5 All-Rounders who will prove to be the Rockstars of IPL 2017

It feels as though only yesterday Brendon McCullum, donning a black and gold jersey, had set this tournament alive with a blistering knock of 158 off 73 deliveries. But since that star-studded opening night of the most extravagant cricket league in the world, the IPL has come a long way. The IPL has undoubtedly been a success right from 2008 and has entertained one and all for 9 years running. In a couple of weeks’ time, the 10th edition of the Indian Premier League will kick off in Hyderabad. Now, coming straight to the point, here we intend to talk about the all-rounders. The importance of all-rounders in a team and the key role they play with both bat and ball is of immense value. Their invaluable contribution in both departments has the capacity to turn the match on its head, as some players have shown over the years. As we head into season 10 of the IPL, let’s take a closer look at the top 5 all-rounders who will certainly bring their expertise to the team with bat and ball alike. 5. Mohammad Nabi – Sunrisers Hyderabad Mohammad Nabi. (Photo Source: Twitter) He is a figure who has gained the respect of the entire cricketing community for the way he has changed the face of Afghanistan cricket. Mohammad Nabi the former Afghanistan skipper has delivered with both bat and ball in T20Is for the team. His position at no.4 in the T20I all-rounder’s rankings is a testimony to his consistent performance. With an impressive strike rate of 141 with the bat, Nabi’s contribution in the middle order is handy. His right arm off-breaks have been lethal as well, he has 57 wickets to his name and giving away on an average a miserly 7 runs an over. Mohammad Nabi incidentally became the first Afghan player to be picked up by an IPL side. Current champions Sunrisers Hyderabad would be pleased to have this promising all-rounder in their squad. 4. Chris Morris – Delhi Daredevils Chris Morris. (Photo Source: BCCI) This South African all-rounder is capable of producing tight spells of bowling, especially in the death overs, and also hitting the long ball. Playing for the Delhi Daredevils in 2016, Morris showed his prowess with the bat throughout the season, smacking the ball at a strike rate of 179. His wickets column has consistently seen numbers above 10, but what’s more effective is his economy of 7.00. There’s no doubt that Morris is a key player, and DD skipper Zaheer Khan will look to use him wisely throughout the upcoming season to increase their chances of making it to the playoffs. 3. Shakib Al Hasan – Kolkata Knight Riders Shakib Al Hasan KKR. (Photo Source: BCCI) It’s only fitting that the GOAT from Bangladesh plays for the Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL. Shakib’s contribution to KKR’s success in 2012 and 2014 has been invaluable. Currently, the top-ranked player in the ICC player rankings for T20 all-rounders, Shakib also features on the top of the list of Test all-rounders. He has been in hot form right through the ongoing season, though has mostly played Test cricket has kept him in the thick of things. With a reinforced KKR side and an in-form all-rounder in Shakib Al Hasan, the Knight Riders will fancy their chances to win the IPL for the third time. 2. Marcus Stoinis – Kings XI Punjab (Photo Source: Surjeet Yadav/IANS) The Australian side that featured in the 2008 U-19 World Cup in Malaysia featured the likes of Steven Smith, James Pattinson, Josh Hazlewood and James Faulkner, players who are currently dominating the world over in every format of the game. That young Australian squad, however, featured another name which has suddenly broken the news with a brilliant performance against neighbours New Zealand. Marcus Stoinis’ heroics almost won the Aussies a thriller against the Black Caps. He has also been handy with the ball and has a bowling average of under 23 in T20s. The Kings XI Punjab side, which has had a forgettable IPL season last year, will hope Stoinis fires this year. 1. Ben Stokes – Rising Pune Supergiants England’s Ben Stokes. (Photo by OLI SCARFF/AFP/Getty Images) There was a buzz around the cricket fraternity as team owners geared up for the 2017 IPL auctions. All eyes were on one player, English all-rounder Ben Stokes. He took the auction by storm as teams bid fiercely to sign him. Eventually, it was the Rising Pune Supergiants who picked up Stokes for Rs. 14.5 crore, a record price for an overseas player. A strong hitter of the cricket ball and an accurate fast bowler, Ben Stokes will certainly add a lot of firepower to the Pune side. Although England were taken to the cleaners in the recently concluded Test series against India, Stokes was one of the few English players who had a good outing. He is known to pack a punch with the bat, and his quota of four overs are useful as well. In his very first appearance in the IPL, Stokes will look to prove himself as one of the best all-rounders in the circuit today.

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5 All-Rounders who will prove to be the Rockstars of IPL 2017

2. Marcus Stoinis – Kings XI Punjab

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