IPL 2019, Standout player, biggest disappointment, best quote – Russell, Dhoni, umpires, Mankading feature in IPL wrap

It’s a little over a week since IPL 2019 began. Already there’s been all sorts of controversies, amazing feats with the bat, not so much with the ball, and plenty of storylines criss-crossing. We sum up the best of the week’s action:

Standout player – Andre Russell

The West Indies all-rounder didn’t have the greatest time heading into the series, but something about the tournament brings the best out of him. He’s scored 159 runs in three matches at a mind-boggling strike-rate of 248.43.

As if that wasn’t enough, he’s also picked up 5 wickets, just one below top wicket-takers Imran Tahir, Yuzvendra Chahal and Dwayne Bravo. Russell was a big reason – the big reason – Kolkata Knight Riders beat Sunrisers Hyderabad and Kings XI Punjab in their first two matches. The reason they lost to Delhi Capitals after that is despite Russell’s superb 28-ball 62. He’s easily been the standout player from the first week.

Standout moment – The Mankad

This was a moment that split the cricket world firmly into two. R Ashwin Mankaded Jos Buttler when Kings XI Punjab clashed against Rajasthan Royals, and that turned out to be the game-changing moment, as Rajasthan collapsed and Punjab secured a 14-run victory.

However, unlike the usual Mankad dismissal – as it is too controversial – Ashwin seemed to pause a second too long here after breaking his delivery stride and before taking off the bails, just enough time for Buttler to stray past the crease.

Was that against the Spirit of Cricket? Anyone and everyone had an opinion, but nobody seemed quite sure. Even the MCC first stated it was within the laws of the game, before staging a U-Turn and saying Ashwin acted contradictory to the Spirit of Cricket. All of which suggests there’s nothing really to match IPL’s capacity for drama.

Biggest disappointment – Royal Challengers Bangalore

They never learn. Bangalore, at the time of writing, are rooted to the bottom of the table after three matches. They have a horrendous net run rate -2.413, and lost their last game to Sunrisers Hyderabad by a mammoth 118 runs.

Why? Because the problems haven’t been addressed. They just don’t have the bowlers, and you must wonder why, that being the case, they decided to invest as much as they did in Shimron Hetmyer and Shivam Dube during the auctions. They must be relieved that Marcus Stoinis and Nathan Coulter-Nile are available for selection here on. But with that NRR, is the damage already done?

Room for improvement – The umpire

This has increasingly been a problem. But the umpiring standards have just dropped to the pits. One of Bangalore’s three losses so far came against Mumbai Indians – a 6-run loss. However, the final delivery of that match was a no-ball that the umpires never noticed.

When the image was displayed on the giant screen as the players were shaking hands, the ire of Virat Kohli was all too obvious. “We’re playing the IPL, not club cricket,” he bellowed, and it all left a sour taste in the mouth.

In the previous over, Jasprit Bumrah had sent one in that was, replays suggested, well within the tramlines. It was still called wide. There have been other small, but increasingly frustrating, instances throughout the tournament, and the BCCI will increasingly need to look at umpiring standards going forward.

Some things never change – MS Dhoni

The Thala has, as expected, been in supreme form at the IPL. Something about the Chennai Super Kings yellow brings the best out of him. His captaincy has been sharp, as always, he’s coaxed the best out of his veteran bunch, and he’s himself returned to his best.

Against Rajasthan Royals, he scored a 46-ball 75*, which just turns out to be his second-highest score in IPL history – and he’s 37. He’s led Chennai to the top of the table already, with three straight wins, and it’ll take a brave man to bet against him when Chennai are in such mood.

Standout quote – Yuzvendra Chahal
“Felt like Stuart Broad during that over.”
– Chahal was hit for three consecutive sixes by Yuvraj Singh, who seemed in the mood to repeat his heroics against Stuart Broad at the World T20 2007, when he smashed six sixes in an over.