IPL 2018: 5 players who surprised us with their performance

The 2018 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) has not been short on entertainment at all. Almost every game has gone down to the wire and it is safe to comment that this season has been the most entertaining one thus far in the history of the tournament. The key reason for this excitement and thrill in the season this year has been the unpredictability. This unpredictability has come from the players who have come out of nowhere to stun the fans with their blitz and brilliance. As the tournament is nearing the business, the impact of such whirlwind performances is managing to have deeper imprints on the points table. In the recent days, some players have emerged from the shadows to show their mettle in the season. And now, the fans are eagerly looking up to them for more such performances. There have been some veteran names like Shane Watson and Ambati Rayudu who have been exceptional with their performance. Also, young names like Shreyas Iyer and Prithvi Shaw have started to pick form just at the right time. It will be interesting to see if these superstars and the superstars in the making can back their performances with better shows in the days to come. It will only be good for the IPL if they replicate their heroics and do not end up being one match wonders. Here we pick five such special performances by unlikely heroes on those particular days who surprised the fans with their efforts. Here is a look at 5 players who surprised us with their performance: Jos Buttler – Rajasthan Royals Jos Buttler plays a shot. (Photo Source: Twitter) When the chips are down, the best in the business start to show the fighting spirit. The Rajasthan Royals are largely down and out of the competition this year. They have failed to strike consistency, and it is worrying concern for them. Recently, in the game against the Delhi Daredevils, all odds were against them. Chasing 151 in 12 overs looked like an improbable task. The Royals decided to let Jos Buttler, a player who had been out of form this season, open the innings. Buttler grabbed the opportunity with both hands and sprung a surprise with his herculean effort. He hit an 18-ball fifty and ended up with a score of 67 off 26 deliveries to his name. He hit four boundaries and 7 sixes in the match and almost had his side over the line in the match. Shubman Gill – Kolkata Knight Riders Shubman Gill plays a shot. (Photo Source: Twitter) Shubman Gill is hailed as the ‘Bradman of U19 cricket’. The U19 World Cup hero of team India found a place in the Kolkata Knight Riders roster this season. He did not make it to the starting eleven straightaway, but found a place in the side after a few games. He batted in the lower middle order and looked largely uncomfortable. Many wrote him off and believed he was not ready to rub shoulders with the big boys. But recently, in the game against the Chennai Super Kings, Gill was promoted to number four slot. He played an anchoring knock in the run chase of 178. He scored an unbeaten 57 off just 36 deliveries with 6 fours and 2 sixes. CSK had prepared for Andre Russell and Chris Lynn, and as the cliched joke goes, Shubman Gill came out of syllabus for them. Vijay Shankar – Delhi Daredevils Vijay Shankar plays a shot. (Photo Source: Twitter) Ever since his troubled outing in the Indian outfit in the Nidahas Trophy this year, Vijay Shankar has been in the firing range of the critics. Many felt that the Tamil Nadu all-rounder is incapable of hitting lusty blows with the bat. His form in the first few games only strengthened this proposition. In the match against the Chennai Super Kings, he had a sluggish start and many wrote him off yet again. Vijay Shankar ended up surprising everyone by striking big in the final overs to take his side close to a win. He smashed an unbeaten 54 off just 31 deliveries with a solitary boundary and 5 sixes to his name. He backed up his performance with another cameo in the match against the Rajasthan Royals. He hit a timely 6-ball 17 to end things on a high for his side in the match. Krunal Pandya – Mumbai Indians Mumbai Indians’ Krunal Pandya during an IPL 2018 match. (Photo: IANS) Krunal Pandya arrived in the IPL 2018 riding on a big reputation. He was a star performer for the Mumbai Indians last season and was expected to play a similar role this year as well. Pandya did not have best of the starts this season and that was seen from the end results that his side endured. However, whenever Pandya clicked in either of the departments, he managed to win games for his side. Recently, he smashed an unbeaten 31 off 12 deliveries out of nowhere to stun the Kings XI Punjab in Indore. Earlier in the season, he come up with brilliant bowling numbers of 3/28 against the Royal Challengers Bangalore. Another good bowling performance that surprised the opposition was against the Chennai Super Kings, when his efforts of 2/32 kept CSK at bay. Rishabh Pant – Delhi Daredevils Rishabh Pant plays a shot. (Photo Source: Twitter) Rishabh Pant has been in a phenomenal hitting form this season. He is known as a hard hitting batsman but has always struggled to strike consistency with the bat. This season, he has surprised the fans with his consistency. It is not an everyday story to see a hitter score runs with consistency. With hitting comes the risk but Pant seems to have mastered it. He is currently the Orange Cap holder in the season. After a string of decent starts in the season, Pant’s brilliance was seen in the game against Royal Challengers Bangalore when he hit 85. Recently, he smashed 79 against Chennai Super Kings to almost chase down 211. He backed it up with 69 off just 27 balls against the Rajasthan Royals. In the process, he also hit his fastest IPL fifty – in just 23 balls. 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IPL 2018: 5 players who surprised us with their performance

It will be interesting to see if these superstars and the superstars in the making can back their performances with better shows in the days to come.

Vijay Shankar – Delhi Daredevils

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