Now the longest among the ongoing cricket leagues internationally, the Indian premier league has been a source of excitement since the beginning. Incredible players showed unmatched talents on this stage, demonstrating everything from batting to lethal bowling. But almost no player who has helped a team reach heights has ever been given appropriate notice.
And here talks about pretty classic themes- the top five most underrated players in IPL history who struggled to remain under the radar while performing at an elite level and contributing monumental amounts to their team. These are the unsung heroes whose efforts deserve more recognition. So, let’s jump in!
- Manish Pandey
Manish Pandey is one of the few players to be termed among the most consistent middle-order batsmen in the history of the IPL; however, one never tends to think of him first, second, or even third when it comes to the greats of the game. But he has been an able contributor over the years.
One leaves a mark with RCB in 2009 when he played an important part in reaching the finals. Subsequently, he has established himself as a trusted and reliable player for KKR and SRH. Pandey is one of the very few Indian players who has scored a century in an IPL final (2014 for KKR) which people usually associate only with Gautam Gambhir and Andre Russell.
He carries innings besides winding up the strike and hitting those all-important boundaries quite often. He is also quite a handy fielder, catching some brilliant catches during critical moments of the game. Although he is not a star in the IPL, his middle-order dynamics are unquestioned and hugely undervalued due to his consistency.
- Ravichandran Ashwin
Among the world’s best spinners, Ashwin is not given the importance he deserves while talking about IPL. An adept master of play with clever variations and control over the ball, Ashwin throughout his career has been a match-winner for the side, be it the franchisee Chennai Super Kings or Punjab Kings.
The role played by Ashwin, as referred to above during his initial years in the IPL, was one of the various elements of success CSK had during the year because they now have a quality spinner who could break partnerships and provide key wickets at crunch times. Even if given the whole stage by MS Dhoni, Suresh Raina, and Dwayne Bravo, Ashwin’s performance in the middle overs cumulatively set up the success of the team.
Ashwin achieves the same positive results with the PBKS with continual wickets alongside a few runs leaking. It’s also sad that, despite all the amazing things he does Powerplay, middle overs, and death bowling in discussions of big names in IPL, nobody talks about him. He made a difference and will do so over the years in this tournament.
- Kedar Jadhav
Kedar Jadhav is a player who can bat, and bowl, as well as field, and that is not at all in concern for IPL bothers him. Of course, his inborn abilities are not reflected in his batting performances, as they mostly lack much floor space for worship. Unorthodox in approach yet effective, Jadhav can sometimes churn in results that are seldom associated with him. One of Jadhav’s most valuable assets is his ability to hit the ball into gaps and rotate strike when needed, making him an asset to the middle overs. His calm and composed nature has been crucial during pressurized situations; his few overs of bowling have just given the captain some breathing space to break partnerships.
Of course, Jadhav is not a big man who scores explosive fifties and hundreds, but whatever he does- finishing games and down-stabilizing them- it’s all been important for his team. Much of his work goes unappreciated because bigger names overshadow him. But his capability to remain calm under pressure and deliver at the right time makes him one of the most underrated players in IPL history.
- Shane Watson
Shane Watson is a name that almost all cricket lovers will recognize, while this great player has already known contributions to the IPL still he remains somewhat underrated when talking about the all-time greats in that tournament. This explosive all-rounder is a part of Rajasthan Royals and Chennai Super Kings in the IPL that just has his ability to win matches both by his batting and his bowling.
There is no denying that his performances with the bat-all of them were imperative in CSK winning the 2018 edition; in fact, his performance helped them clinch victory in the final match. Watson holds the power to take the game alive and make momentum favor his team with a powerful batting stroke. His bowling is effective for the most part and the attention it attracts could be more, but Watson has produced very important wickets in matches by taking out crucial players in tough situations.
Although it is not always the case, it has generally been observed that Watson is not considered a strong contender for the “best of all time” title in the IPL, but has arguably coalesced into one of the most underrated players in the tournament’s history on account of his versatile talents, leadership attributes, and discipline over the years.
- Dinesh Karthik
Dinesh Karthik has been one consistent performer in the IPL for ages but tends to go unnoticed along with many other so-called famous players. He has provided stability and experience thus far with teams like Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals), Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) as a wicketkeeper-batsman.
Though Karthik’s batting is robust, it’s his leadership that shines. He led the KKR team with calmness and intelligence, much in the way of tactical moves that came out to be successful. His ability to finish games in nail-biting situations along with his stumping skills was one of the factors that made him a valuable asset for every team he ever played.
While the public eye has always been on players who are flashy with the bat or the ball, Karthik has always lingered far away from the limelight despite being crucial to his team’s success. His role as a partner builder who provides stability and takes on-the-field decisions when it comes to crucial dismissals as a keeper ranks him as one of IPL’s most underrated players ever.
Conclusion
IPL has seen some of the greatest cricketers of the world, but these are the equally great players who do not shine at the center stage but make all the difference in their teams’ victories. To name some of them-Manish Pandey, Ravichandran Ashwin, Kedar Jadhav, Shane Watson, and Dinesh Karthik-players who might be underappreciated when it comes to praise, but are in reality the very fabric of consistency and adaptability, and this is indispensable to their teams.
For fans to enjoy and appreciate the role these undervalued players play in making the IPL such an exciting extravaganza, it’s of utmost importance. After all, teams are only as good as their collective effort, and these nameless players often prove to be the decisive factor at important moments.
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