Suresh Raina is all set to become the first player to cross the 4000-run mark in the Indian Premier League. Though not in spectacular form this season, the Uttar Pradesh left-hander, who carved a niche for himself while playing for Chennai Super Kings (CSK), is 15 runs shy of a mark that would probably take him closer to being labelled an IPL legend. Raina has played 143 matches and scored 3985 runs.
That Raina has led the new franchise, Gujarat Lions, to seven wins in 11 matches so far is a commendable feat, and barring the unforeseen, the Lions should feature in the playoffs. Raina played his first 132 matches for CSK — which has been banned for two years for the alleged involvement of one of its team officials in spot-fixing and betting — scoring 3699 runs with one century and 25 half-centuries (average: 34.25; strike rate: 139.85). Of these, 2448 runs contributed to CSK’s 79 wins at a strike rate of 8.57 an over (142.91).
READ: >Father-to-be Raina set to miss his first IPL game
Raina was part of the CSK team that won two IPL titles and two Champions League titles.
So far this season, Raina has scored 286 runs with one half-century (75 against Sunrisers Hyderabad in Rajkot) for the Lions.
LEADING RUN SCORERS IN IPL
Mahendra Singh Dhoni, the former CSK skipper, bought at $ 1.5 million in 2008, is one who could easily claim to be the first IPL Legend (139 matches, 3168 runs, average: 38.63, 65 catches, 24 stumpings). He led Super Kings to two IPL and Champions League wins. Dhoni played 129 matches for CSK and scored 2986 runs.
Gautam Gambhir , who first played for Delhi Daredevils, comes next. He has played 127 matches, scored 3531 runs and has been the face of Knight Riders since the time Shah Rukh Khan bought him for $2.4 million at the 2011 auction. The left-hander has played 87 matches for Knight Riders and scored 2434 runs with a strike rate of 123.74 (7.42 an over). He won the title for Knight Riders in 2012 and 2014.
Mumbai Indians skipper Rohit Sharma, in his own right, has earned the IPL legend tag. He has played 138 matches, scored 3773 runs, with one century and 29 fifties and led Mumbai Indians to two title wins (2013 and 2015). After playing 46 matches for Deccan Chargers that won the title in South Africa in 2009, Sharma has featured in 93 games for Mumbai Indians and scored 2603 runs at a strike rate of 132.47 (7.95 an over).
Surely Shane Watson (most valuable player in 2008 and 2013 for Rajasthan Royals, the 2008 champion) with 86 matches, 2508 runs, 2x100, 14x50, 73 wickets at 26.75 and 24 catches has a right to get the recognition, and so does Adam Gilchrist (Deccan Chargers, Kings XI Punjab, 80 matches, 2069 runs, 2x100, 11x50, 92x6, 239x4, 51 catches, 16 stumpings, Most Valuable Player 2009 with 495 runs) and Jacques Kallis (Royal Challengers Bangalore, Kolkata Knight Riders, 98 matches, 2427 runs, 65 wkts, 31 catches).
While Dhoni, Raina, Gambhir, Sharma, Watson, Gilchrist and Kallis have been part of the IPL winning teams, there are others who have contributed in a big way by scoring runs, taking wickets and entertaining the spectators, and thereby enhancing the profile of the League:
Chris Gayle (Kolkata Knight Riders and Royal Challengers Bangalore, 85 matches, 3207 runs, 5x100), Virat Kohli (Royal Challengers Bangalore, 131 matches,3678 runs, 2x100), Robin Uthappa (Mumbai Indians, Royal Challengers Bangalore, Pune Warriors and Kolkata Knight Riders, 130 matches, 3323 runs), David Warner (Delhi Daredevils, Sunrisers Hyderabad, 92 matches, 2983 runs, 2x100), Shikhar Dhawan (Delhi Daredevils, Mumbai Indians, Deccan Chargers, Sunrisers Hyderabad 2891 runs), AB de Villiers (Delhi Daredevils, Royal Challengers Bangalore, 2891 runs, 2x100); Lasith Malinga (Mumbai Indians, 98 matches, 143 wkts, 2 IPL wins), Harbhajan Singh (Mumbai Indians, 121 matches, 117 wkts, two IPL wins), Dwayne Bravo (Mumbai Indians, Chennai Super Kings, Gujarat Lions, 101 matches, 117 wkts, 1 title win), Amit Mishra (Delhi Daredevils, Deccan Chargers, Sunrisers Hyderabad, 107 matches, 121 wkts), Piyush Chawla (Kings XI Punjab, Kolkata Knight Riders, 120 matches, 118 wkts, 1 title win).
Comments
SHARE