Shubman Gill, Wriddhiman Saha, Virat Kohli and Faf du Plessis. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)
Openers have always played an essential part in the success of the Indian Premier League (IPL) teams. In Chennai Super Kings’ (CSK) success in 2021, Ruturaj Gaikwad and his the-then opening partner Faf du Plessis, played a humongous role. Not only CSK, in Mumbai Indians (MI), Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) also took trophy wins in 2020, 2012, and 2016 respectively; openers made a huge contribution.
In 2012, Gautam Gambhir led KKR to their maiden IPL title victory with his 590 runs in 17 matches, while his opening partner Manvinder Bisla also turned up against bowlers in the final match to help the team clinch the trophy. Similarly, in 2016, David Warner, who was the SRH captain, led from the front to win the prestigious trophy with 848 runs in 17 games.
On the other side, Warner’s opening partner Shikhar Dhawan also scored 501 runs in 17 games to reinforce the team alongside his skipper. These numbers and facts clearly show that having a fierce opening pair could be a boon for any side in the T20 league. In the 2023 edition, some-opening pairs justified their roles by performing efficiently, while a few failed to be upto the mark.
Discussing more, here are the ranking of 10 opening-batting pairs in IPL 2023
10. Jason Roy and Rahmanullah Gurbaz (Kolkata Knight Riders) – 4/10
KKR Opening Pair. (Photo Source : BCCI/IPL)
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) came out as one of the worst teams in the IPL 2023. In the competition, they gave the opening responsibility to Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Narayan Jagadeesan, but after witnessing the latter’s flop show, they tried Litton Das and Jason Roy too.
Das also failed to prove himself, but Roy put up a decent show with his bat, scoring 285 runs in eight matches at a strike rate of 151.59. Among all KKR openers, Gurbaz played most matches but failed to provide solid starts to the team in a majority of matches. Except for his knocks against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and Gujarat Titans (GT) in match nine and 39, respectively, at Eden Gardens, the Afghan player failed to be among the runs.
Batting alongside Roy in the last few matches, the Afgan batter struggled to provide anything solid to the team. Talking about his overall batting numbers, the right-handed batter scored 227 runs with a couple of fifties in 11 matches at a strike rate of 133.52.
9. Harry Brook and Mayank Agarwal (Sunrisers Hyderabad) – 4/10
SRH Opening Pair. (Photo Source : BCCI/IPL)
In the 2023 IPL season, Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) handed the opening mantle to Mayank Agarwal. For the former Punjab Kings (PBKS) captain, the 2023 season was crucial as he had struggled to score runs for PBKS in the 2022 season. Despite his dismal performance for Punjab in the fifteenth IPL edition, SRH didn’t hesitate to spend INR 8.25 crore in the right-handed opener at the 2023 IPL auction.
However, nothing much changed for Agarwal in 2023 as he lacked confidence against bowlers and failed to provide ideal starts to Sunrisers. The veteran appeared in 10 matches and scored only 270 runs at a disheartening strike rate of 128.57. Along with him, Harry Brook also didn’t perform upto the expectations.
Watching the young England batter struggle in the first two matches, the SRH team management tasked him to support the side as an opening batter with Agarwal, but the 24-year-old couldn’t do justice with his new role. Playing 11 matches played in the competition, the young batter scored only 190 runs at an underwhelming strike rate of 123.37.
8. David Warner and Prithvi Shaw (Delhi Capitals)- 4.5/10
DC Opening Pair. (Photo Source : BCCI/IPL)
David Warner and Prithvi Shaw were expected to emerge as one of the best opening batting pairs in the 2023 IPL, as both players are famous for their ferocious batting styles. Warner, who was handling Delhi’s captaincy mantle, scored 516 runs in 14 games but at a miserable strike rate of 131.63.
In the tournament, the Australia stalwart’s slow batting remained a talking point as DC lost a lot of matches due to his conservative playing approach. Warner, who is known for his aggressive batting attitude, was seen playing cautiously and defensively against bowlers. It wasn’t just Warner who disappointed DC supporters. Along with his captain, Prithvi Shaw also contributed to his team’s failure in the competition.
Shaw, who was an integral part of the DC squad for his opening batting, looked completely out of colour. The right-handed batter concluded his campaign in the tournament with only 106 runs in eight contests at a strike rate of 124.70.
7. KL Rahul and Kyle Mayers (Lucknow Super Giants)- 5/10
LSG Opening Pair. (Photo Source : BCCI/IPL)
Ahead of IPL 2023, KL Rahul was going through a tough time as critics were consistently targeting him for his poor form. In the cash-rich league, Rahul’s supporters were expecting him to shine with his bat for Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and regain his form. However, that didn’t happen, as the LSG skipper also struggled in the T20 event.
Scoring only 274 runs in nine matches at a cheerless strike rate of 113.22, the veteran looked completely underconfident. In LSG’s seven-run loss at the hands of Gujarat Titans (GT) at the Ekana Sports City, Lucknow, Rahul faced harsh criticism for his sluggish knock of 68 off 61.
The tournament was a nightmare for Rahul, but it must be an amazing experience for Kyle Mayers. The left-handed West Indies batter did his job efficiently. Notching up 379 runs in 13 matches at a strike rate of 144.10, the Caribbean became the second-leading run-getter for Super Giants in the 2023 IPL.
6. Shikhar Dhawan and Prabhsimran Singh (Punjab Kings)- 5.5/10
PBKS Opening Pair. (Photo Source : BCCI/IPL)
For another season, Punjab Kings (PBKS) have come out as one of the worst-performing teams, concluding their campaign in the eighth position, with six victories and eight losses. Under their new skipper Shikhar Dhawan, Punjab started well in the competition, but later, their campaign fell apart.
Amidst these bleak scenes, a few positive things also happened for Punjab. Shikhar Dhawan and Prabhsimran Singh put up impressive shows with their bats and became the highest run-scorer for the team. During the tournament, Dhawan utilised his experience and skills to deliver ideal starts to the team while young Prabhsimran consolidated the side with his positive energy.
With 373 runs in 11 matches at a strike rate of 142.92, Dhawan became the leading run-getter for Punjab. Following his captain and opening partner, Prabhsimran became the second-highest run-scorer for PBKS with 358 runs in 14 games at a strike rate of 150.42.
5. Yashasvi Jaiswal and Jos Buttler (Rajasthan Royals) – 6/10
RR Opening Pair. (Photo Source : BCCI/IPL)
Yashasvi Jaiswal emerged as the most efficient batter for Rajasthan Royals (RR). He played his part brilliantly as an opener by producing quality match-winning knocks from his bat. Chalking up 625 runs in 14 matches at a strike rate of 163.61, he became the fifth leading run-scorer in the tournament.
Against Mumbai Indians (MI) at the Wankhede Stadium, he hit his maiden IPL ton. The southpaw also attracted attention for the fastest IPL half-century against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at Eden Gardens, which came in just 13 deliveries. On one side, Jaiswal exuded confidence with his bat, while on the other hand, 2022 Orange Cap winner Jos Buttler failed to deliver his best.
In the first match against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), Buttler batted aggressively but later struggled to be consistent with his bat. Scoring only 392 runs in 14 matches at a strike rate of 139.00, the RR stalwart failed to perform according to his reputation.
4. Rohit Sharma and Ishan Kishan- 7/10
MI Opening Pair. (Photo Source : BCCI/IPL)
Mumbai Indians (MI) ended up their journey in IPL 2023 in the playoffs, losing to Gujarat Titans (GT) by 62 runs in Qualifier 2. Earlier in the competition, going through its captain Rohit Sharma‘s glorifying past record in the league, the MI team management was hoping Rohit to score big runs. Throughout the competition, Rohit remained inconsistent, which cost vital matches to the team.
In 16 outings, the MI captain scored 332 runs in 16 matches at a strike rate of 132.80. Playing initial matches, Ishan Kishan also delivered underwhelming numbers to his team. However, after a few games, the southpaw played some fine knocks and boosted his confidence to make a comeback in the tournament.
The wicketkeeper-batter ended up as the second-highest run-scorer for MI, amassing 454 runs in 16 contests at a strike rate of 142.76. However, what remained common in both Rohit and Kishan was their inconsistency, as both opener didn’t provide solid numbers to MI regularly.
3. Shubman Gill and Wriddhiman Saha- 8/10
GT Opening Pair. (Photo source : BCCI/IPL)
Shubman Gill became a complete batting icon in the 2023 IPL as the dashing right-handed batter dominated the tournament with his bat. Riding on his scintillating batting shows, Gujarat Titans (GT) topped the points table in the round-robin stage. At the end of the competition, GT failed to take the trophy home, but Gill will feel positive as he also succeeded in proving himself in the cash-rich league.
Notching up 890 runs in 17 matches at a strike rate of 157.80, he became the recipient of the IPL Orange Cap award. Gill’s batting numbers also placed him in second on the list of batters who made the most runs in an IPL season. In the tournament, GT dominated quality teams easily, and in this success, experienced Wriddhiman Saha also played a vital role with Gill.
Supporting Gill, Saha also performed brilliantly and bolstered the team with his exceptional batting display. Following his opening partner, the veteran became the second-highest run-getter for his team, with 371 runs in 17 matches at a strike rate of 129.26.
2. Ruturaj Gaikwad and Devon Conway (Chennai Super Kings)- 9/10
CSK Opening Pair. (Photo Source : BCCI/IPL)
After the 2021 season, Ruturaj Gaikwad looked impactful with his bat again in the cash-rich IPL as he played a pivotal role in CSK’s fifth title win. Kicking off his campaign with confidence, Gaikwad smashed 92 off 50 in the IPL 2023 inaugural match against Gujarat Titans (GT) at the Narendra Modi Stadium. Keeping his form intact, the 26-year-old right-handed opener produced solid knocks in his next few matches to help his team emerge victorious.
In the massive match against Gujarat Titans (GT) at Qualifier 1, Gaikwad stepped up and scored 60 runs off 44 in his team’s 15-run triumph. For CSK, winning the title wouldn’t have been possible if Devon Conway hadn’t contributed with his sensational batting efforts.
Chipping in with 672 runs in 15 innings of 16 games at a strike rate of 139.70, the stylish Kiwi batter played an enormous role in CSK’s fifth title victory. These numbers also made Conway the third-most successful batter in the competition, following Faf du Plessis and Shubman Gill.
1. Virat Kohli and Faf du Plessis – 9.5/10
RCB Opening Pair. (Photo Source : BCCI/IPL)
Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) went back home without winning the trophy again this year, but from the 2023 IPL season, their fans have a lot of positives to pick out and smile. One of the best things that happened to RCB in 2023 was their successful opening pair of Faf du Plessis and Virat Kohli dominating bowlers.
Both veterans performed magnificently throughout the competition and made it to the list of top run-scorers in the tournament. Throughout the tournament, Kohli powered RCB with his outstanding knocks and became the fourth-leading run-getter with 639 runs in 14 contests at a strike rate of 139.82. He also smashed tons against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and Gujarat Titans (GT), ending his four-year IPL century drought.
Alongside Kohli, RCB skipper Faf du Plessis also put up an exemplary show with his bat. Riding on his amazing batting display, Challengers bagged some crucial matches in the competition. Scoring 730 runs in 14 matches at a strike rate of 153.68, the Protea star batter became the second-highest run-scorer in the tournament.
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