IPL 2022: Team of the league stage

The IPL 2022 league phase witnessed a number of the top T20 players at their dominant best, which made for a challenging task in lining up a solid XI.
 By CX Staff Writer Updated: May 23, 2022, 15:43 IST
IPL 2022 team of the tournament ?width=963&height=541&resizemode=4
Yuzvendra Chahal, who has had his best ever IPL campaign yet, leads the spin department.

As the IPL 2022 nears its business end, the playoffs, we narrowed down the best XI of the league stage based on the performances till date. Interestingly, there are four players in this lineup who missed the playoff ticket.

Here’s how the IPL 2022 team of the league stage lines up:

Jos Buttler (RR)
649 runs at 48.38; SR:147, 50s: 3, 100s: 3, HS: 116

Jos Buttler has been in outstanding T20 form for quite sometime now, and he began the IPL 2022 with a whopping 491 runs from first seven outings including three hundreds, threatening to surpass Virat Kohli’s record 2016 tally of 973 at that point. He has scored only one fifty since, but with RR into the playoffs, another of his specials might just be in store.

KL Rahul (LSG) (c)
537 runs at 48.81; SR: 135.26, 50s: 3, 100s: 2, HS: 103*

Carrying forward his rich run-scoring form across formats, Rahul became the only player to aggregate 500-plus runs in five consecutive IPL seasons after his calculated 68* against KKR in LSG’s last league outing. He added unbeaten 210 with Quinton de Kock (140*) that eve, making it the only instance of an opening partnership batting through a complete IPL innings. Rahul captains this star-studded XI.

Rahul Tripathi (SRH)
413 runs at 37.5; SR: 158.2, 50s: 3, HS: 76

Leading Sunrisers Hyderabad’s batting in a disappointing campaign, Tripathi kept the team’s chances alive while setting up well-earned wins against KKR, PBKS and MI, while battling a lone hand with a steady 58 in a stiff run-chase against RCB. The right-hander showcased great skill and flair while taking on the best of quicks and spinners throughout the tournament. After a successive impactful IPL season, Tripathi has certainly made a claim for a national selection, which might not be too far away.

Liam Livingstone (PBKS)
437 runs at 36.4; SR: 182.08, 50s: 4, HS: 70 | Six wickets at 33.6; ER: 8.78, BBI: 3/27

An assuring top-three is followed by the swashbuckling Liam Livingstone, who smashed bowlers with disdain right through the campaign. The England dasher tonked 29 sixes from 13 outings, including a towering 117 metre hit off Mohammed Shami at the DY Patil Stadium last month. With his mixed spin-bowling, with which he accounted for David Miller, David Warner, Rishabh Pant and Rowman Powell, Livingstone also offers a sixth bowling option in this lineup.

Shimron Hetmyer (RR)
297 runs at 59.4; SR: 163.18, 50s: 1, HS: 59*

With his responsible and timely finishing cameos during the end overs, Hetmyer ensured that the brisk starts given by the Buttler-led top-order were capitalised upon. He also steadied the ship earlier on occasions when required, as he did with a brisk match-winning 59* against the Lucknow Supergiants, after having walked in at a tricky 64/4.

Dinesh Karthik (RCB)
287 runs at 57.40; SR: 191.33, 50s: 1, HS: 66*

No player has made strokeplay quite as attractive as Dinesh Karthik, with the veteran showcasing his ever growing range with a wide array of shots. Karthik’s finishing touches were key to RCB’s success in the league stages, something the team has dearly missed in the past. No batter with a minimum of 200 runs boasts a better strike-rate in the competition thus far.

 


Andre Russell (KKR)
335 runs at 37.22: SR: 174.47, 50s: 1, HS: 70* | 17 wickets at 16.35, ER: 9.86, BBI: 4/5 

In an otherwise disappointing campaign for KKR, Russell was still able to shine through with his strong ball-striking and effective bowling. He enjoyed his best season with the ball yet, the highlight being his four-wicket last over against the Gujarat Titans four weeks ago. With the bat, he was at his destructive usual, striking 32 sixes.

Ravichandran Ashwin (RR)
11 wickets at 36.36, ER: 7.14, BBI: 3/17 | 183 runs at 30.5; SR: 146.40, 50s: 1, HS: 50

Ashwin might not have exactly wreaked havoc with the ball, but bowled with great discipline to allow Chahal and the seamers to reap dividends. He struck at crucial junctures to turn the game on its head too, as he did with a first-ball dismissal of Andre Russell earlier in the tournament, and foxed Devon Conway in a must-win last league encounter. The gripping story though has been his showing with the bat, an area in which he’s shown great adaptability and skills, helping the team get over the line when required.

Mohammed Shami (GT)
18 wickets at 22.88, ER: 7.77, BBI: 3/25

KL Rahul (twice), Quinton de Kock, Virat Kohli, Kane Williamson, Jonny Bairstow - Shami has accounted for some of the best of modern-day batters with his exemplary seam bowling. The right-arm quick has led Gujarat Titans’ bowling with distinction, playing a key role in their dominant run to the playoffs. He has also returned to deliver big blows at the death, dismissing the likes of MS Dhoni, Shimron Hetmyer and Rowman Powell among others. 

Yuzvendra Chahal (RR)
26 wickets at 16.53, ER: 7.67, BBI: 5/40

In his best ever IPL campaign yet, Yuzvendra Chahal has already equalled Imran Tahir’s tally of 26 scalps in 2019 - the most for a spinner in an IPL season - with at least two more games to go. Chahal has been RR’s go-to wicket-taker not only in the middle-overs, but also at death - a role he’s fulfilled successfully more than once. His standout show was a five-for against KKR, which included a game-changing 17th over hattrick to snatch a seven-run win.


Umran Malik (SRH)
22 wickets at 20.18, ER: 9.03, BBI: 5/25

With his searing pace, Umran grabbed the limelight for clocking over 150 kmph on a consistent basis, while delivering the fastest ball of the season at 157 kmph. Quite stunningly, he delivered a triple-wicket maiden in the last over against Punjab Kings, and a game later, returned 5/25 against GT in a high-scoring thriller. His exploits have already prompted tones of appreciation from the cricketing world, with former India head coach Ravi Shastri calling for a central contract for the 22-year-old.

Notable exclusions: Quinton de Kock, Faf du Plessis, Hardik Pandya, David Warner, Wanindu Hasaranga, Rashid Khan, Harshal Patel, Kuldeep Yadav and David Miller

 

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