IPL 2024: The most interesting phase of the tournament has started now, says Parthiv Patel on race to playoffs

New Delhi, May 7 (IANS) Parthiv Patel, the former India men’s wicketkeeper-batter, believes that the race to playoffs intensifying in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 with every outcome, it has led to the commencement of the most interesting phase in the competition.

Rajasthan Royals and Kolkata Knight Riders have 16 points each, while Chennai Super Kings, Sunrisers Hyderabad and Lucknow Super Giants are at 12 points each. Delhi Capitals are also in the fray with 10 points and can even reach 16 points, though their net run rate is in the negative.

“The most interesting phase of the tournament has started now. The teams who were losing matches and were at the bottom half of the table are now winning games by beating the table-toppers. It then becomes important for the teams in the first half of the table to not lose to the teams who are ranked below them in the points tally, as that adds to more pressure on them, as compared to teams at eighth, ninth and tenth positions respectively.”

“One will certainly get to know more things as this phase of the tournament progresses. The beauty of the IPL is this only: till the last day of the league stage, one doesn’t know which four teams will progress to the playoffs, which signifies the level of competition IPL has,” said Parthiv, an IPL Expert to JioCinema, to IANS.

RR have been impressively led by Sanju Samson, who has also amassed 385 runs in ten games, including four fifties, and also earned a spot in India’s squad for the upcoming Men’s T20 World Cup in the West Indies and the USA. Parthiv was amazed over how Samson has brought in consistency to his run-scoring ways in IPL 2024.

“Sanju Samson always had the skill to succeed, which wasn’t in doubt ever. But there was a complaint about him from everyone that after scoring fifties in the first two games, and getting some more runs in the last two games, but have a lean run in between.”

“There was no consistency in his batting, but this year, that consistent run has been way more visible. In a time where competition is very high for spots in the Indian team, it is very important that one gets that consistency in their batting to make a place for himself, which is the biggest plus in Sanju Samson's batting returns this year.”

Parthiv was also awestruck by Rishabh Pant’s resounding return to cricket in IPL 2024 post recovering from a life-threatening car crash in December 2022, especially as a wicketkeeper. Apart from amassing 398 runs in 11 games, Pant has 14 dismissals against his name as a wicketkeeper. Just like Samson, Pant has earned a spot in India’s squad for the T20 World Cup.

“Rishabh has been tremendous all around in terms of batting, keeping and as a leader too, like he’s matured a lot in leading his team. But what has impressed me the most about him has been his wicketkeeping – like returning after those knee injuries and to keep wickets in a brilliant manner is very highly appreciative, and a very huge plus point on his return to the game.”

IPL 2024 has seen many uncapped Indian batters like Riyan Parag, Abhishek Sharma, Shashank Singh, Ashutosh Sharma and Nitish Reddy be the fulcrums of the batting order for their respective teams.

Parthiv thinks the way uncapped Indian batters have been batting aggressively and fearlessly in IPL 2024, is the way forward for how T20 cricket batting style will be.

“Everyone is on the right path in terms of how they are batting and the way the T20 world is now progressing in terms of batting. They all are playing at the pace which is in sync with how T20 cricket is to be played as a batting unit, like Abhishek, Shashank, Ashutosh and Nitish Reddy, who’s someone backing to play his shots at number four despite wickets falling from another end.”

“It’s something which is a very important aspect of T20 batting, as the role of anchors will lessen in this format – pitches are getting better to bat on and even scores of 200/250 are chaseable. All of this makes it important for batters to back their shots and the uncapped Indian batters have executed this very well.”

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