The league stage of the eleventh edition of the <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/category/t20/ipl-indian-premier-league/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Indian Premier League</a> (IPL) is nearing its end. The race to make it to the last four at this time is intense as always. While the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have qualified for the playoffs and Delhi Daredevils (DD) have been eliminated, the rest of the five teams are in the fray for the two remaining slots in the playoffs.

Among those players who have been doing great for their respective teams in IPL 2018 are also the wicket-keeper batsmen of some teams. While some of them are regular and accomplished as gloveman with a great batting prowess, there are also others who are mainly batsmen who are carrying out the dual duty of keeping the wickets to give flexibility to their team.

Here we take a look at all the wicket-keeper batsmen who have put up a great show in this IPL

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-251642" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/KL-Rahul-3.jpg" alt="KL Rahul" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-251642" class="wp-caption-text">Lokesh Rahul of Kings XI Punjab in action. (Photo by IANS)</figcaption>

Even though the KXIP have slipped in the later stages of the tournament to find themselves in a hole, K L Rahul, 26, has been in a prime form. He has been a prolific scorer this season and is currently ranked second in the scorers’ list with 558 runs from 12 games with five fifties. He averages 55.80 and has a strike rate of 161.73 with the highest score of 95 not out.

He has also taken eight catches and effected one stumping this season, taking his stumping tally to 10 in three IPLs. The Kings will be looking up to this talented player from Bengaluru, who has also done well for India’s national team, to deliver in the remaining two games to take them to the playoffs, something they have done worst in comparison to any other team.

Rishabh Pant (Delhi Daredevils)

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-250873" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Rishabh-Pant-7.jpg" alt="Rishabh Pant" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-250873" class="wp-caption-text">Delhi Daredevils&#8217; Rishabh Pant in action. (Photo: Surjeet Yadav/IANS)</figcaption>

Rishabh Pant has been a sensation this season although his team never looked capable of making it to the playoffs. It’s just the third IPL for Pant but he has shown his class, slamming 582 runs in 12 matches to go right to the top of the batters’ list.

A local lad who was among the few who were retained by DD for the 2018 season, Pant hit an unbeaten 128 off 63 balls against SRH – known to have the best bowling attack in IPL 2018 – besides a series of high scores. The 20-year-old, who hit the second fastest ton in the T20 format as an Indian batsman in January this year, averages 52.90 and has a phenomenal strike rate of 179.62 in this IPL.

He has also hit four fifties and totalled 31sixes so far. Pant has also done one stumping this year besides taking four catches. But it is his out-of-the-world batting that has won him more fans.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni (Chennai Super Kings)

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-248271" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/MS-Dhoni-4.jpg" alt="MS Dhoni" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-248271" class="wp-caption-text">Chennai Super Kings captain MS Dhoni. (Photo by IANS)</figcaption>

When it is about T20 cricket or more specifically IPL, the evergreen MS Dhoni is never away from the party. The veteran, who returned as the captain of the CSK which made a comeback after two years of suspension, has been in a magnificent form after a temporary dip in the middle seasons.

Dhoni has scored 413 runs this season at an incredible average of 103.25 and strike rate of 162.59 besides taking six catches and effecting two stumpings. Given the fact that the 36-year-old World Cup-winning captain is not getting any younger and is also not in his best of form in international cricket, this turnaround is phenomenal.

Dhoni is ranked ninth in the scorers’ list this IPL and looks set to better his past records (his highest run tally of 461 from 18 matches came in 2013 and he will easily break it this year). <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/ms-dhoni-harbhajan-singh-attend-gracia-rainas-second-birthday-celebration/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Dhoni</a> has also hit 29 sixes in IPL11, four more than his previous best. And he did all this even while taking the CSK to the playoffs with a 100 percent record.

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-251317" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Jos-Buttler-of-RR.jpg" alt="Jos Buttler" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-251317" class="wp-caption-text">Rajasthan Royals&#8217; Jos Buttler celebrates his half-century. (Photo by Surjeet Yadav/IANS)</figcaption>

A late surge by the English player saw Rajasthan Royals dashing towards the playoffs till the other night when they lost against KKR. But Buttler was looking ominous in that game too but couldn’t sustain his run to turn the potential into an RR win.

The 27-year-old wicket-keeper-batsman from Somerset hit five consecutive fifties before the KKR game, brightening the Royals’ hope for making the playoffs by winning three matches on the trot. Buttler has amassed 548 runs in 13 matches at an average of 54.80 and strike rate of 155.24 with a couple of unbeaten 90-plus innings. He has taken nine catches and effected one stumping. He is ranked third in the scorers’ list of this IPL and did much to make up for the failure of compatriot Ben Stokes – the highest paid player this season. But RR will miss Buttler for the rest of this IPL as he has been called back by his country’s cricket board for national duty.

Dinesh Karthik (Kolkata Knight Riders)

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-250802" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Dinesh-Karthik.jpg" alt="Dinesh Karthik" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-250802" class="wp-caption-text">Kolkata Knight Riders&#8217; Dinesh Karthik in action. (Photo by IANS)</figcaption>

Dinesh Karthik was made the full-fledged captain of the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) this year replacing a successful Gautam Gambhir and although his captaincy came under the scanner on more than one occasion, Karthik has done well with his batting this IPL.

Karthik, 32, has played a leading role in KKR’s batting performance, controlling the game on several occasions as the situation demanded. He is the highest scorer for the golden-purple men with 412 runs in 13 matches (average 51.50 and with the strike rate of 152.59 which are by far his best in all IPLs since 2008), trailing Dhoni by just one run.

Karthik, one of those players who has been in the reckoning for national duty for a long time despite not being a regular Team India member, has also made three stumpings and took 11 catches behind the wickets.

The KKR have come back into the race for the playoffs by winning two crucial back-to-back matches and that creates more opportunity for Karthik to excel further as a player and improve as a skipper.

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-249868" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Ishan-Kishan-shot.jpg" alt="Ishan Kishan" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-249868" class="wp-caption-text">Ishan Kishan of Mumbai Indians in action. (Photo by Kuntal Chakrabarty/IANS)</figcaption>

Nineteen-year-old Ishan Kishan, who captained India in the U-19 World Cup in Bangladesh where they ended as the runners-up, has been carrying out the duty of the wicketkeeper-batsman well in this IPL for the Mumbai Indians.

Kishan’s big-hitting ability allows the MI that much more flexibility in their batting line-up and Kishan has scored 250 runs in 12 games this season at an average of 25 and strike rate of 157.23. He has scored a couple of the fifties with the highest score of 62 against the KKR in a match which MI won by a whopping 102 runs. Kishan has also affected two stumpings besides taking eight catches.

Quinton de Kock &amp; Parthiv Patel (Royal Challengers Bangalore)

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-246916" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Quinton-de-Kock-RCB.jpg" alt="Quinton de Kock RCB" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-246916" class="wp-caption-text">Quinton de Kock. (Photo Source: Twitter)</figcaption>

The RCB started the season with South African Quinton de Kock who later flew home, paving way for Parthiv Patel to keep wickets. However, none of the two has done anything extraordinary this year to catch the eyes.

While de Kock scored 201 runs in eight matches with one fifty at an average of 25.12 and strike rate of 124.07 (which is quite dull compared to his 2016 performance), Patel scored 119 runs in four games at an average of 39.66 and strike rate of 141.66 also with one fifty. Incidentally, both the RCB keepers’ highest scores of 53 came against CSK.

While de Kock took seven catches and effected three stumpings, Patel took two catches but doesn’t have any stumpings yet.

Wriddhiman Saha (Sunrisers Hyderabad)

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-239285" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Wriddhiman-Saha.jpg" alt="Wriddhiman Saha" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-239285" class="wp-caption-text">Wriddhiman Saha of SRH. (Photo Source: Twitter)</figcaption>

Wriddhiman Saha, one of India’s finest wicket-keepers at the moment, is having a forgettable IPL this year although his team is doing exceedingly well. After a stretch of good seasons, Saha did disastrously as a batsman this year, managing just 87 runs in 10 outings at an average of 12.42 and strike rate of 116. His highest score this year has been 24 and he has taken 10 catches and made two stumpings behind the wickets. Saha also had his injury problems and was replaced by another Bengal player Shreevats Goswami in the next two games.

Stay updated on &#8216;<a href="https://www.crictracker.com/cricket-news/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">today&#8217;s cricket news</a>&#8216; with <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CricTracker.com.</a>

MS Dhoni giving some invaluable tips to Ishan Kishan

The league stage of the eleventh edition of the <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/category/t20/ipl-indian-premier-league/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Indian Premier League</a> (IPL) is nearing its end. The race to make it to the last four at this time is intense as always. While the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have qualified for the playoffs and Delhi Daredevils (DD) have been eliminated, the rest of the five teams are in the fray for the two remaining slots in the playoffs.
Among those players who have been doing great for their respective teams in IPL 2018 are also the wicket-keeper batsmen of some teams. While some of them are regular and accomplished as gloveman with a great batting prowess, there are also others who are mainly batsmen who are carrying out the dual duty of keeping the wickets to give flexibility to their team.
<h3>Here we take a look at all the wicket-keeper batsmen who have put up a great show in this IPL</h3>
<h3>KL Rahul (Kings XI Punjab)</h3>
<figure id="attachment_251642" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-251642" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-251642" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/KL-Rahul-3.jpg" alt="KL Rahul" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img><figcaption id="caption-attachment-251642" class="wp-caption-text">Lokesh Rahul of Kings XI Punjab in action. (Photo by IANS)</figcaption></figure>
Even though the KXIP have slipped in the later stages of the tournament to find themselves in a hole, K L Rahul, 26, has been in a prime form. He has been a prolific scorer this season and is currently ranked second in the scorers’ list with 558 runs from 12 games with five fifties. He averages 55.80 and has a strike rate of 161.73 with the highest score of 95 not out. 
He has also taken eight catches and effected one stumping this season, taking his stumping tally to 10 in three IPLs. The Kings will be looking up to this talented player from Bengaluru, who has also done well for India’s national team, to deliver in the remaining two games to take them to the playoffs, something they have done worst in comparison to any other team.
<h3>Rishabh Pant (Delhi Daredevils)</h3>
<figure id="attachment_250873" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-250873" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-250873" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Rishabh-Pant-7.jpg" alt="Rishabh Pant" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img><figcaption id="caption-attachment-250873" class="wp-caption-text">Delhi Daredevils’ Rishabh Pant in action. (Photo: Surjeet Yadav/IANS)</figcaption></figure>
Rishabh Pant has been a sensation this season although his team never looked capable of making it to the playoffs. It’s just the third IPL for Pant but he has shown his class, slamming 582 runs in 12 matches to go right to the top of the batters’ list. 
A local lad who was among the few who were retained by DD for the 2018 season, Pant hit an unbeaten 128 off 63 balls against SRH – known to have the best bowling attack in IPL 2018 – besides a series of high scores. The 20-year-old, who hit the second fastest ton in the T20 format as an Indian batsman in January this year, averages 52.90 and has a phenomenal strike rate of 179.62 in this IPL. 
He has also hit four fifties and totalled 31sixes so far. Pant has also done one stumping this year besides taking four catches. But it is his out-of-the-world batting that has won him more fans. 
<h3>Mahendra Singh Dhoni (Chennai Super Kings)</h3>
<figure id="attachment_248271" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-248271" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-248271" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/MS-Dhoni-4.jpg" alt="MS Dhoni" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img><figcaption id="caption-attachment-248271" class="wp-caption-text">Chennai Super Kings captain MS Dhoni. (Photo by IANS)</figcaption></figure>
When it is about T20 cricket or more specifically IPL, the evergreen MS Dhoni is never away from the party. The veteran, who returned as the captain of the CSK which made a comeback after two years of suspension, has been in a magnificent form after a temporary dip in the middle seasons. 
Dhoni has scored 413 runs this season at an incredible average of 103.25 and strike rate of 162.59 besides taking six catches and effecting two stumpings. Given the fact that the 36-year-old World Cup-winning captain is not getting any younger and is also not in his best of form in international cricket, this turnaround is phenomenal. 
Dhoni is ranked ninth in the scorers’ list this IPL and looks set to better his past records (his highest run tally of 461 from 18 matches came in 2013 and he will easily break it this year). <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/ms-dhoni-harbhajan-singh-attend-gracia-rainas-second-birthday-celebration/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Dhoni</a> has also hit 29 sixes in IPL11, four more than his previous best. And he did all this even while taking the CSK to the playoffs with a 100 percent record.
<h3>Jos Buttler (Rajasthan Royals)</h3>
<figure id="attachment_251317" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-251317" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-251317" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Jos-Buttler-of-RR.jpg" alt="Jos Buttler" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img><figcaption id="caption-attachment-251317" class="wp-caption-text">Rajasthan Royals’ Jos Buttler celebrates his half-century. (Photo by Surjeet Yadav/IANS)</figcaption></figure>
A late surge by the English player saw Rajasthan Royals dashing towards the playoffs till the other night when they lost against KKR. But Buttler was looking ominous in that game too but couldn’t sustain his run to turn the potential into an RR win. 
The 27-year-old wicket-keeper-batsman from Somerset hit five consecutive fifties before the KKR game, brightening the Royals’ hope for making the playoffs by winning three matches on the trot. Buttler has amassed 548 runs in 13 matches at an average of 54.80 and strike rate of 155.24 with a couple of unbeaten 90-plus innings. He has taken nine catches and effected one stumping. He is ranked third in the scorers’ list of this IPL and did much to make up for the failure of compatriot Ben Stokes – the highest paid player this season. But RR will miss Buttler for the rest of this IPL as he has been called back by his country’s cricket board for national duty.
<h3>Dinesh Karthik (Kolkata Knight Riders)</h3>
<figure id="attachment_250802" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-250802" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-250802" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Dinesh-Karthik.jpg" alt="Dinesh Karthik" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img><figcaption id="caption-attachment-250802" class="wp-caption-text">Kolkata Knight Riders’ Dinesh Karthik in action. (Photo by IANS)</figcaption></figure>
Dinesh Karthik was made the full-fledged captain of the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) this year replacing a successful Gautam Gambhir and although his captaincy came under the scanner on more than one occasion, Karthik has done well with his batting this IPL. 
Karthik, 32, has played a leading role in KKR’s batting performance, controlling the game on several occasions as the situation demanded. He is the highest scorer for the golden-purple men with 412 runs in 13 matches (average 51.50 and with the strike rate of 152.59 which are by far his best in all IPLs since 2008), trailing Dhoni by just one run. 
Karthik, one of those players who has been in the reckoning for national duty for a long time despite not being a regular Team India member, has also made three stumpings and took 11 catches behind the wickets. 
The KKR have come back into the race for the playoffs by winning two crucial back-to-back matches and that creates more opportunity for Karthik to excel further as a player and improve as a skipper.
<h3>Ishan Kishan (Mumbai Indians)</h3>
<figure id="attachment_249868" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-249868" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-249868" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Ishan-Kishan-shot.jpg" alt="Ishan Kishan" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img><figcaption id="caption-attachment-249868" class="wp-caption-text">Ishan Kishan of Mumbai Indians in action. (Photo by Kuntal Chakrabarty/IANS)</figcaption></figure>
Nineteen-year-old Ishan Kishan, who captained India in the U-19 World Cup in Bangladesh where they ended as the runners-up, has been carrying out the duty of the wicketkeeper-batsman well in this IPL for the Mumbai Indians. 
Kishan’s big-hitting ability allows the MI that much more flexibility in their batting line-up and Kishan has scored 250 runs in 12 games this season at an average of 25 and strike rate of 157.23. He has scored a couple of the fifties with the highest score of 62 against the KKR in a match which MI won by a whopping 102 runs. Kishan has also affected two stumpings besides taking eight catches.
<h3>Quinton de Kock &amp; Parthiv Patel (Royal Challengers Bangalore)</h3>
<figure id="attachment_246916" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-246916" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-246916" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Quinton-de-Kock-RCB.jpg" alt="Quinton de Kock RCB" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img><figcaption id="caption-attachment-246916" class="wp-caption-text">Quinton de Kock. (Photo Source: Twitter)</figcaption></figure>
The RCB started the season with South African Quinton de Kock who later flew home, paving way for Parthiv Patel to keep wickets. However, none of the two has done anything extraordinary this year to catch the eyes. 
While de Kock scored 201 runs in eight matches with one fifty at an average of 25.12 and strike rate of 124.07 (which is quite dull compared to his 2016 performance), Patel scored 119 runs in four games at an average of 39.66 and strike rate of 141.66 also with one fifty. Incidentally, both the RCB keepers’ highest scores of 53 came against CSK.
While de Kock took seven catches and effected three stumpings, Patel took two catches but doesn’t have any stumpings yet.
<h3>Wriddhiman Saha (Sunrisers Hyderabad)</h3>
<figure id="attachment_239285" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-239285" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-239285" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Wriddhiman-Saha.jpg" alt="Wriddhiman Saha" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img><figcaption id="caption-attachment-239285" class="wp-caption-text">Wriddhiman Saha of SRH. (Photo Source: Twitter)</figcaption></figure>
Wriddhiman Saha, one of India’s finest wicket-keepers at the moment, is having a forgettable IPL this year although his team is doing exceedingly well. After a stretch of good seasons, Saha did disastrously as a batsman this year, managing just 87 runs in 10 outings at an average of 12.42 and strike rate of 116. His highest score this year has been 24 and he has taken 10 catches and made two stumpings behind the wickets. Saha also had his injury problems and was replaced by another Bengal player Shreevats Goswami in the next two games.
<h4>Stay updated on ‘<a href="https://www.crictracker.com/cricket-news/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">today’s cricket news</a>‘ with <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CricTracker.com.</a></h4>

The league stage of the eleventh edition of the <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/category/t20/ipl-indian-premier-league/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Indian Premier League</a> (IPL) is nearing its end. The race to make it to the last four at this time is intense as always. While the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have qualified for the playoffs and Delhi Daredevils (DD) have been eliminated, the rest of the five teams are in the fray for the two remaining slots in the playoffs.
Among those players who have been doing great for their respective teams in IPL 2018 are also the wicket-keeper batsmen of some teams. While some of them are regular and accomplished as gloveman with a great batting prowess, there are also others who are mainly batsmen who are carrying out the dual duty of keeping the wickets to give flexibility to their team.
<h3>Here we take a look at all the wicket-keeper batsmen who have put up a great show in this IPL</h3>
<h3>KL Rahul (Kings XI Punjab)</h3>
<figure id="attachment_251642" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-251642" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-251642" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/KL-Rahul-3.jpg" alt="KL Rahul" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-251642" class="wp-caption-text">Lokesh Rahul of Kings XI Punjab in action. (Photo by IANS)</figcaption></figure>
Even though the KXIP have slipped in the later stages of the tournament to find themselves in a hole, K L Rahul, 26, has been in a prime form. He has been a prolific scorer this season and is currently ranked second in the scorers’ list with 558 runs from 12 games with five fifties. He averages 55.80 and has a strike rate of 161.73 with the highest score of 95 not out. 
He has also taken eight catches and effected one stumping this season, taking his stumping tally to 10 in three IPLs. The Kings will be looking up to this talented player from Bengaluru, who has also done well for India’s national team, to deliver in the remaining two games to take them to the playoffs, something they have done worst in comparison to any other team.
<h3>Rishabh Pant (Delhi Daredevils)</h3>
<figure id="attachment_250873" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-250873" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-250873" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Rishabh-Pant-7.jpg" alt="Rishabh Pant" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-250873" class="wp-caption-text">Delhi Daredevils&#8217; Rishabh Pant in action. (Photo: Surjeet Yadav/IANS)</figcaption></figure>
Rishabh Pant has been a sensation this season although his team never looked capable of making it to the playoffs. It’s just the third IPL for Pant but he has shown his class, slamming 582 runs in 12 matches to go right to the top of the batters’ list. 
A local lad who was among the few who were retained by DD for the 2018 season, Pant hit an unbeaten 128 off 63 balls against SRH – known to have the best bowling attack in IPL 2018 – besides a series of high scores. The 20-year-old, who hit the second fastest ton in the T20 format as an Indian batsman in January this year, averages 52.90 and has a phenomenal strike rate of 179.62 in this IPL. 
He has also hit four fifties and totalled 31sixes so far. Pant has also done one stumping this year besides taking four catches. But it is his out-of-the-world batting that has won him more fans. 
<h3>Mahendra Singh Dhoni (Chennai Super Kings)</h3>
<figure id="attachment_248271" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-248271" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-248271" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/MS-Dhoni-4.jpg" alt="MS Dhoni" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-248271" class="wp-caption-text">Chennai Super Kings captain MS Dhoni. (Photo by IANS)</figcaption></figure>
When it is about T20 cricket or more specifically IPL, the evergreen MS Dhoni is never away from the party. The veteran, who returned as the captain of the CSK which made a comeback after two years of suspension, has been in a magnificent form after a temporary dip in the middle seasons. 
Dhoni has scored 413 runs this season at an incredible average of 103.25 and strike rate of 162.59 besides taking six catches and effecting two stumpings. Given the fact that the 36-year-old World Cup-winning captain is not getting any younger and is also not in his best of form in international cricket, this turnaround is phenomenal. 
Dhoni is ranked ninth in the scorers’ list this IPL and looks set to better his past records (his highest run tally of 461 from 18 matches came in 2013 and he will easily break it this year). <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/ms-dhoni-harbhajan-singh-attend-gracia-rainas-second-birthday-celebration/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Dhoni</a> has also hit 29 sixes in IPL11, four more than his previous best. And he did all this even while taking the CSK to the playoffs with a 100 percent record.
<h3>Jos Buttler (Rajasthan Royals)</h3>
<figure id="attachment_251317" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-251317" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-251317" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Jos-Buttler-of-RR.jpg" alt="Jos Buttler" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-251317" class="wp-caption-text">Rajasthan Royals&#8217; Jos Buttler celebrates his half-century. (Photo by Surjeet Yadav/IANS)</figcaption></figure>
A late surge by the English player saw Rajasthan Royals dashing towards the playoffs till the other night when they lost against KKR. But Buttler was looking ominous in that game too but couldn’t sustain his run to turn the potential into an RR win. 
The 27-year-old wicket-keeper-batsman from Somerset hit five consecutive fifties before the KKR game, brightening the Royals’ hope for making the playoffs by winning three matches on the trot. Buttler has amassed 548 runs in 13 matches at an average of 54.80 and strike rate of 155.24 with a couple of unbeaten 90-plus innings. He has taken nine catches and effected one stumping. He is ranked third in the scorers’ list of this IPL and did much to make up for the failure of compatriot Ben Stokes – the highest paid player this season. But RR will miss Buttler for the rest of this IPL as he has been called back by his country’s cricket board for national duty.
<h3>Dinesh Karthik (Kolkata Knight Riders)</h3>
<figure id="attachment_250802" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-250802" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-250802" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Dinesh-Karthik.jpg" alt="Dinesh Karthik" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-250802" class="wp-caption-text">Kolkata Knight Riders&#8217; Dinesh Karthik in action. (Photo by IANS)</figcaption></figure>
Dinesh Karthik was made the full-fledged captain of the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) this year replacing a successful Gautam Gambhir and although his captaincy came under the scanner on more than one occasion, Karthik has done well with his batting this IPL. 
Karthik, 32, has played a leading role in KKR’s batting performance, controlling the game on several occasions as the situation demanded. He is the highest scorer for the golden-purple men with 412 runs in 13 matches (average 51.50 and with the strike rate of 152.59 which are by far his best in all IPLs since 2008), trailing Dhoni by just one run. 
Karthik, one of those players who has been in the reckoning for national duty for a long time despite not being a regular Team India member, has also made three stumpings and took 11 catches behind the wickets. 
The KKR have come back into the race for the playoffs by winning two crucial back-to-back matches and that creates more opportunity for Karthik to excel further as a player and improve as a skipper.
<h3>Ishan Kishan (Mumbai Indians)</h3>
<figure id="attachment_249868" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-249868" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-249868" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Ishan-Kishan-shot.jpg" alt="Ishan Kishan" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-249868" class="wp-caption-text">Ishan Kishan of Mumbai Indians in action. (Photo by Kuntal Chakrabarty/IANS)</figcaption></figure>
Nineteen-year-old Ishan Kishan, who captained India in the U-19 World Cup in Bangladesh where they ended as the runners-up, has been carrying out the duty of the wicketkeeper-batsman well in this IPL for the Mumbai Indians. 
Kishan’s big-hitting ability allows the MI that much more flexibility in their batting line-up and Kishan has scored 250 runs in 12 games this season at an average of 25 and strike rate of 157.23. He has scored a couple of the fifties with the highest score of 62 against the KKR in a match which MI won by a whopping 102 runs. Kishan has also affected two stumpings besides taking eight catches.
<h3>Quinton de Kock &amp; Parthiv Patel (Royal Challengers Bangalore)</h3>
<figure id="attachment_246916" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-246916" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-246916" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Quinton-de-Kock-RCB.jpg" alt="Quinton de Kock RCB" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-246916" class="wp-caption-text">Quinton de Kock. (Photo Source: Twitter)</figcaption></figure>
The RCB started the season with South African Quinton de Kock who later flew home, paving way for Parthiv Patel to keep wickets. However, none of the two has done anything extraordinary this year to catch the eyes. 
While de Kock scored 201 runs in eight matches with one fifty at an average of 25.12 and strike rate of 124.07 (which is quite dull compared to his 2016 performance), Patel scored 119 runs in four games at an average of 39.66 and strike rate of 141.66 also with one fifty. Incidentally, both the RCB keepers’ highest scores of 53 came against CSK.
While de Kock took seven catches and effected three stumpings, Patel took two catches but doesn’t have any stumpings yet.
<h3>Wriddhiman Saha (Sunrisers Hyderabad)</h3>
<figure id="attachment_239285" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-239285" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-239285" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Wriddhiman-Saha.jpg" alt="Wriddhiman Saha" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-239285" class="wp-caption-text">Wriddhiman Saha of SRH. (Photo Source: Twitter)</figcaption></figure>
Wriddhiman Saha, one of India’s finest wicket-keepers at the moment, is having a forgettable IPL this year although his team is doing exceedingly well. After a stretch of good seasons, Saha did disastrously as a batsman this year, managing just 87 runs in 10 outings at an average of 12.42 and strike rate of 116. His highest score this year has been 24 and he has taken 10 catches and made two stumpings behind the wickets. Saha also had his injury problems and was replaced by another Bengal player Shreevats Goswami in the next two games.
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IPL 2018: How wicket-keepers of 8 teams have done this year

How have the wicket keepers performed this time around?

Dinesh Karthik (Kolkata Knight Riders)