IPL 2020: Five Overseas Players who disappointed with their performance
The Indian Premier League is considered to be the toughest T20 tournament. In every season, there are some players who come in as the star performers and make a name for themselves in the world of cricket. But, it is also no surprise that the biggest names in the community do fail to perform on some of the occasions. This edition of the tournament also saw some players not living up to the expectations of their team’s management and the fans. Here’s a look at 5 such overseas players who disappointed with their performance in IPL 2020.
5. Sunil Narine (Kolkata Knight Riders)
The spinner tasked with batting at the top of the batting order of his team, Sunil Narine, this season, was not able to replicate his magic spells with either the bat or the ball. Apart from his diminishing form with the ball, the issues regarding his action also plagued his run in the tournament. He was under the scanner from the officials because of his bowling action but was later cleared of all suspicions.
Even though Narine was back in the team, it looked as if he was never able to fully come into the flow. His numbers dropped to the rock bottom as he was able to take just 5 wickets and score 121 runs in the 10 matches that he got to play in. One of the mainstays of the Kolkata Knight Riders setup did not live up to the expectations of the fans and the team and would want to redeem himself in the coming season of the IPL.
4. Steve Smith (Rajasthan Royals)
The captain of every team in the world of cricket is expected to lead from the front and do well in every field that he or she is capable of contributing in. But, such was not the case with Steve Smith in this edition of the Indian Premier League. During the entire season, he was not able to get in form with batting and this was reflected in his team’s overall run in the tournament too.
The only captain featuring on this list, Smith, in the 14 matches that he played, managed to pile up only 311 runs, which is not at all suited to the batsman of his capability and stature. Rajasthan are likely to stick with him as their leader in the next edition of IPL too, but if he wants his team to do well, he will have to step up his game with the bat.
3. Andre Russell (Kolkata Knight Riders)
The second entrant in the list from the Caribbeans, representing the Kolkata Knight Riders, Andre Russell again one such player, whose lack of performances literally threw his team’s campaign off track. Russell who used to destroy the bowling attacks with the bat was able to score only 117 runs in 10 matches. The bowlers used to fear bowling to him but in this season, he stood on the pitch seemingly helpless, desperately searching for runs. With the ball in hand too, he did not do that well as he managed to scalp only 6 wickets in the 18 overs he bowled in total. The absence of his services cost the KKR campaign dearly and the team did not even make it to the playoffs in this season.
2. Jonny Bairstow (Sunrisers Hyderabad)
Opening the batting of his team alongside David Warner, the wicketkeeper-batsman from England, Jonny Bairstow started his run this season of the Indian Premier League on a really positive note. He strung together a series of good partnerships with Warner at the top and maintained his form through the tough times his team had at the start of the tournament. But, it was not long before his form plummeted and he was dropped from the team. And his replacement in the team, Wriddhiman Saha did not take any time to consolidate his place.
Bairstow, halfway through the tournament found himself warming the bench and was not seen in the playing XI thereafter. One more reason that contributed to his ouster from the team was that his departure gave SRH an extra overseas player spot which they thought could better be utilised elsewhere. He played in 11 matches and scored 345 runs at a strike rate of 126.83. Though 345 runs look good, Bairstow never had the same kind of impact he had last year.
1. Shane Watson (Chennai Super Kings)
The once ace all-rounder, Shane Watson found himself searching for form with the bat throughout this season of the Indian Premier League. Watson did show some brilliance in a couple of his innings at the start of the tournament with the bat in hand and it looked like he would, from that point, carry the Chennai team’s batting, but that day never came. His bowling abilities never saw the light of the day too. Watson announced his retirement from all forms of cricket the day after Chennai was knocked out of the tournament, and he ended his final season of the IPL with 299 runs to his name in the 11 matches that he played in.
