IPL: Most balls taken by a batter to hit first six in a season

Usually, it doesn’t take too long for a batter to smash a six in a fresh series/tournament. In T20 cricket, the format demands a player to keep smashing them out of the park. In the Indian Premier League (IPL), a few cricketers took a lot of time in terms of deliveries faced to finally deposit the ball into the stands.

Let’s take a look at the most balls taken by a batter to hit the first maximum in an IPL campaign (Top 3):

3. Wriddhiman Saha (164)

Wicketkeeper batter Wriddhiman Saha occupies the third position in this unwanted list. It took 164 deliveries for Saha to finally send the ball sailing into the stands in the 2016 edition. Playing for Punjab Kings (PBKS), he finished the season with 270 runs to his name in 12 innings. Saha hit two half-centuries at an average of 24.54 and a strike rate of 127.35 with the highest score of 56. The right-handed batter struck 29 fours and just a solitary six.

2. Gautam Gambhir (180)

Left-handed batter Gautam Gambhir is the second name on this chart. Finally, after facing 180 deliveries, he was able to deposit one into the stands in 2009. He scored 286 runs in 15 innings while playing for Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals DC). Gambhir smashed just one half-century at an average of 22.00 and a poor strike rate of 102.87 with the highest score of 71*. Overall, he struck just two sixes and 32 fours in a season held in South Africa.

1. David Warner (247)

It doesn’t take too long for pocket dynamo David Warner to slam sixes but in the ongoing 2023 edition, he had his own six-hitting struggle. After facing 247 balls, DC skipper Warner finally hit a maximum that came as a surprise for many. So far, the swashbuckling batter has racked up 330 runs in 11 innings. Warner has smashed four fifties at an average of 30.00 and a strike rate of 119.56 with the best score of 65. The left-hander has struck 47 fours and two sixes in IPL 2023.