IPL 2018: 5 players who surprised us with their performance

The 2018 edition of the Indian Premier League is nearing the business end of the tournament. With the playoffs coming close, the race to make it is getting intense. For the fans, this has only translated into some more spectacular games at their disposal. Also, some of the players have come up with individual brilliance to make a mark for their sides in the recent week of the IPL 2018. While the men in form and the big names have always been expected to call the shots, the way some other young guns have stepped to the occasion is unbelievable. They have not only bolstered the spirits of their respective sides but also made a serious name for themselves in the contest. As the season is about to come to an end, they have ensured that they are no longer just making the numbers. Here we try to pick five such players who stunned the cricket world with their performances in the fifth week of the IPL. These players might not have ended up winning the Player of the Match awards or might have not even ended on the winning side, but they did leave an imprint on the game, and on the minds of the fans. Here are the five players who surprised us with their performance: 1. Jos Buttler – Rajasthan Royals Rajasthan Royals’ Jos Buttler in action. (Photo by Surjeet Yadav/IANS) Jos Buttler has been in a phenomenal striking form in the last couple of weeks. When the tournament had reached the half way stage, many believed that Buttler had been underperforming. But the wicketkeeper batsman has shut all critics ever since he has got his promotion in the top order. In the last week or so, he has displayed exceptional hitting form in the powerplays. His four consecutive fifties has certainly surprised many. A lot of people feel that aggressive batting and consistency do not go hand in hand. But Jos Buttler has proven them wrong in the previous week with scores of 82 and 95*. 2. Rishabh Pant – Delhi Daredevils Delhi Daredevil’s Rishabh Pant celebrates his century. (Photo by Surjeet Yadav/IANS) Much like Jos Buttler, even Rishabh Pant is a hard hitting batsman who believes in giving full monty to the bowlers. Pant continued his blitzkrieg in the previous week. A lot of critics felt that the youngster would end up losing his consistency in his attempt to score runs briskly for a faltering Delhi Daredevils outfit. While the fortunes of the Delhi Daredevils did not change in the previous week, the form of Rishabh Pant continued to be on the successful note. He scored a whirlwind ton against the Sunrisers Hyderabad. He became the second youngest centurion in the history of the IPL with his unbeaten 128 off 63 deliveries against SRH. 3. Sreevats Goswami – Sunrisers Hyderabad Sunrisers Hyderabad’s Shreevats Goswami. (Photo by Surjeet Yadav/IANS) Sreevats Goswami is not a new name for the followers of the Indian domestic cricket. Goswami has been around for almost a decade in the Indian circuit now. The wicketkeeper batsman got his first opportunity to play in the tournament this season in the game against the Delhi Daredevils. He did not get a chance to bat but Goswami certainly impressed with his wicketkeeping skills. He inflicted a very smart run out to dismiss Shreyas Iyer in the game. Later, he also assisted another run out to see Harshal Patel head back to the pavilion. To the same list, add a spectacular low catch off the outside edge of Jason Roy that summed up his outing in the game. 4. Ben Cutting – Mumbai Indians Mumbai Indians’ Ben Cutting in action. (Photo by Kuntal Chakrabarty/IANS) Ben Cutting has been regularly a part of the Mumbai Indians playing eleven in the previous couple of weeks. He replaced Kieron Pollard in the playing eleven for the match. A lot of people were surprised to see Cutting being underused in a few games. Cutting has come really good for the MI camp and in the last game against the Kolkata Knight Riders, he surprised a lot of people with his six hitting ability. He hit three maximums during his 9 ball stay at the crease. He is certainly due for a promotion in the batting order in the days to come. 5. K Gowtham – Rajasthan Royals Krishnappa Gowtham of RR plays a shot. (Photo Source: Twitter) Karnataka all-rounder K Gowtham has waited a long time for his due share of chances in the IPL. After being benched for the entire season last year in the Mumbai Indians dugout, Gowtham finally got his chance to be in the limelight this year for the Rajasthan Royals. Gowtham has been in a spectacular form with both bat and the ball. Playing against the Kings in the previous, he dismissed Chris Gayle and R Ashwin in the same over to stun the Kings XI Punjab. Also, in his most recent appearance against the Chennai Super Kings, he changed the course of the run chase for his side in just 4 deliveries. He packed two of those deliveries for maximums to pretty much seal the fate for his team. For the latest cricket news, follow CricTracker.

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IPL 2018: 5 players who surprised us with their performance

Here is a look at five surprises of the fifth week of the IPL 2018.

5. K Gowtham – Rajasthan Royals

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