IPL 6: Player of the week - Week 2

NOTE: All facts and figures accurate upto 14th April, 2013.

After 18 games having been played so far, the IPL has well and truly come alive. If Week 1 was all about the bowlers, Week 2 definitely belonged to the batsmen. With some huge team and individual scores being made this week, the batsmen came out well on top, while the bowlers had a torrid time dealing with them. So, without further ado, here are the nominees for the Player of the Week for week 2 of the IPL.

Virat Kohli (Royal Challengers Bangalore)

Virat Kohli has been in the news for reasons both good and bad, this week. Having made headlines for the heated on-field confrontation with Delhi teammate Gautam Gambhir, he was criticised for his ‘aggression’ and ‘immaturity’ by sections of the media. However, with the bat in his hand, Kohli proved on more than one occasion why he is rated so highly in world cricket. He started the week off by scoring an almost inhuman 93 not out off just 47 deliveries against the usually stingy Sunrisers Hyderabad bowling attack to pull off a comprehensive victory. In addition, he scored a quick-fire 35 against KKR and a blitzkrieg 58 against CSK. Had it not been for the last-ball drama against CSK, RCB would have won all the three games they would have played. Despite the minor setback, RCB find themselves second in the table under his captaincy. If Kohli continues in the same vein for the remainder of the tournament, this year’s trophy could very well be headed to the city of Bangalore.

Chris Gayle (Royal Challengers Bangalore)

This man is just unstoppable. He continues to be one of the best players of the tournament, week after week. And this week was no different. Such is the aura of Chris Gayle, that despite not performing close to his best, he still manages to single-handedly win matches when the situation demands it. Although he did not score as many runs as he would have liked this week, his unbeaten innings of 85 off just 50 deliveries, with as many as 9 towering sixes against the Kolkata Knight Riders, took away any hopes of a victory for the Gautam Gambhir-led side. Such is the talent he possesses that even a score of 154 seems minuscule once he gets going. As usual, much is expected from this giant West Indian, and it doesn’t look like he’ll disappoint.

Siddhath Trivedi (Rajasthan Royals)

The only bowler on our list this week, Siddharth Trivedi has come to the fore this season, picking up key wickets and becoming an indispensable part of the Royals’ already formidable bowling line-up. His tight spells against KKR (3-23), where he picked up the prized wickets of Gautam Gambhir and Manoj Tiwary, and against KXIP (2-21), where he dismissed the explosive duo of David Hussey and Gurkeerat Singh, only underline his importance as an important strike bowler. In the three games he played this week, his bowling figured read 12-0-75-5; an impressive average of 15 and an exceptional economy rate of 6.25. Rajasthan Royals may not be the best team on paper, but with bowlers like Trivedi and Cooper performing the way they are, they might just spring a surprise or two this season.

Rohit Sharma (Mumbai Indians)

This has been quite a week for the Mumbai Indians. They find themselves at the top of the standings after having comprehensively routed both their opponents for the week – Delhi Daredevils and Pune Warriors. And they have two men to thank for their imperious form so far. One of these gentlemen is the much-maligned Rohit Sharma, who has shown that he still has the potential and the temperament to perform on the big stage. With two unbeaten half-centuries – 74 runs off 50 deliveries and 62 runs off 32 deliveries – Sharma has announced his presence and given the Mumbai Indians’ campaign a shot in the arm. What is notable about both these innings is the ease with which the 25-year-old took on both spin and seam, using technique rather than power to his advantage. Is this the return of Rohit Sharma or is he flattering to deceive? Only time will tell. But for now, he looks invincible.

Dinesh Karthik (Mumbai Indians)

As if Rohit Sharma wasn’t enough to deal with for the opposition, enter Dinesh Karthik. The 27-year-old wicketkeeper was the perfect foil to Rohit Sharma, mercilessly badgering the hapless opposition bowlers in both the MI matches. His 86 off 48 balls deflated the Delhi Daredevils and set up a grand platform for Sharma to accelerate and reach an imposing total of 209. And if that wasn’t enough, his quick-fire 41 off 29 once again ensured that Sharma had a platform to score as freely as he did. If this duo continues to play the way they are, very few teams will able to withstand the assault. Exciting times ahead.

Special mention: Ravindra Jadeja (Chennai Super Kings)

‘ Only Sir Jadeja can get out and win the match’, was a viral joke that was doing round on social networking websites. But despite all the jokes and taunts about his supposedly inflated price tag, ‘Sir’ Jadeja has been worth every penny, pulling off a miraculous escape against a very formidable RCB the way only he could have. With his performances versus Australia and in the IPL, he could very well be the X-factor CSK need to bolster their chances of getting their hands on the IPL trophy for the third time. Watch out for this man, although I’m sure you didn’t need to be told that!