IPL has become the toughest league in the world. With its quality of players and coaching brains that involve, IPL sets a huge name for itself. With the luxurious facilities from the management and the reach a player would get from IPL, the contract in this tournament becomes a dream for many cricketers. However, performing in IPL isn’t as easy as everyone thinks; the standards of IPL are very high, and it requires a player with immense skills to perform in such a difficult stage. The player who stands tall among the bests throughout the tournament wins the “MVP” award of the season.
MVP is not an easy thing. It requires a hell lot of brawn and brains. Most importantly, a player needs consistency to be in the MVP list.
Let’s have a look at 5 such players who could win the MVP award of this IPL 2020
1) KL Rahul
KL Rahul is the next big thing in India. He is creeping on his way towards the best in the T20 business. KL Rahul has been a pillar for the Indian team of late. His T20I, as well as T20 record, is peaking high at present. Furthermore, IPL gives him extra space to showcase the wide talent he possesses. The Karnataka born batter has been one of the best players in the IPL for the last two seasons. And it is the right time to witness his entertaining batting as we are in a desperate mode to see such kind of cricket activities.
KL Rahul had a brilliant last two seasons scoring 659 and 593 runs in 2018 and 2019 editions. Overall, he has a decent average of 42 and a strike rate of 138.
So far, he has carried KXIP in the previous two editions of the league, and there’s no reason why he can’t win the MVP award this time around.
2) Andre Russell
Andre Russell knocks the MVP door so hard with his brutal batting. The Jamaican has been one of the best T20 cricketers for quite a while now. True IPL followers wouldn’t be surprised at seeing Andre Russell’s name over here. The all-rounder from Windies won the MVP award last season, and there’s absolutely no reason why he can’t do the magic again. The Indian soil and Russell have become a separate love story, and that is because of the way he goes hard with his sword.
Especially, the last IPL edition was a better reap for him. With 510 runs in 2019 alone, he averaged 56.66 with 4 half-centuries. It was a feast to witness the Jamaican’s flow. On the whole, he has an average of 33 and a tremendous strike rate of 186.
Addedly, he is a decent seamer as well. With the ball, he has scalped 55 wickets in IPL so far. Like every year, Russell is KKR’s best player going into IPL 2020, and the KKR fans would hope that he can repeat his IPL 2019 heroics.
3) Jofra Archer
Jofra Archer’s extreme pace and deadly variation make him a tough customer for the batters on the pitch. Some people wouldn’t have expected Archer to make this list, but if you’ve seen him bowl, you would know why his inclusion in this list. Archer has been one of the best T20 bowlers going around. Even the best batters of T20 and the Tests have failed to get the better of him in the recent past.
Having played only two seasons of IPL, Archer has taken 26 wickets at an economy of 7.5 despite bowling regularly at the death. An extra point that has to be added on his skillset is his pinch-hitting ability. Any captain would love that contribution coming up from a bowler in the lower order.
Being a fast bowler in the sluggish UAE wickets, his role is a little tougher than the last two IPL editions. But still, he has the ability to prove his skill in any situation. Let’s wait and watch.
4) Hardik Pandya
Hardik Pandya is a different player now. Thanks to the IPL for making the Indian all-rounder such a dashing batter. IPL has given him the freedom to explode as per his wish. Initially, he was a powerful spin hitter, and now with more exposure to international qualities, he has become a nightmare for fast bowlers too. Hardik Pandya is a great example of what IPL can do to a batter. Consequently, he has been India’s best all-rounder in the shortest format of the game for quite some time now. His muscle power is of a completely different level as he could hit the big shots for fun.
With his penultimate over cameos with the bat, Hardik managed to make 402 in the last season, which effectively added up to 1068 runs in his IPL career. With the ball, he has managed 42 wickets, and he has this habit of scalping the main wickets of opponents, which needs to be mentioned in special.
He has been one of MI’s best players in the last few editions of the league. He plays the role of precious wicket-taker in MI, and the special thing to mention about him is his athletic fielding skills. On the whole, he’s a complete package. Therefore, without any doubt, Hardik has a good chance of winning the MVP award this time around.
5) Sunil Narine
The third all-rounder who is making into this list is Sunil Narine. He has been one of KKR’s best players over the years. Despite playing as a proper spinner in the initial seasons, he now sees himself in the all-rounder category with his pinch-hitting ability, that too at the top of the order. He has been promoted and has played the role of a pinch hitter to perfection.
Apart from that, he has also been a fantastic bowler for KKR over the years. His tight bowling has kept the opposition batsman quiet more often than not. With these proven qualities of himself, he has already won the MVP award in 2012 and 2018.
The IPL edition of 2018 played a huge role in his batting. He scored 357 runs in that season alone, which is more than his coaching brains expected. And with the ball, the mystery spinner has scalped 122 wickets in IPL. And with his current form, he adds his name in the list effectively.
To sum up
Franchises are expecting the MVP from their side as it would greatly impact the team’s performance. As cricket is getting evolved, the demand for MVPs are also getting higher. Let’s see what the six-month wait and frustration does for the best in the business in this IPL season.
