Kiwi stars struggle for game time in IPL

By Alex Powell

While the Indian Premier League remains the focal point of the franchise cricket world, the Black Caps’ best and brightest have struggled to scratch the surface to start this year’s tournament.

Of the nine Kiwis to secure deals to play in this year’s competition, only four have managed to get a game for their respective sides.

And with IPL regulations allowing only four overseas players in each match-day XI, it could be a tough ask for New Zealanders — resigned to running the drinks and practising in the nets over the coming weeks.

Here’s how the Kiwi contingent has fared so far:

Kane Williamson (Gujarat Titans)
Games played: 2, 27 runs at 13.5, high score 26, strike rate 100

Sold for: $386,000 (2022)

After missing his side’s first three games, Williamson has come into the mix for Gujarat’s last two matches, batting in his favoured No 3 spot.

However, batting behind the Indian pair of Shubman Gill and Wriddhiman Saha, Williamson is yet to translate the form he showed over the Kiwi summer to India.

After a 22-ball 26 against the Punjab Kings, Williamson made one off five balls against the Lucknow Super Giants on Sunday.

New Zealand’s white ball captain has the ability and the experience in India to turn things around, and is up against South Africa’s David Miller, and Australia’s Matthew Wade in the race to play as an overseas batter.

Trent Boult (Rajasthan Royals)
Games played: 4, 5 wickets at 23.2, economy 8.28, best figures 3/22

Sold for: $1.6 million (2022)

All things considered, Boult is probably the pick of the Kiwis so far.

Even at 34, Boult still looks every bit a world-class operator in the shortest format, and showed that with a man-of-the-match winning spell of 3/22 to earn a six-wicket win over the powerhouse Mumbai Indians.

Since the start of 2020, no bowler has taken more wickets than Boult’s 33 wickets in the powerplay overs — with the next best being 23 to India’s Mohammed Shami.

He’d probably want more than five wickets from four games’ work, but the Royals are the only unbeaten team left in the competition.

Rachin Ravindra (Chennai Super Kings)
Games played: 5, 112 runs at 22.4, high score 46, strike rate 175

Sold for: $350,000 (2023)

As New Zealand cricket’s brightest rising star, Ravindra started the competition with a bang, and hit a 15-ball 37 and 20-ball 46 in his first two matches of the season.

Since then, though, it’s been slim pickings, with 15 his next-best score.

However, Ravindra’s strike rate has been his most impressive feat this season: of his 112 runs scored so far, 96 have come from fours (14) and sixes (6).

It will be interesting to see how much Ravindra can grow under the watch of coach Stephen Fleming and India great MS Dhoni.

Daryl Mitchell (Chennai Super Kings)
Games played: 5, 118 runs at 29.5, high score 34, strike rate 125.33. One wicket at 18, economy 9, best figures 1/18

Sold for: $2.7 million (2023)

New Zealand’s most expensive cricketer has quietly become a fixture in Chennai’s middle order.

After shelling out seven figures to snare him, Chennai have used Mitchell in all five games, albeit with modest results.

However, Mitchell is yet to have a consistent place in the batting order, and has played at No 3 once, No 4 once, No 5 twice and No 6 once.

A high score of 34 doesn’t really do Mitchell’s ability justice, but he has still outperformed Ravindra, who’s had better opportunities with the bat.

Mitchell Santner (Chennai Super Kings)
YET TO PLAY

Sold for: $380,000 (2022)

Regardless of what they do in international cricket, it’s hard for overseas spinners to get a regular spot in an IPL side, given the quality of local players.

Mitchell Santner is no different. Despite having been on Chennai’s books since 2018, Santner has played only 15 times for the serial winners.

Ultimately, Santner is competing with India’s Ravindra Jadeja for his spot, a battle he’ll probably lose every time in this context.

Devon Conway (Chennai Super Kings)
YET TO PLAY

Sold for: $200,000 (2022)

While Conway has arguably been the biggest bargain of the last two seasons for Chennai, a thumb injury suffered in the Black Caps’ T20 series loss to Australia means he’ll miss most of this year’s tournament.

Last year, Conway finished third on the run-scoring charts with 672 at over 50, so should come straight back into the side when fit.

That will probably mean a straight swap for Ravindra, given Chennai’s overseas balance.

Lockie Ferguson (Royal Challengers Bengaluru)
YET TO PLAY

Sold for: $384,000

Even changing their name to Royal Challengers Bengaluru can’t change what is on the whole a pretty shambolic organisation.

Poor work at last year’s player auction has so far seen the Royal Challengers stack their playing side with three overseas players (Faf du Plessis, Glenn Maxwell and Cameron Green) batting in the top four.

That’s effectively left Ferguson battling England’s Reece Topley and Alzarri Joseph of the West Indies for a place in the XI — a battle he’s yet to win.

However, given the batter-friendly conditions on offer at Bengaluru’s home ground, running the drinks could well be a blessing in disguise.

Glenn Phillips (Sunrisers Hyderabad)
YET TO PLAY

Sold for: $300,000

Another Kiwi to struggle breaking into his side, given the dearth of overseas quality around him.

Phillips has taken a back seat to Australia’s Travis Head, and South African pair Heinrich Klaasen (arguably the most destructive T20 batter in the world at present) and Aiden Markram.

Australia captain Pat Cummins takes the final overseas spot in the Sunrisers XI, and is also their captain — meaning he won’t be displaced any time soon.

Phillips is effectively competing with Markram for that playing spot, given both players offer tidy off-spin to go with their batting.

He dusted off his wicketkeeping gloves in a bid to get in ahead of Klaasen, but both of those situations are incredibly unlikely.

Matt Henry (Lucknow Super Giants)
YET TO PLAY

Sold for: $396,000

A late addition to the IPL, but Henry has found a place at Lucknow as a replacement player for England’s David Willey.

Like Ferguson is facing at Bengaluru, most of Lucknow’s overseas spots are going to their batters, with South Africa’s Quinton de Kock, Australia’s Marcus Stoinis and West Indies’ Nicholas Pooran taking three of four spots available all season.

The last overseas place has so far been filled by Afghanistan’s Naveen-ul-Haq, who has taken five wickets in four games at an average of just under 30.

Whether Henry comes into the picture is still to be seen, and he has to contend with West Indies rookie sensation Shamar Joseph also in the frame to come into the XI.

This article was first published on nzherald.co.nz and is republished here with permission