Sunday’s double-header – Lucknow Super Giants v Gujarat Titans in the afternoon, followed by Mumbai Indians v Royal Challengers Bengaluru – has given the IPL’s cap tables a healthy shake-up.
First, the runs. Rajat Patidar’s 20-ball 53 at Wankhede was his fourth brisk contribution in as many innings, and it has lifted the RCB skipper to 195 runs for the season. Only Rajasthan Royals opener Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, still perched on top, has more. Sunrisers Hyderabad’s Heinrich Klaasen sits third, while Sooryavanshi’s partner Yashasvi Jaiswal keeps fourth spot. Virat Kohli, four behind Jaiswal after his measured 50, rounds out the top five.
Patidar played down the numbers afterwards, saying simply, “I’m enjoying the ball coming on. The rest tends to follow.” That felt about right – no fuss, no headline-grabbing claims, just a batter in decent nick.
Over to the bowlers, and it is last year’s Purple Cap holder who has muscled his way back to the front. Prasidh Krishna’s 4 for 28 in Ahmedabad moved the Titans quick to ten wickets in four outings, one clear of Rajasthan leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi. Chennai Super Kings seamer Anshul Kamboj is next on eight, with Prince Yadav (LSG) and Jacob Duffy (RCB) together on six.
Krishna kept it short in the post-match chat. “The rhythm’s there, the plans are simple,” he said. “When it clicks, wickets come.” Again, not exactly headline material – but that’s usually how fast bowlers sound when they’re on a roll.
A few supporting figures tell their own story:
• Patidar is scoring at 186.79, the second-best strike rate among batters with 100-plus runs.
• Klaasen still leads the six-count with 17.
• Kamboj’s economy of 6.25 remains the tournament’s stingiest among regular bowlers.
Two matches, then, and a fair bit of movement. No one is running away with either race yet, though, and the table is likely to keep tilting as the week unfolds. For now Krishna holds the purple, Sooryavanshi the orange – but both will know the next evening of cricket can undo plenty of good work.
That, in truth, is half the fun.
