IPL Fantasy 2015: Projecting Top Picks and Points-Scorers for Upcoming Fixtures
With the 2015 edition of the Indian Premier League up in motion in earnest, now is an ideal chance to run the rule over some of the flourishing sides and make a few timely refinements to the fantasy squad.
Like any campaign, we’ve been treated to some exemplary displays from familiar faces and a few breakthrough performances from less illustrious players. But it’s getting a balance right between those men guaranteed to rack up points and using a measure of foresight to see which players are poised to perform in the coming weeks.
Here’s a closer examination of which men are performing best in the competition so far and how two of them are set to fare in a critical upcoming encounter.
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| JP Duminy | Delhi | 1,000,000 | 475 |
| Harbhajan Singh | Mumbai | 950,000 | 474 |
| Ajinkya Rahane | Rajasthan | 950,000 | 423 |
| Sandeep Sharma | Punjab | 750,000 | 393 |
| Dwayne Bravo | Chennai | 950,000 | 365 |
| Rohit Sharma | Mumbai | 1,050,000 | 361 |
| James Faulkner | Rajasthan | 1,000,000 | 361 |
| David Warner | Hyderabad | 1,050,000 | 358 |
| Kieron Pollard | Mumbai | 950,000 | 351 |
| Brendon McCullum | Chennai | 1,050,000 | 341 |
| April 21 | 3:30 p.m | Rajasthan Royals v Kings XI Punjab |
| April 22 | 11:30 a.m. | Sunrisers Hyderabad v Kolkata Knight Riders |
| April 22 | 3:30 p.m | Royal Challengers Bangalore v Chennai Super Kings |
| April 23 | 3:30 p.m | Delhi Daredevils v Mumbai Indians |
| April 24 | 3:30 p.m | Rajasthan Royals v Royal Challengers Bangalore |
| April 25 | 11:30 a.m. | Mumbai Indians v Sunrisers Hyderabad |
| April 25 | 3:30 p.m | Chennai Super Kings v Kings XI Punjab |
| April 26 | 11:30 a.m. | Kolkata Knight Riders v Rajasthan Royals |
| April 26 | 3:30 p.m | Delhi Daredevils v Royal Challengers Bangalore |
| April 27 | 3:30 p.m | Kings XI Punjab v Sunrisers Hyderabad |
| April 28 | 3:30 p.m | Chennai Super Kings v Kolkata Knight Riders |
For full player listings and points click here.
Delhi vs. Mumbai, April 23
These two teams looked set to be the whipping boys of the competition early on, but each side has sampled positive results as of late. Both Delhi Daredevils and Mumbai Indians have the quality within their ranks to make a major impression in the IPL providing their confidence levels remain high, making the clash between the two on April 23 a vital one.
Here’s a closer look at two players that have been performing superbly for their respective sides in the competition proper and the fantasy league.
JP Duminy, Delhi Daredevils
Delhi’s South African star JP Duminy has been one of the very best all-round performers in the IPL so far, and it’s little surprise to see him topping the standings in terms of points scored. Duminy has scored 124 runs, taken seven wickets and made some vital contributions in the field too.
As we can see here courtesy of cricket statistician Mohandas Menon, the Proteas star has a penchant for picking up very important wickets for his team:
In fantasy formats like this, an all-round contribution is so important. While big-hitters like Brendon McCullum and Chris Gayle may cost a little more than the South Africa star, Duminy’s ability to score runs and take wickets makes him excellent value for money.
His captaincy seems to be helping Delhi—who were on an extended run of defeats coming into this tournament—rediscover their best form too. As noted here by HoldingWilleyCricket, the South African is leading by example with both bat and ball:
"All the captains are performing well for their teams this #IPL. Be it Duminy to Bailey to Smith & now Watson!
— HoldingWilleyCricket (@holdingwilley) April 19, 2015"
After two wins on the spin, the Daredevils are a side playing with confidence, and as such, Duminy has stiff foundations upon which to flourish.
The South African may not be the biggest hitter of the ball or able to turn it around corners with his understated brand of spin bowling, but as his points haul proves, those traits aren’t prerequisites to be a success in the IPL. Expect him to make some more key contributions when they tackle the Indians.
Prediction: 45 runs, two wickets
Harbhajan Singh, Mumbai Indians
One of the biggest perks about the dynamic format of the IPL is how it allows veteran players the chance to pit their skills against the world’s best. And while Harbhajan Singh may not quite be the force he once was, the Mumbai star has performed admirably in the early stages of this competition.
The Indians may not have been at their very best up to this point, having won only one match so far in the tournament, but in Singh, they have a very canny operator with the ball. Indeed, as noted by Freddie Wilde of ESPNcricinfo, in Mumbai’s high-scoring win over Royal Challengers Bangalore, Singh bowled very economically:
But the 34-year-old has also proven to be a pretty decent option with the bat, producing one particularly memorable innings against Kings XI Punjab.
With the game getting away from Mumbai, Singh struck a stunning 64 off 24 balls, and while it wasn’t enough to steer his team to victory, it gave the Indians some much-needed momentum.
As noted by cricket statistician Bharath Seervi, it was an unprecedented innings from a player batting so far down the order in this competition:
Whether it’s his flowing bowling action or contrastingly brutal ball-striking, Singh is a wonderful cricketer to watch. He’s the kind of talent who can turn a game in an instant for Mumbai, and for a player who has endured a tough time of things as of late, it’s brilliant to see some consistency coming back into his game.
He'll continue with another strong display against Delhi.
Prediction: 20 runs, two wickets
All statistics and figures courtesy of the official IPL website.
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