IPL 2020: 5 players who can be the ‘Most Valuable Player’

The ‘Most Valuable Player of Tournament’ award in the Indian Premier League (IPL) is given to the player who makes the highest impact throughout the tourney. In 2013, a player rating system was introduced to find the ‘Player of the Tournament’. The point rating system is:

An all-rounder has the highest probability of getting this award because he can contribute with the bat as well as the ball. Out of 12 seasons, there have been eight instances of an all-rounder bagging this award.

There has been one such instance when the player with the highest points was not announced as the MVP of the tournament. The incident happened in 2017 when Ben Stokes was presented with the MVP award. Sunil Narine finished the tournament with 298 points whereas Stokes with 270 points. The reason could be the number of matches: Narine played 16 matches while Stokes just 12.

The thirteenth edition of the Indian Premier League is currently delayed due to the Corona Virus threat. The IPL was scheduled to commence from 29 March, however, the tournament has been postponed till April 15 now. The pandemic is spreading rapidly and the BCCI is in no hurry to start the tournament, which can affect the health of the players as well as the public. If the IPL happens, it will mostly be behind the closed doors.

In the article, let’s take a look at five players who can be the ‘Most Valuable Player’ in the IPL 2020: 

1. Andre Russell

Andre Russell, the ‘Most Valuable Player’ in the last IPL season, is one of the top contenders to achieve the same feat again. Russell has been the ‘Player of the Tournament’ twice, joint highest with Shane Watson and Sunil Narine. Since 2015, he has been among the top-ten point-scorer in every IPL edition he has featured in.

His batting style is the best suited for the shortest format of the game. The right-handed batsman came up with an excellent exhibition of brute power-hitting in the IPL 2019. Since IPL 2018, the big man has the best batting strike rate (196.67) and is the top six-hitter (83), among the players who have scored at least 30 runs. Russell has scored 83.54% of his runs through boundaries including 60.29% through sixes, in this duration in the IPL.

The Jamaican all-rounder is a very good player of spin as well as pace. Thus, by hitting boundaries, Dre Russ can earn many points. As far as bowling is concerned, the 31-year-old is a pretty good support bowler, and can bowl two-three overs. Even though he is expensive at times, he can provide breakthroughs to the team. Thus, it also allows him to earn points with the ball too.

Russell is one of the best T20 players and the best T20 all-rounder in the world at the moment. If Russell remains fit throughout the tourney and is used well, he can be the ‘Most Valuable Player’ yet again.

2. Hardik Pandya

Hardik Pandya was the second-highest point-scorer in the IPL last year: a superhero for Mumbai Indians, the eventual champions. Pandya was ‘Man of the Match’ in three games last year, but, his impact was much more than that. Hardik was sensational in the slog overs with the bat and helped his side in getting some extra runs. In the last IPL, he played as many as 11 knocks with 140+ strike rate including six knocks having 200+ strike rate.

The ideal position for him to bat is number five because of his exquisite ability to whack spinners. And, while batting at number five, he has time to settle in to display fireworks in the slog overs. However, the requirement of Mumbai Indians is different, and, they have pretty good players of spin (Suryakumar Yadav, Krunal Pandya and Ishan Kishan) as well. Thus, he is slotted in the lower-order and is used to that role as well.

In the IPL 2019, the dashing batsman smashed a boundary per 3.68 balls. Hardik smashed 28 fours and 29 maximums which contributed 71.14% of his total runs in the last edition. The all-rounder from Gujarat is a support bowler who can bowl two-three overs. His career economy in the IPL is more than nine, however, his bowling strike rate in the past two seasons was pretty good. Thus, Hardik has the opportunity to score points with the ball as well.

3. Quinton de Kock

Quinton de Kock is the only non-all-rounder and the second Mumbai Indians’ player to feature in this list. Averaging over 35 with a strike rate of about 133, de Kock scored 529 runs with four 50+ scores in the IPL 2019. He was the unsung hero of Mumbai Indians’ triumph last year. The South African player was the second-best player for his side and the third-highest run-scorer in the tournament.

As mentioned in the introduction, it is easier for an all-rounder to be the ‘Most Valuable Player’ as compared to a batsman or bowler. However, Quinton de Kock has an advantage because is a wicketkeeper and an opening batsman. Thus, he can make an impact with the bat as well as gloves. The wicketkeeper effected 19 dismissals behind the wickets, the second-best after Rishabh Pant.

Quinton’s batting against spin bowling can be an issue for him. However, the Mumbai-based franchise has good players of spin who can attack spinners. And, that would allow de Kock to take time against spinners. Thus, the team management of Mumbai Indians needs to plan to bring the best out of de Kock. The 27-year-old is in the form of his life; and if he carries the same in the IPL, don’t be surprised if he turns out to be the ‘Player of the Tournament’.

4. Ben Stokes

Ben Stokes is currently one of the top all-rounders in Test cricket and ODI cricket in the world. However, the same can not be said in T20 cricket. In his T20 career of 123 matches, Stokes averages 24.78 with just nine 50+ scores with the willow. Since 2018, he averages about 24 and has just seven 30+ scores in 31 innings. And, his performance with the ball, has been decent, both in T20 career and since 2018.

Despite his average performance in the shortest format of the game, the English all-rounder can be the ‘Most Valuable Player’ in the IPL 2020. Stokes achieved this feat earlier when he was elected as ‘Player of the Tournament’ in 2017. That also remains to be his best IPL season so far. However, the tables have turned drastically in the past two seasons.

Performance of Ben Stokes in the IPL since 2018

The southpaw can best perform with the bat when he has time to settle. He is a good player of spin as well pace and can contribute well with the bat. And, with the ball, he is a good support bowler and can bowl two-three overs. The 28-year-old is being paid a heavy amount, and, thus, needs to return the favour which he has failed to do so far.

5. Moeen Ali

Moeen Ali is an interesting choice to become the ‘Most Valuable Player’ in the IPL 2020. The English all-rounder was the best player for Royal Challengers Bangalore in the IPL 2019. Averaging 27.50 with the bat in the last edition of the IPL, Moeen scored 220 runs with a strike rate of more than 165, scoring two fifties. And, with the ball, he picked up six wickets with an effective economy of less than seven. Thus, he was a pretty package overall.

The performance of the 32-year-old depends on the way he is used. As far as batting is concerned, the left-handed batsman is an excellent player of spin bowling. He can hit effortless sixes against spinners and medium-pacers. Since 2018, Moeen has the second-best strike rate (167.51) in T20 cricket among the players who have played a minimum 25 innings.

Moeen will be vital for the Virat Kohli-led side, especially in the middle-order. The off-spinner can produce effective performances with the ball if he is used well. Moeen can contain the flow of runs from one end, bowling with discipline. RCB need to use him in the powerplay, especially against left-handed batsmen.