IPL 2015: Best XI from Week 2 of Indian Premier League

The second week of the Indian Premier League is done and dusted, and the tournament is starting to gather pace. Picking a team of the week throws up some interesting challenges since games come thick and fast.

Still, there have been a few individuals who have stood out this week, and we have clobbered together a team with some of Week 2’s best performers. If there have been any serious oversights, please do add your thoughts in the comments.

Ajinkya Rahane

Rui Vieira/Associated Press

Ajinkya Rahane finds himself in superb form with scores of 46, 62 and 76* in this week's IPL matches. He has notched up 231 runs in the five matches he's played thus far and averages 57.75. His opening 144-run stand with Shane Watson helped the Rajasthan Royals to a mammoth eight-wicket win over Chennai Super Kings, and if he can continue this good form, the Royals have a very good chance of staking a claim for the title.

AB de Villiers

Aijaz Rahi/Associated Press

It wouldn't be a normal week if AB de Villiers didn't do something strange. On Sunday, he hit 41 off 11 balls against Mumbai Indians. Although Royal Challengers Bangalore still lost, it was an immense effort, and De Villiers very nearly pushed his team to an unlikely win. Although he doesn't usually open the batting, he does in this team, because you want your best batsman facing as many balls as possible.

Steve Smith

Rick Rycroft/Associated Press

Steve Smith had a stellar World Cup and managed to find some of that form when Rajasthan Royals beat Mumbai Indians by seven wickets on Tuesday. Smith clobbered together an unbeaten 79 off 53 as the Royals managed to chase 164 with relative ease. He was somewhat dubious in the two games which followed with scores of just 13 and 6. 

Mayank Agarwal

Mayank Agarwal's 68 off 48 helped Delhi Daredevils to an impressive five-wicket win against last year's runners-up, Kings XI Punjab. Delhi won with just one ball remaining, as they chased down 165 with Agrawal the star of the batting show, supported well by Yuvraj Singh.  

Rohit Sharma

Rob Griffith/Associated Press

A half-century and a blistering 42 off 15 balls earns Rohit Sharma a place in the IPL team of the week. Sharma's knock on Sunday propelled Mumbai to 209 off their 20 overs and earned them an easy 18-run victory.

JP Duminy

Theo Karanikos/Associated Press

You have to feel a little bit sorry for JP Duminy. He is having a very good season with the Delhi Daredevils, averaging 41.33 with the bat and just 6.85 with the ball.

In Saturday's victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad, Duminy took four wickets for 17 and notched up a very useful 54 off 41. This came on the back of taking two for 16 and scoring 21 against Kings XI Punjab earlier in the week. It's just a pity Duminy's teammates can't quite shape up.

Andre Russell

Rick Rycroft/Associated Press

Andre Russell has built a reputation as being a fearsome finisher and showed why this week when he hit 66 off 36 balls to help Kolkata Knight Riders chase down 155 against Kings XI Punjab. Russell also chipped with bowling figures of 4-0-39-2 and is proving that he is a very useful all-rounder in limited-overs cricket.  

Sandeep Sharma

Any bowler who manages to take four wickets in a T20 match deserves a pat on the back, and that's why Sandeep Sharma has cracked a nod in this week's team of the week. The 21-year-old picked up four for 25 in Kings XI Punjab's losing cause against Kolkata Knight Riders.

With seven wickets in four games at an average of just 12.28, though, Sharma is definitely a bowler to watch this tournament. His line and length as well as his ability to swing the ball will go a long way in frustrating opposition batsmen.

David Wiese

Schalk van Zuydam/Associated Press

This week's team is very much a team of all-rounders with David Wiese putting on a stellar all-round show, against Mumbai Indians taking four for 33 and then hitting an unbeaten 47 off 25 to very nearly take Royal Challengers Bangalore to an unlikely victory.

From time to time, pundits suggest the true all-rounder is going out of the window, but the IPL seems to bring out the best in those players who are on the fringes of being great all-rounders.

Trent Boult

Andy Brownbill/Associated Press

Trent Boult has kept Dale Steyn out of the Sunrisers Hyderabad starting XI for most of the tournament thus far. He took four wickets in his two matches this week with three for 36 and one for 31, respectively. After a very good World Cup, Boult is now showing that he can adapt to conditions and is everything but a one-trick pony.

Imran Tahir

David Rowland/Associated Press

Imran Tahir is probably one of the best limited-overs bowlers in the world at the moment. While he can sometimes be expensive, like he was when he took three for 43 against Kings XI, he never lets batsmen settle, and that can cause some serious problems.