3 superstar batters who have played only one notable knock in IPL 2023 so far

As we near the end of the league stage of the 2023 Indian Premier League (IPL), several sensational innings are fresh in our memory.

Yashasvi Jaiswal recently hammered the fastest fifty in IPL history (13 balls) against the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and is currently second on the Orange Cap list. Earlier in the season, the young left-hander smashed a splendid century against the Mumbai Indians (MI).

Other notable batters, including Faf du Plessis, Suryakumar Yadav, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli and Devon Conway, have plundered runs this season. However, there are a select few who have essayed a solitary innings of note while having failed in most or all of their other league matches.

Here are three superstar batters who have played only one notable knock so far in IPL 2023.

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#3 KL Rahul - Lucknow Super Giants

KL Rahul's campaign was cut short by an unfortunate injury

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) skipper KL Rahul saw his IPL 2023 campaign cut short by an unfortunate thigh injury. He suffered the injury in a contest against the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) on May 1, with Krunal Pandya taking over the reins.

Even while he was participating in the league, Rahul was enduring a terrible individual season. He played several knocks that hurt the Super Giants, with his lack of intent putting pressure on the batters around him. In nine matches, the 31-year-old amassed 274 runs at an average of 34.25 and a terrible strike rate of 113.22.

One knock stood out, however, even as it ended in a defeat. Not his 68 against the Gujarat Titans (GT), which practically lost LSG the game after he refused to accelerate when the chase was in the bag, but his 74 against the Punjab Kings (PBKS).

On a very difficult pitch to bat, Rahul made his team's highest score in an innings where the next-best contribution was opening partner Kyle Mayers' 29. Including Rahul and Mayers, only four batters crossed the 15-run mark.

LSG lost that game as well, though. Rahul made some bizarre tactical decisions in the second innings as Sikandar Raza's all-round show ensured PBKS got over the line in the final over.

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#2 Harry Brook - SunRisers Hyderabad

Pakistan v England - ICC Men's T20 World Cup: Final

The SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) invested heavily in Harry Brook at the IPL 2023 auction, but their faith in him hasn't been repaid at all.

The Englishman has been one of their worst performers this season with 163 runs in nine innings at an average of 20.38 and a strike rate of 121.64. His game against spin has been his biggest shortcoming and he has also looked vulnerable while facing pace in the powerplay.

100 of those 163 runs came in a single innings for Brook, who hammered an unbeaten century against KKR to instigate hopes of a return to form. He struck 12 fours and three sixes in his knock as SRH won a high-scoring game by 23 runs.

After that, though, Brook made scores of 9, 18, 7, 0, and 0 to lose his place in the Hyderabad side.

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#1 Rohit Sharma - Mumbai Indians

Mumbai Indians skipper Rohit Sharma is enduring a terrible individual campaign

What could possibly be the reason for Rohit Sharma's constant failures in the IPL? He has all the shots in the book and always seems like he's due a big knock, but just hasn't been able to strike the right formula to succeed in the league.

In IPL 2023, Rohit has managed just 220 runs at an average of 18.33 and a strike rate of 128.65. The ace batter, who notched up five single-digit scores in a row before his recent 29-run knock against GT, hasn't been able to give MI consistent starts in the powerplay.

However, Rohit did play one innings that fetched him the Player of the Match award. Against the Delhi Capitals (DC), the opening batter made 65 off 45 as MI got over the line off the final ball while chasing 173. He hit six fours and four sixes in his calming knock.