Greatest players in the history of IPL #9 - Dwayne Bravo

Whilst one West Indian cricketer took the 10th spot on this incredible list, another takes the 9th. Dwayne Bravo’s association with the IPL began in the very first season when he represented the Mumbai Indians under Sachin Tendulkar. But it was his stint with the Chennai Super Kings that earned him a place in this list of marvelous names.

An outright entertainer who would jeopardize his own well-being to get his side over the line, Bravo showed great mettle and character in crunch situations. Although he’s not the quickest bowler around, he managed to become one of the finest death bowlers in the league’s history thanks to his witty thinking and subtle pace variations.

He’s equally menacing with the bat on occasions and not many would forget that six he hit at the Eden Gardens when Chennai needed 5 runs off the final ball. He always remained under the shadow of MS Dhoni as a finisher, but he played some pretty phenomenal cameos during his time under the South-Indian franchise.

During his tenure with the Mumbai Indians in the first three seasons, Bravo failed to hog any limelight. In the 2011 auction, the Super Kings went all out for him and earned his services. He could play just six games for them in that season as injuries sabotaged his mission. But come to the 2012 edition, Bravo attained imperious heights with his all-round work.

Two-time purple cap winner for the CSK

There’s a very popular meme about the IPL, where the tournament is described as a league where 7 teams battle it out against each other to face CSK in the final. Such is the stardom amassed by the Super Kings in the 8 seasons they were a part of the league and Dwayne Bravo’s contribution in this astounding journey is worth cherishing.

Bravo’s 2012 performance in the IPL redefined his status not just in the cash-rich league, but also on the global cricketing map. Bravo was often termed a “Bits and pieces” cricketer as his contributions with both bat and ball were not very significant. But he worked hard with the ball and the results started to follow.

After picking up 15 wickets in the 2012 edition, he bagged the purple cap in the 2013 season scalping 32 wickets. He probably was their best player that season and helped CSK reach the final, only to bow down narrowly to Mumbai Indians. An audacious attempt fly in the air take a blinder in the 2014 season opener damaged his shoulder and ruled him out for the entire season.

But he came back next season with the same amount of audacity and once again, bagged a purple cap. Bowling average of 22 and economy just over 8 is simply phenomenal for a bowler who takes charge of the most crucial overs. The 34-year-old is MSD’s main weapon in his arsenal and will continue to remain so as the men in yellow stage a comeback into the IPL this season.

Bravo picked up 122 wickets in his IPL career and holds the fifth highest tally of wickets in the tournament’s history. He amassed 1,238 runs, most of which came as a finisher in the death overs. Bravo was retained by the Super Kings via the RTM Card and the fans are pretty excited to see him get up and running in the yellow jersey.

Stay tuned and keep following Crictracker as we rate the greatest cricketers in IPL history.