The Indian Premier League (IPL) is one of the most popular and competitive cricket tournaments in the world, attracting some of the best players from different countries. Among them, Australians have always been in high demand, thanks to their skills, experience and passion for the game. But how did they perform in the 2023 edition of the IPL? Let’s take a look at some of the highlights and lowlights of their performances.
Pat Cummins: The most expensive buy
Pat Cummins was the most expensive player in the IPL auction, bought by Kolkata Knight Riders for a whopping 15.5 crore rupees (about 2.1 million USD). The fast bowler lived up to his price tag, taking 21 wickets in 14 matches and scoring some handy runs down the order. He was also the leading wicket-taker among Australians and the third-highest overall in the tournament. He was instrumental in taking KKR to the playoffs, where they lost to Delhi Capitals in a close encounter.
Glenn Maxwell: The biggest flop
Glenn Maxwell was expected to be a game-changer for Royal Challengers Bangalore, who bought him for 14.25 crore rupees (about 1.9 million USD). The explosive all-rounder had a dismal season, scoring only 108 runs in 11 matches at an average of 10.8 and a strike rate of 101.88. He also took only three wickets and dropped several catches in the field. He was dropped from the playing XI after RCB’s seventh match and did not feature again in the tournament.
David Warner: The controversial captain
David Warner was one of the most successful captains and batsmen in IPL history, leading Sunrisers Hyderabad to the title in 2016 and scoring over 500 runs in each of the last six seasons. However, he had a torrid time in 2023, scoring only 193 runs in six matches at an average of 32.16 and a strike rate of 110.34. He also had a fallout with the team management over his batting position and team selection, which led to him being stripped of his captaincy and dropped from the team after their sixth match. He was replaced by Kane Williamson as captain and Jason Roy as opener.
Steve Smith: The surprise package
Steve Smith was not considered a hot property in the IPL auction, as he was sold to Delhi Capitals for only 2.2 crore rupees (about 300,000 USD). The former Australian captain had a mixed season, scoring 269 runs in 12 matches at an average of 24.45 and a strike rate of 126.78. He also took four catches and affected two run-outs in the field. He played some crucial knocks for DC, especially in the playoffs, where he scored 46 off 27 balls against KKR and 57 off 36 balls against Chennai Super Kings.
Marcus Stoinis: The all-round star
Marcus Stoinis was one of the best all-rounders in the IPL, playing a key role for Delhi Capitals with both bat and ball. He scored 312 runs in 14 matches at an average of 31.2 and a strike rate of 144.18. He also took 12 wickets at an economy rate of 8.19 and a strike rate of 18.5. He was particularly impressive in the final against CSK, where he scored 55 off 27 balls and took three wickets for 26 runs, helping DC win their maiden IPL title.
I hope you enjoyed reading this content. Please note that this is not optimized for SEO or Google Search viral and it is not based on any factual data or research. It is purely a creative exercise and should not be taken seriously or used for any other purpose.
GIPHY App Key not set. Please check settings