The IPL 2024 Season is burning up – some players are going above and beyond, while others are under pressure to do just that. We take a look at six players who have all eyes on them at the moment.
By Mark Pais
Virat Kohli
King Kohli, Chiku, and whatever else you may call him, Virat Kohli is a run machine and is showing it again this Tata IPL 2024. At 35, where you’d expect a drop in batting performance, he just seems to be getting better, and is currently one of the frontrunners to win the Orange Cap (most runs scored in a season). However, while Virat Kohli might look as dangerous as ever, the rest of the team? Meh! Last in the league with just one win to their name, the question arises, can one of the most successful cricketers pull off the miracle of pushing his team to a cup? Don’t bet against the King is all we’d advise.
Sunil Narine
Imagine being a great spinner, but that’s all that you ever were, a spinner who could smash a couple of sixes and then lose his wicket on the opposite end. Well, imagine you became the opening batsman for a team run by the adored ‘Shah Rukh Khan’. That’s Sunil Narine, and to be fair to him, he could maybe be the best player in the tournament, at the moment. With a bowling economy of just 7 runs at a time in cricket where 200+ is no biggie, along with already scoring centuries, Sunil Narine looks to be a star in this IPL 2024.
Hardik Pandya
The new captain of the Mumbai Indians is one of the few who has had an up-and-down season. No one can doubt Hardik Pandya’s abilities, but facing the pressure of captaining the IPL’s biggest side, the Mumbai Indians, might just be taking its toll on the young captain. However, Mumbai has shown some decent form recently, especially with the return of Surya Kumar Yadav. Will the man with an unmistakable swagger rise to the challenge or crumble under the pressure?
Rishabh Pant
Rishabh Pant is a story if there ever was one. In 2022, Pant’s Mercedes SUV crashed north of New Delhi, causing him multiple injuries as the car flipped over and caught fire. Now that he’s back, everyone’s been wondering: Will Rishabh Pant still be Rishabh Pant? And Pant has delivered. With top-notch performances in each game, he is making a strong case for being included in the T20 World Cup 2024, set to happen later this year.
Pat Cummins
Pat Cummins must love Indian pitches because ever since captaining the Australian side that won the ICC ODI World Cup in India and crushing over a billion people’s dreams, the Aussie is back wrecking rampage on IPL teams. With scores of 287 for 3 against the Royal Challengers Bangalore, and 277 against Mumbai Indians (MI), the Sunrisers Hyderabad seem to be in a league of their own. One could credit that to the skipper, Pat Cummins.
MS Dhoni
“Thala for a reason” – well, that seems to be all that cricket fans speak about online. MS Dhoni humbly gave up captaincy this year to Ruturaj Gaikwad, which subtly hints that this might just be his final season. With a fan following deprived of his presence, it’s no surprise that every time Dhoni steps up to bat, the viewership in the IPL increases in lakhs. Dhoni has also had incredible performances despite visible knee pain, and a flurry of boundaries every time he bats. While Chennai has looked a little dicey in fifth position, there are crores of fans who will be chanting “Thala” with the belief that with him, anything is possible.
