included in the first team of the week for IPL 2023. Every XI can contain a maximum of four overseas players besides having no more than three players from a single franchise
Photos: TT archivesRuturaj Gaikwad (CSK): This could well be the season that Gaikwad goes from breakout opener at CSK to one of the IPL’s most dependable run-getters. After an excellently paced 92 off 50 against GT in the tournament opener that had class stamped all over it, Gaikwad was among the runs once more against LSG with a brisk 31-ball 57
Kyle Mayers (LSG): The 30-year-old basher from Barbados has filled in tremendously for Quinton de Kock so far, getting LSG off to electrifying starts alongside K.L. Rahul. Seven sixes against DC lit up the Lucknow sky as Mayers cruised to 73 runs in double quick time. He followed it up with another half century against CSK, this time at quicker than two runs a ball
Virat Kohli (RCB): Faf du Plessis may have found momentum sooner, but it was Kohli who remained until the end and saw RCB over the line against MI in a statement win. His 82 off 49 oozed elegance and focus, with flashes of the invincible Kohli from 2016 more frequent than RCB’s opponents would like to witness
Tilak Varma (MI): After showing his mettle in bursts last campaign, Varma began this one by rescuing MI from a position of jeopardy at 20 for three in the sixth over to a respectable score of 171 against RCB in Bengaluru. His unbeaten effort of 84 saw him manipulate the field with aplomb, making batting look easy on a track that had the big guns of MI caught off-guard
Sai Sudharsan (GT): Used as an impact player against CSK, Sudharsan came in handy with a smooth 22. But given a starting berth against DC, the 21-year-old southpaw played a man-of-the-match knock of 62 off 48 balls, batting for close to 16 overs to take his team home, with 11 balls to spare
Moeen Ali (CSK): Unable to make much of a difference against GT, Ali turned on the style in the second game against LSG. His four wickets for just 26 runs included three of LSG’s top four, with the wicket of free-flowing Mayers bringing CSK back into the game after a whirlwind start by Lucknow
Rashid Khan (GT): The most consistent bowler in the IPL was flawless against CSK, picking up 2 wickets for just 26, before finishing the match off in style with some meaty blows at the death. This was followed by another clinical display against DC, which saw Rashid claim three wickets as GT made it two wins out of two to kick-start their title defence
Mohammad Shami (GT): At 32, Shami shows no signs of slowing down, as he keeps adding to his craft in the shortest format of the game. Two wickets and a tight spell overall against CSK marked a positive start, before Gujarat’s spearhead knocked over Prithvi Shaw, Mitchell Marsh and Axar Patel against DC in another pivotal showing
Yuzvendra Chahal (RR): The winner of the Purple Cap from last season already has five wickets this term. This includes arguably the standout spell from a spinner till now, which saw Chahal dismiss four SRH batters while giving away just 17 runs in his four overs. His victims included two of SRH’s new recruits, Mayank Agarwal and Harry Brook, both of whom struggled to get going against the wily leg-spinner
Mark Wood (LSG): Out on his own as the leading wicket-taker of the tournament so far, Wood has proven once more that raw pace is worth its weight in gold, no matter the format or the conditions. Even though he got tonked against CSK, Wood finished with three wickets in his kitty. He then added a superb five-for against DC, during which he was virtually unplayable, conceding only 14 runs along the way
Arshdeep Singh (PBKS): With no Jasprit Bumrah around this year, Arshdeep is the Indian death bowler to watch in the IPL. With maturity and calmness that belies his age, Arshdeep was instrumental against KKR, pocketing three wickets for just 19 runs. Even though he was much more expensive in the next game against RR, he still added to his wickets tally with two more scalps