With the league phase getting finished, the focus immediately shifts to the playoffs. Royal Challengers Bangalore will be taking on Gujarat Lions in the first qualifier and the Sunrisers Hyderabad will be taking on Kolkata Knight Riders in the eliminator.
At least two out of these four teams are batting heavy. So who are the batsmen you should be looking forward to seeing in action during the playoffs? They will also be fetching you plenty of points in the fantasy matches. Fans should notice that AB de Villiers has been marked as a wicket-keeper in the fantasy and hence won’t be a part of this list.
#1 Virat Kohli (RCB)
We have never seen 800 runs being scored in a single edition of the IPL before. But Virat Kohli has taken it to another level and has finished the league stage with an astonishing 919 runs at an average of 91.90. How can you leave him out? Without a doubt, he should be the first name on your team sheet.
Another impressive aspect in his batting this season has been the strike rate. The 27-year-old is striking it at 152 this season and with RCB taking on the Lions in the first game, the first thing that comes to mind are the two centuries he scored against them in this tournament already. Third one could well be on the cards.
#2 Chris Gayle (RCB)
Gayle was dismissed cheaply in the last game against Delhi Daredevils but in the two games prior to that, he had regained his confidence and looked in good touch. Considering RCB will be playing on their home turf, it will be criminal to ignore the ‘world boss’.
Apart from Dwayne Bravo to an extent, no other bowler from the Lions squad looks threatening enough to trouble Gayle. That is another factor to consider while picking him up in your squad despite the price tag.
#3 David Warner (SRH)
The tournament’s second highest run-getter is another destructive player who can hurt your fantasy team if you ignore him. Warner’s 658 runs in the tournament came at a strike rate of 151 with an average of 54.8 which are incredible numbers in T20 cricket.
Leadership has made him get more responsible as he ensures he delivers for his side in each and every single game. His side missed out on a top two spot and that could make him get extra motivated. Watch out Kolkata Knight Riders.
#4 Shikhar Dhawan (SRH)
For a man who struggled to put bat on ball at the start of the tournament, Shikhar Dhawan overturned his fortunes dramatically in the second half of the season. There were calls for his exclusion in the side earlier but he fought back hard and was literally helped out by his skipper in the middle only to become a dominant batsman yet again.
Dhawan’s timing has been immense in the last few games and he will certainly step up when Warner doesn’t. So he is another batsman for you to watch out in the playoff stages.
#5 Gautam Gambhir (KKR)
The Knight Riders skipper has been consistency personified! He delivers with the bat every season and this time around it wasn’t different as he went on to score 473 runs at a strike rate of 123 and an average of almost 40. He finished sixth on the top run-getters chart this season.
He loves leading from the front and could once again step up against the Sunrisers in the eliminator. And remember, he already scored an unbeaten 90 against the same side.
#6 Yusuf Pathan (KKR)
Yusuf Pathan is not listed as an all-rounder in the game and that is probably because of the fact that he isn’t bowling often for KKR these days. He has surprised one and all with his consistency this season and he has been delivering for the Knight Riders almost every game especially in the second half of the season.
He is averaging 89 with the bat having scored 359 runs and that strike rate is high as always at 148. He also scored an unbeaten half-century in his side’s last league game against Sunrisers Hyderabad, the team that he will be up against in the eliminator.
#7 Manish Pandey (KKR)
The Knight Riders batsman has once again established himself strongly in his side’s top order after scoring a 48 and a half-century in his last three innings. Pandey is a busy player who looks to keep scoring irrespective of what the situation is.
He is averaging 30 with a strike rate of 136 this season so far. If a good batting wicket is presented, pick him in your team without any hesitation.
#8 Dwayne Smith (GL)
Yes he has surprised one and all with his bowling heroics in the last two matches but the fantasy game lists him as a batsman. He has been in good touch with the bat as well as he showed in the last game despite batting at number five.
And with him contributing with the ball too, do not miss out on the West Indian. McCullum hasn’t made big scores in this tournament yet so one can prefer Smith to the Kiwi in their fantasy line-up.
#9 Aaron Finch (GL)
The Lions have brought him back as an opener yet again in their last game. He might have scored a duck in it but remember he began the tournament with a bang scoring three back-to-back half-centuries. And this is the sort of push he probably needed to be back amongst the runs again.
And the added incentive is the fact that he will be up against the Royal Challengers at a batting paradise. Fans just cannot afford to miss out on this Australian batsman who has already amassed 339 runs this season.
#10 Suresh Raina (GL)
It’s been a low key IPL for Suresh Raina as per his standards but he still managed to score almost 400 runs this season at an average of 33. But in the last couple of games, he has redeemed himself and has shown glimpses of his old self where he used to toy with the bowling attacks. The two half-centuries were filled with vintage Raina strokes which are ominous signs for the opposition.
And considering he will be up against RCB in a stadium that is known for big scores, you simply cannot afford to not pick him in your fantasy team.
SOURCE :: SPORTSKEEDA
