The IPL 2023 has witnessed performances that have been a revelation for Indian selectors and fans alike with youngsters stepping up, while some old players are having the season of their life.
One such youngster is Rajasthan Royals batter Yashasvi Jaiswal, who played an exceptional innings against Kolkata Knight Riders at the iconic Eden Gardens. On Thursday, The 21-year-old led RR to an emphatic nine-wicket victory and in the process, smashed the fastest half-century in the history of the tournament. So far in the ongoing season he has amassed an impressive 575 runs in 12 matches.
Meanwhile, Mumbai Indians‘ Suryakumar Yadav, another flamboyant batter who started the season slowly, is gaining momentum gradually. In a recent fixture against Gujarat Titans, he slammed an unbeaten 103 runs off just 49 deliveries.
Echoing on the same lines, former India international Saba Karim praised both Jaiswal and Yadav, while taking a swipe at India’s current and former captains, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli.
The duo has received widespread criticism for their strike rates recently, despite Kohli currently being ranked sixth in the IPL Orange Cap race. However, Karim stated that the style of cricket played by Rohit and Kohli is no longer effective in modern T20 cricket.
In the ongoing season, Mumbai Indians’ captain Rohit has scored 220 runs in 12 matches. Despite his struggles with the bat, his captaincy skills remain sharp. Under his leadership, MI are currently in third place on the IPL points table. If they can maintain their form, they stand a good chance of qualifying for the IPL playoffs.
As for Virat, the 34-year-old has been one of the consistent performers in the Royal Challengers Bangalore camp, having hit 420 runs in 11 matches. However, despite his individual performance, RCB are currently in sixth place on the points table. Kohli will be looking to improve his own form to help his team qualify for the playoffs.
