IPL 2023: Flop XI from second week

The second week of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 ended with the clash between Punjab Kings (PBKS) and Gujarat Titans (GT) at the Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) Stadium on April 13. At their home venue, PBKS were handed a six-wicket defeat by Hardik Pandya and his men. In week two of the tournament, IPL fans witnessed some exciting last-over thrillers that had them holding on to the edge of their seats. The amazing knocks from Rinku Singh and Nicholas Pooran strengthened their image as batters not just in the league but also in the entire cricketing circle. On one side, these players grabbed headlines for their sensational performances while on the other, there were also a few names that couldn't deliver desired numbers to their respective teams. In the upcoming matches, their franchises will expect them to be outstanding in their roles. Talking more about it, here is the flop XI from the second week of the IPL 2023: 1. KL Rahul C & WK (Lucknow Super Giants) KL Rahul. (Photo Source: BCCI/IPL) Lucknow Super Giants have performed exceptionally in the tournament so far. With three wins in four games, they are second on the IPL 2023 points table. With things going in LSG’s favour, one can hardly raise a finger at KL Rahul’s captaincy. However, he is under fierce criticism due to his dismal form with the willow. With only 81 runs in four games at a below-par strike rate of 100.00, he is lacking his indomitable spirit against bowlers. As an opener, he has failed to support his partner Kyle Mayers, who has played a couple of impactful knocks for the team. In the first game of the competition, Rahul went back to the pavilion after scoring only eight runs. After that failure, he is struggling to amass runs swiftly. While chasing the colossal total of 218 against Chennai Super Kings (CSK), his sluggish innings of 20 runs off 18 deliveries arguably cost the team the match by 12 runs. In the second week, nothing changed as the wicketkeeper-batter again failed to turn up against bowlers, scoring 35 (31) and 20 (18) against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) respectively. 2. Prithvi Shaw (Delhi Capitals) Prithvi Shaw. (Photo Source: Twitter) Prithvi Shaw’s poor form has emerged as a concern for Delhi capitals (DC). Playing four games in the tournament, he has remained quiet with his bat. In his team’s opening game, his contribution was crucial to start the campaign with a victory. While chasing the huge target of 194, he got dismissed on 12. Thus far, Shaw has piled up only 34 runs in four matches at an unhealthy strike rate of 125.92. In the second week of the marquee event, he faced the dangerous-looking Trent Boult against Rajasthan Royals (RR). Utilising his experience and skills, the Kiwi bowler outclassed the batter and got him caught for a duck at the hands of the wicket-keeper Sanju Samson. Against Mumbai Indians (MI), he played a few strokes with his bat but failed to capitalise on the start to produce a huge knock. His consistent failures are causing damage to the chance of Capitals of making it to the playoffs. In the upcoming games, the 23-year-old will look to improve his efforts. 3. Cameron Green (Mumbai Indians) Cameron green. (Photo Source: BCCI/IPL) Cameron Green hasn’t done anything special for Mumbai Indians (MI) so far. He was the second-most expensive player at the 2023 IPL auction with INR 17.5 crore. However, going through his numbers in batting and bowling departments, it could be said that the Aussie hasn’t justified his hefty amount. With the bat, he has scored only 34 runs in three games. In the first two matches, he batted at number three but couldn’t be impactful. Appearing in his debut match against Royal Challengers Bangalore at M Chinnaswamy Stadium, he threw his wicket after scoring only five runs. MI fans witnessed his inefficiency in the second game against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) as well. This time, Ravindra Jadeja grabbed a stunner and showed him the way to the pavilion. Talking about his bowling performance, he has taken only one scalp at a disheartening economy of 10.00. 4. Harry Brook (Sunrisers Hyderabad) Harry Brook. (Photo Source: BCCI/IPL) Noting Harry Brook’s superb show in international cricket, Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) signed him for a whopping sum of INR 13.25 crore at the 2023 mini-auction. However, his performance wasn’t up to the mark till the second week of the tournament. In the first three games of the competition, his 29 runs off three games tarnished his image of being a ferocious batter. In his debut IPL game, Sunrisers were in pursuit of a colossal total of 204 against Rajasthan Royals (RR). With the fall of two early wickets, his responsibility was to show his fierce batting side, but instead of doing that, he got defensive and created pressure on himself. Taking advantage of his timid approach, Yuzvendra Chahal trapped him on 13 (21). Aiden Markram, the skipper of Sunrisers, joined the squad against Lucknow Super Giants. With the Proteas' availability, Brook moved to number five but couldn't deliver his best in the new position too. Against Punjab Kings (PBKS), his team promoted him as an opener but the 24-year-old failed in the new role yet again. 5. Hardik Pandya (Gujarat Titans) Hardik Pandya. (Photo Source: Twitter) Gujarat Titans (GT) are performing brilliantly in their second season too. Players such as Shubman Gill, Rashid Khan, and Vijay Shankar have showcased their mettle and helped the team to claim three triumphs comfortably out of four matches. However, in such a positive atmosphere, the skipper Hardik Pandya’s poor numbers are arguably getting unnoticed. Pandya, who led from the front in the 2022 season, has failed to produce quality knocks from his bat. With only 21 runs in three contests at an extremely poor strike rate of 80.75, he has failed to create any impact for his team. In 2022, he ended up as the leading run-scorer for his team with 487 runs with four fifties in 15 matches. Banking on his reputation as an attacking batter, the defending champions will expect him to deliver match-winning innings in the upcoming games. The veteran has been below par with the ball too as he has bowled only six overs in three matches and failed to scalp any wickets. 6. Ambati Rayudu (Chennai Super Kings) Ambati Rayudu (Photo Source : Twitter) The right-handed batter Ambati Rayudu is a vital cog in Chennai Super Kings' (CSK) set-up as the veteran adds strength to the team with his middle-order batting. In their previous two title victories (2018 and 2021), Rayudu played a huge role with his vast experience and sensational batting skills. This year, the CSK stalwart has failed to dominate the rivals, scoring only 60 runs in four matches at a strike rate of 136.36. In the first game, he struggled against bowlers and scored 12 runs off 12 balls. The 37-year-old exuded confidence with his bat in the second match against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), with his 27-run knock off just 14 deliveries. However, he failed to carry the momentum forward against RR. During the crisis situation against Rajasthan, he contributed only one run to his team and perished. 7. Andre Russell (Kolkata Knight Riders) Andre Russell (Photo Source : Twitter/IPL) Andre Russell is known for his magnificent all round talent. In his 11-year-long IPL career, the Windies player has delivered numerous match-winning performances to his team. Rewarding the veteran for his top-notch services, KKR has retained him every year since his association with the franchise. In KKR’s IPL 2023 squad, his experience and talent will play an essential part to take the team to the playoffs. Counting on his impressive record as a finisher, the team has given him the task to reinforce its batting line-up in the lower middle order, but the dashing player hasn’t lived up to the expectations. In his first IPL 2023 match, he played some superb strokes and notched up 35 runs off just 19 deliveries. The team management was looking for some more decent knocks in the games lying ahead but the 34-year-old found himself under pressure in the next two matches and gave his wicket cheaply - 0 and 1 against RCB and GT respectively. 8. Jason Holder (Rajasthan Royals) Jason holder. (Photo Source: BCCI/IPL) This season, Rajasthan Royals (RR) have carried forward their last year’s excellent form. With three wins and a loss in four matches, the 2008 IPL champions are sitting on the top of the points table. Against Chennai Super Kings (CSK), they clinched their third victory in this year’s tournament. The performances of Sandeep, Jos Buttler, and Yuzvendra Chahal have brought joy to the faces of the team’s supporters but on the other side, Jason Holder’s disastrous all round figures are raising eyebrows. The former West Indies captain is an important part of RR’s pace battery but the veteran hasn’t been effective. Despite starting well in the competition against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and Punjab Kings (PBKS), it’s becoming difficult for him to remain among wickets. In the matches against Delhi Capitals (DC) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK), the batters dominated him and plundered runs in his spell. Currently, he has only three wickets in four matches in the ongoing season at a terrible economy of 8.46. 9. Kuldeep Yadav (Delhi Capitals) Kuldeep Yadav (Photo Source: Dc/Twitter) Kuldeep Yadav is one of the most dangerous spinners in the league. With his left-arm wrist spin, he has the ability to hunt batters easily. In his debut season for Capitals, last year, he attracted the attention of the fans with his mind-boggling performances. This season, he looks to be failing to trouble batters with his inconsistent bowling. Along with Axar Patel, his job is to power the spin attack of the team but Kuldeep has lacked sharpness. Kuldeep, who is known for delivering wicket-taking and economical spells, has been unsuccessful in creating pressure with his mediocre bowling. Till now, the 28-year-old has taken only two wickets in four matches at an economy of 8.23. After four out of four defeats, Capitals are walking on thin ice but their fans are still hopeful that they will show their best in the upcoming matches. However, Kuldeep’s ineffectiveness might ruin DC’s chances to secure their berth for the Playoffs. 10. Avesh Khan (Lucknow Super Giants) Avesh Khan (Photo Source; IPl/Twitter) Currently, Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) supporters are over the moon due to their team’s excellent performance in the first four games. In their previous match against Royal Challengers Bangalore, they snatched a victory from the jaws of defeat, riding on Nicholas Pooran’s unprecedented 62 off 19. However, the team management will look to improve its bowling unit which is lacking consistency. Avesh Khan, who solidifies the team’s pace battery with his medium-fast bowling, has become an easy pick for batters. In his team’s opening contest against Delhi Capitals (DC), he supported Mark Wood by claiming 2/29 in four overs but after that game, his bowling numbers got worse. Against Chennai Super Kings (CSK), he got one wicket but gave 39 runs in his three overs. The team management didn’t include him in the playing XI against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) due to an injury. In the big game against RCB, he returned to the squad but this time too, he became a favourite target for batters. 11. Yash Dayal (Gujarat Titans) Yash Dayal. (Photo Source: BCCI/IPL) For the left-arm medium pacer Yash Dayal, week two of the league was no less than a nightmare as he got ripped apart by KKR’s Rinku Singh while defending 29 runs in the last over of the match. Considering his 4.0-0-69-0 spell, Gujarat Titans (GT) dropped him from their playing XI against Punjab Kings (PBKS). This wasn’t the first time Dayal disappointed GT supporters with his below-par bowling. Earlier, in his IPL 2023 opening game against Chennai Super Kings (CSK), he bowled only one over and in that too, he gave away 14 runs. Despite bagging poor numbers in the first match, the captain and management didn’t lose faith in the pacer and kept him in the playing XI against Delhi Capitals (DC). This time too, he bowled only one over and splurged 12 runs without bagging any wickets. Against KKR, he completed his spell and emerged as the weakest point of GT's bowling attack. His horrendous bowling figures also spoiled the good work of Rashid Khan, who clinched a hat-trick in the contest.

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IPL 2023: Flop XI from second week

These players failed to turn up against their rivals in week two of the ongoing competition.

6. Ambati Rayudu (Chennai Super Kings)

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