IPL 2016: Best XI from Week 1 of Indian Premier League
The Indian Premier League is back up and running.
Gujarat Lions, one of two new franchises in this year's competition, are setting the early pace. Led by Aaron Finch's runs, the Lions have roared to three straight victories.
They are the only unbeaten side in the tournament, proving just how unpredictable the IPL can be.
Meanwhile, defending champions Mumbai have had a rocky start. But, despite only managing one win in their three outings, there is still plenty of time left for the Indians to come good.
With the season now a week old, Bleacher Report has looked at the statistics and selected a star XI.
1. Gautam Gambhir
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Gautam Gambhir ended the opening week wearing the orange cap (the "honour" bestowed on the competition's leading run-scorer).
The left-handed opener has amassed 192 runs in three knocks while only being dismissed once. He has made back-to-back half-centuries for a Kolkata Knight Riders team who have looked impressive so far.
According to Nikhil Kalro of ESPN Cricinfo, Gambhir's innings of 90 against Sunrisers Hyderabad on Saturday was his 28th 50 in the history of the tournament.
Kolkata's captain managed 327 runs in the 2015 edition of the IPL. His fast start has him on course to go well beyond that total this year.
2. Aaron Finch
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After a difficult ICC World Twenty20 with Australia, Aaron Finch has hit the ground running with the high-flying Gujarat Lions.
Signed by one of the IPL's two new franchises to provide runs at the top of the order, Finch has started life as a Lion with three successive half-centuries.
The right-hander followed up knocks of 74 and 50 against Kings XI and Pune, respectively, with an unbeaten 67 on Saturday against the Mumbai Indians.
Needing 11 from the final over, Finch—who had battled with cramps during his innings—steered his side to a dramatic last-ball victory.
3. Virat Kohli
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Virat Kohli has picked up right where he left off for India at the ICC World Twenty20.
Having scored 273 runs at an average of 136.50 on national duty, the right-hander has managed 154 more in just two knocks for Royal Challengers Bangalore.
Kohli—part of a ridiculously strong top order that also contains Chris Gayle, AB de Villiers (more on him to come) and Shane Watson—has registered back-to-back half-centuries for his franchise.
His last six scores in T20 action at all levels are (in reverse order): 55 not out, 24, 82 not out, 89, 75 and 79.
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4. AB de Villiers
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AB de Villiers has scored 137 runs in two knocks for Royal Challengers Bangalore.
However, the most impressive thing about his batting has been the speed at which he has scored his runs. He has faced just 75 deliveries to date, giving him an astonishing strike-rate of 182.66 runs per 100 balls.
The South African shared a 157-run stand with skipper Virat Kohli against Delhi Daredevils on Sunday.
According to statistician S Rajesh on Twitter, their partnership sits fourth on the all-time list for the Challengers, although they still ended up losing to Delhi.
5. Faf du Plessis
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Faf du Plessis seems to be relishing the chance to open the batting for Rising Pune Supergiants.
The South African—who spent the previous four IPL seasons with the now-suspended Chennai Super Kings—followed up an opening knock of 34 with back-to-back half-centuries.
Du Plessis had to deal with both the Kings XI attack and the humid conditions in making 67 from 53 deliveries in Chandigarh on Sunday.
While the right-hander bats at the top of the order for Pune, he slots lower down in our XI.
6. Quinton de Kock
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Quinton de Kock dazzled for Delhi Daredevils on Sunday, hitting 108 in his side's seven-wicket victory over Royal Challengers Bangalore.
The wicketkeeper-batsman smashed three sixes and 15 fours as he registered the first century of the 2016 IPL season.
Commentator Harsha Bogle tweeted: "Quinton de Kock has a great ability to convert a good start into a bigger match winning effort. Sign of a class player. Not everyone can."
De Kock—who joins fellow South Africans AB de Villiers and Faf du Plessis in the XI—may open the batting in T20 cricket, but there simply wasn't room to squeeze him in at the top of the order.
7. Dwayne Bravo
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Dwayne Bravo has settled in quickly to life with the Gujarat Lions.
Fresh from helping the West Indies win the ICC World Twenty20 on Indian soil, Bravo's guile and clever changes of pace have seen him pick up six wickets in three games.
The seamer has been a tad expensive (his economy rate is 8.66 runs per over) but taking wickets in T20 cricket is crucial.
Bravo relishes the battle out in the middle, telling Rajlaxmi Arora of the IPL's official website: "For me, I enjoy this particular challenge and love when batsmen come after me. I like to back my ability to contain any batsman in the world and it is a test of your confidence and how good you really are."
8. Amit Mishra
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Amit Mishra has picked up five wickets so far in 2016, taking his career tally in the IPL to 116. Only Lasith Malinga has more victims in the history of the competition, per ESPN Cricinfo's records.
The leg-spinner claimed four for 11 for Delhi Daredevils against Kings XI Punjab on Friday.
Among his victims at the Feroz Shah Kotla in Delhi were three overseas players—Australian duo Shaun Marsh and Glenn Maxwell, plus South African David Miller.
Mishra might have claimed the first five-wicket haul in this year's tournament had he been allowed to bowl his fourth and final over in the innings.
9. Mitchell McClenaghan
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With Lasith Malinga sidelined with a knee injury, New Zealander Mitchell McClenaghan has stepped up to become Mumbai's overseas star with the ball.
The left-arm paceman has claimed six scalps at an average of 12.16. Per ESPN Cricinfo, he also boasts an impressive economy rate of 6.63 runs per over.
McClenaghan's contributions have not just been restricted to his bowling, however.
He was pushed up the order by Indians coach Ricky Ponting during the game against Kolkata Knight Riders, and he duly belted 20 off just eight deliveries to kickstart his side's run chase.
Mumbai need McClenaghan to build on his impressive start after confirming Malinga will play no part in this year's tournament, according to Andrew Fidel Fernando of ESPN Cricinfo.
10. Sandeep Sharma
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Sandeep Sharma is ranked eighth on the list of leading wicket-takers after the opening week of the season.
However, the reason he has been selected in the XI is his ridiculously good economy rate. The Kings XI Punjab seamer has gone at just 5.55 runs per over so far.
In a format that heavily favours batsmen, Sharma's early performances deserve to be recognised (particularly as his economy rate is only likely to head one way in the future).
The 22-year-old is not going to impress on the speed gun, but he is able to extract any life from a pitch with his probing medium pace.
Sidharth Monga of ESPN Cricinfo praised the player for his performance against Rising Pune Supergiants on Sunday: "On a dry pitch and an abrasive outfield, that seam movement is available all too briefly, but in his first spell of 3-0-17-1 Sandeep made full use of it."
11. Murugan Ashwin
11 of 11Every IPL season throws up some new faces. Judging by his early performances, Murugan Ashwin could emerge as a star in 2016.
The leg-spinner has picked up six wickets in three appearances for Rising Pune Supergiants, including three for 36 in his side's defeat against Kings XI Punjab on Sunday.
According to his official profile, "Ashwin was a regular feature over the years as a net bowler for Chennai Super Kings."
But, when it came to the 2016 auction, new boys Rising Pune pulled out all the stops to get Ashwin.
He sold for 4.5 crore ($670,000), an astonishing 45 times his base price. If he keeps up his current form, it could be money well spent by the Supergiants.
All stats used in the slideshow were from ESPN Cricinfo and the IPL's official website.
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