IPL 2023: Best XI from first week

The first week of the 16th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) kick-started with defending champions Gujarat Titans squaring off against Chennai Super Kings and ended with Kolkata Knight Riders taking the stage alongside Royal Challengers Bangalore. After a tussle of seven days, Gujarat Titans and Punjab Kings are the only sides yet to be conquered.

Many top-drawer players featured in the first week of the marquee tournament. However, there were only a few players who brought their A-game into play and set the T20 extravaganza ablaze with their exploits on the cricket field. Let us form a playing XI consisting of cricketers who were at their best in the first week of IPL 2023.

Here is the Best XI of the first week of IPL 2023

1. Ruturaj Gaikwad

Ruturaj Gaikwad has been a run-bank in the lucrative T20 tournament. He has featured in 39 IPL matches and amassed 1396 runs at a strike rate of 133.84. The 26-year-old was at his best in the 2021 season and notched 635 runs in 16 games at a strike rate of 136.26. 

The Indian batter has been in a pristine touch in the ongoing edition of the marquee event. When Gujarat Titans and Chennai Super Kings took center stage, Gaikwad hammered the Gujarat bowlers all across the park and plundered 92 runs off 50 balls, which includes four boundaries and nine sixes.

The opening batter again put up an exhibition of his glorious stroke play in the encounter against Lucknow Super Giants and played a marvellous knock of 57 runs off 31 deliveries. Given the kind of form Gaikwad is in, he could win the Orange Cap of the season.