The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 has entered its third week as fans pin their expectations higher for more incredible cricketing action from the T20 extravaganza. Some teams that have fared well in the first couple of weeks of the tournament will strive to continue the momentum by clinching victories in their upcoming games as well. On the other hand, teams that are struggling in the competition will have to improve their game to keep themselves alive in the race to the Playoffs.
Talking about the performances so far, the last year’s finalists Gujarat Titans (GT) and Rajasthan Royals (RR) have performed brilliantly and are sitting at the top of the points table. Meanwhile, the underrated Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have not missed a chance to stun their rivals with their spunky performances.
Discussing more, here are the ratings of all ten teams based on their performances so far in IPL 2023:
10. Delhi Capitals- 4.5/10
Delhi capitals. (Photo Source: BCCI/IPL)
In Rishabh Pant’s absence, David Warner got the reins of Delhi Capitals for the current year. His fantastic record with Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) as the captain made him a bankable alternative to lead the side in the absence of the regular skipper. However, under the southpaw, the team is in shambles and is yet to record its first win in the tournament after five matches.
Starting their campaign against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), they struggled in all departments of the game and lost the match by a huge margin of 50 runs. Their key batters Prithvi Shaw, Mitchell Marsh, Rilee Rossouw, Sarfaraz Khan and Rovman Powell have all failed to earn success and have time and again, submitted to bowlers leading up to Delhi’s failure in the tournament. Although Warner has himself played some decent knocks with the bat, he, too, has been under fierce criticism for playing sluggish innings.
The same is the story with their bowling attack as well. Big names such as Anrich Nortje, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel and Mustafizur Rahman have failed to provide timely breakthroughs. In the upcoming matches, the David Warner-led side will have to put up extraordinary redemption to advance to the next round.
9. Mumbai Indians- 5/10
Mumbai Indians. (Photo Source: BCCI/IPL)
After delivering their worst performance in IPL history in 2022, Mumbai Indians (MI) were looking to start their 2023 campaign with a win against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). However, at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Challengers enjoyed the local support and handed the Men in Blue a huge eight-wicket defeat.
Learning lessons from their previous humiliation, MI had a chance to make a comeback against their arch-rivals Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at their home ground, Wankhede Stadium. However, the team again failed to deliver desired results in their own den as the Yellow Army vanquished the home side comfortably with seven wickets in hand.
They won their first game of IPL 2023 against Delhi Capitals (DC) in a last-over thriller. However, there’s plenty of room for them to improve in order to feature in the Playoffs. So far, their key batters Rohit Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav and Cameron Green haven’t performed up to the required standards. Kishan and Suryakumar, however. seemed to have regained form as they helped Mumbai register their second victory of the tournament, against Kolkata Knight Riders. While they have started their third week well, they would be keen on not letting it pass as a fluke.
8. Royal Challengers Bangalore- 5/10
Royal Challengers Bangalore. (Photo Source: IPL)
Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) kicked off their journey in this year’s league with their remarkable victory against Mumbai Indians (MI) at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. In their successful campaign, Mohammed Siraj looked aggressive with the ball while Virat Kohli and captain Faf du Plessis exuded confidence with the willow.
After the confident win, RCB moved to Eden Gardens where their campaign got shaken after an 81-run defeat against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). On the spinning track of Kolkata, Sunil Narine, Suyash Sharma, and Varun Chakravarthy wreaked havoc on the RCB batting lineup.
In their third game, Challengers faced KL Rahul-led Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) on their home turf. This time, the good work of batters helped RCB post 212 runs on the board but their frail bowling unit failed to defend the score, conceding the game to the visitors. In their last game, they got the better of Delhi Capitals (DC) and would expect to be consistent in the tournament, in order to find themselves in the Playoffs.
7. Sunrisers Hyderabad- 6.5/10
Sunrisers Hyderabad.(Photo Source: BCCI/IPL)
Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) played their first game of this year’s competition without their skipper Aiden Markram. Under the stand-in captain Bhuvneshwar Kumar, the team sustained a 72-run loss against Rajasthan Royals (RR). Against the Men in Pink, the Orannge Army got outclassed in all departments.
In the next game, skipper Aiden Markram joined the squad but nothing changed much as they got overpowered by Lucknow Super Giants (LSG). The beating in both games worked as an eye-opener for Sunrisers as they overcame their weaknesses and vanquished Punjab Kings (PBKS) by eight wickets in their third clash of the season.
Despite winning the contest, the form of their top-order batters remained a cause of worry for the Hyderabad-based team. Their star player Harry Brook, who had amassed only 29 runs in his first three games, gave some respite to his team with his redemption against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), as he scored his first century of the tournament. Riding on Brook’s magnificent century off just 55 deliveries, Sunrisers bagged their second win of the tournament. These couple of triumphs will boost the team’s morale to move forward smoothly.
6. Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR)- 7/10
Kolkata Knight Riders. (Photo Source: BCCI/IPL)
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have participated in this year’s tournament without their regular skipper Shreyas Iyer. In their captain’s unavailability, Nitish Rana was given the reins of the team, and so far, he has led the team from the front with his spectacular batting shows.
However, their regular opener and wicket-keeper batter Rahmanullah Gurbaz has failed to deliver ferocious starts with the bat. Along with the Afghan player, one of their oldest stalwarts Andre Russell is also going through an awful form. The Caribbean player hasn’t delivered anything solid to his team either with bat or ball.
In the bowling department, pacers haven’t showcased their best as their speedsters Umesh Yadav, Lockie Ferguson, Tim Southee, and Shardul Thakur have struggled to dominate batters. Talking about some positive points, some spunky performances from their lower-order batters have helped them rack up four points with a couple of triumphs.
5. Chennai Super Kings- 7/10
Chennai Super Kings. (Photo Source: BCCI/IPL)
The four-time IPL champions are looking to get their hands on the trophy for the fifth time. In the opening game against Gujarat Titans (GT), they got pounded by five wickets in the last over of the match. Despite going back home with a defeat, the team had a reason to smile as their opener Ruturaj Gaikwad smashed 92 off 50.
In their second match, Super Kings hosted Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) at the Chepauk Stadium. This was CSK’s first match at the iconic stadium after nearly four years, and realising the importance of it, they made it special by taking the match home by 12 runs.
Heartened by their first victory of the IPL 2023, Super Kings dominated their arch-rivals Mumbai Indians (MI) at the Wankhede Stadium. With Ajinkya Rahane’s rapid 67 off just 21 balls, CSK pulled off the game by seven wickets. Currently, they have four points with two victories in four matches.
4. Punjab Kings- 7/10
Punjab Kings. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)
In this IPL edition, Punjab Kings (PBKS) are looking vibrant and confident. Since the start of the tournament, they have been playing aggressive cricket to pound their rivals. Their captain Shikhar Dhawan has batted fearlessly till now and is the second-leading run-scorer with 233 runs in just four matches.
Along with the captain, Zimbabwe’s star all-rounder Sikandar Raza has also played his part excellently. Banking on his sensational all-round efforts, the team has grabbed two games till now. With their last-over victory against KL Rahul-led Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), they are placed among the top four sides on the points table with six points.
However, going by their track record, their supporters would expect the side to maintain consistency and not lose track in the middle phase of the tournament. Going ahead, the PBKS team management would expect their bowlers to step up and deliver some fine spells as well.
3. Lucknow Super Giants- 8.5/10
Lucknow Super Giants. (Photo Source: BCCI/IPL)
Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) have played quality cricket so far in the tournament. With three triumphs in five matches, they are in the second position on the points table following Rajasthan Royals (RR). Kyle Mayers, who is playing his maiden IPL season, has played his role efficiently and delivered some phenomenal starts to the team.
Another Caribbean player Nicholas Pooran, who became a part of LSG this year at a hefty price of INR 16 crore, has justified his amount with his stunning match-winning knocks. In their last game against PBKS, their skipper KL Rahul also gained confidence and notched up 74 runs off 56 deliveries.
Mark Wood has showcased his best side with his blazing pace. Scalping 11 wickets in four matches at an economy of 8.12, he is currently the highest wicket-taker for LSG. Ravi Bishnoi has also emerged as a steadfast servant of the team, trapping eight batters in five matches with his fabulous leg-break bowling. However, indisciplined bowling from Avesh Khan has become a concern for the LSG team management as the speedster has failed to take wickets and has also not been able to stop the flow of runs.
2. Gujarat Titans- 9/10
Gujarat Titans. (Photo Source: BCCI/IPL)
The defending champions Gujarat Titans (GT) are looking dangerous in this tournament. With three triumphs and a loss in four matches, they have consistently featured in the top four in the points table. In the opening game, they pulled off a successful chase of 179 against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and filled their supporters with enthusiasm.
With their tight bowling and disciplined batting, they have won three games comfortably. With their players’ determination and skills, they’ve got success in executing their game plan perfectly. Except for the matches against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and table toppers Rajasthan Royals, in every other game, they could outclass their rivals by a comfortable margin.
Shubman Gill, Rashid Khan, Mohammed Shami and Alzari Joseph have played their role brilliantly. However, their skipper Hardik Pandya’s inefficiency with both bat and ball continues to be a worrying point as he is expected to set a standard with his captaincy and all-round talent.
1. Rajasthan Royals- 9/10
Rajasthan Royals (Photo Source: IPL)
Banking on their aggressive approach, Rajasthan Royals (RR) ended as runners-up in the IPL 2022. This year, they didn’t change their plan and went ahead with their ferocious brand of cricket. Claiming four victories in five games, they are ruling the points chart with eight points.
In their first match of IPL 2023, they outmaneuvered Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in all departments and took the game home. Their star players Jos Buttler (IPL 2022 Orange Cap winner) and Yuzvendra Chahal (Purple Cap winner) have emerged as their top performers again. Along with his opening partner Buttler, Yashasvi Jaiswal has also looked in good touch with his bat.
Ravichandran Ashwin, who is leading the spin attack for the team, has succeeded in delivering economical spells with the ball. Talking about the pace attack, Trent Boult has wreaked havoc on batters and delivered early breakthroughs for the team. However, skipper Sanju Samson had been going through a lean patch before he made a comeback against Gujarat Titans with a 60-run knock.