Mumbai: Who is the most valuable player in the IPL? Quite a few votes will surely favour Rajat Patidar, won’t they? Although he isn’t an international star, the unassuming player from Madhya Pradesh who has played three Tests for India is a prized commodity, even in the most glamorous T20 league.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s Rajat Patidar celebrates after reaching his half century. (REUTERS)
The batter has had a stunning impact on Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s (RCB) fortunes. Since grabbing attention with an unbeaten 112 off 54 balls in the 2022 IPL eliminator against Lucknow Super Giants, having joined RCB as a replacement player, he has taken the IPL by storm. Without feeling the need to make his presence felt among superstars like Virat Kohli, Patidar has etched his place in IPL folklore by leading RCB to their maiden IPL title last year.
In his limited chances in international cricket, Patidar couldn’t cash in. Across 46 IPL matches, however, he has scored 1,306 runs (avg: 33.49) at a strike rate of 161.04.
The IPL is filled with players of such ilk, who have not, or are yet to, shine at the international level, but remain a dazzling commodity for their franchises.
Among that lot, Patidar, at the moment, is shining the brightest. It is not just the amount of runs but also its impact. He is a champion of finding the boundaries in the tough phase of a T20 innings – the middle overs when the field is spread and either the spinners are in operation or the pacers are executing pace-off deliveries.
An example was seen on Sunday at the Wankhede Stadium, against Mumbai Indians during his scintillating innings of 53 (20 balls).
“Everyone used to say I play spin well but I also love (playing) fast bowling,” said Patidar after leading his side to an 18-run win over MI.
The match-winner is not just batting well, but also leading his side well. After RCB’s third win in four games, the defending champions occupy third spot on the points table.
Krunal Pandya, his teammate, is another IPL gem. At 35, he is not going to fulfill his India dreams, but ask any IPL side and Krunal remains a highly sought-after player.
He was given a few chances in international cricket (5 ODIs, 19 T20Is) but was not found to be good enough. The spin all-rounder is happy giving it his all in the IPL, and in return it fetches him both money and fame. His IPL record stands at 146 matches, 98 wickets (ER: 7.51), 1,757 runs (SR 131.90).
In Sunday’s match at Wankhede’s belter, the left-arm spinner bowled a tight spell of 4-0-26-1. A four-time IPL winner (thrice with MI and once with RCB), he lends balance to the RCB side. His spells in the first three games read 2/36, 2/30, 1/26.
The strength of these players is their quest to constantly upgrade their skills to level up in a contest against the world’s top players. Krunal exemplifies that. He is eager to keep adding new dimensions to his game, even sending sharp short balls at batters.
“I have never shied away from trying different and new things. As a bowler I always want to be one step ahead with the skill set as well as with the mental battle. Whether it is me bending my knee and bowling that (round arm) ball or a bouncer. I am glad that it is coming out well. Because for finger spinners with flat tracks, eight batters, it has become very difficult. I am glad that I have been able to contribute in a nice way,” he told the media after the match.
For all their IPL success, most of these domestic cricketers now don’t even harbour dreams of playing international cricket. They have either not got a chance or were discarded after a few games. And they are aware of their limitations, not going the extra mile to try and be world class. That is left to the Shubman Gills and Yashasvi Jaiswals. They may not have the commercial brand value for the franchise, but they fit into the unforgiving IPL world perfectly. When in battle, they can stand up to the best in the world.
Take, for another example, Sandeep Sharma. The swing bowler never shies away from taking on the Virat Kohlis and Rohit Sharmas, having dismissed them seven and six times respectively.
The pacer from Punjab knows that without high pace, international success might be difficult to achieve. What he lacks in pace, he makes up with accuracy, skills and a smart cricketing brain. It makes captains trust him to bowl at any stage of the game.
Having first earned a contract with the Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings) in 2013, the 32-year-old is now an IPL great with 150 wickets (ER 8.08) in 141 matches.
Rahul Tewatia of Gujarat Titans is unlikely to make the cut in professional sides on fitness grounds. He doesn’t fit the lean and fit look, but ask any bowler in the IPL, and they can’t take it easy against him even if the target is over 20 runs in the last over.
Tewatia is a street-smart cricketer who can read the bowler’s move, use the crease and play daring strokes. The left-hand batter truly came into his own in the 2022 IPL, playing a key role in GT’s title win in their first season. Along with David Miller, he excelled in the role of a finisher, helping clinch multiple games from tough situations to finish with 217 runs in 12 innings at a strike rate of 147.62.
His value can be gauged from the fact that Tewatia was retained by GT ahead of the 2025 mega auction for a salary of ₹4 crores.
Punjab Kings’ Shashank Singh is another highly effective finisher. Out of his three outings this season, the 34-year-old has played two cameos of 6-ball 14 not out (vs CSK) and a 9-ball 16 not out (vs SRH). He was PBKS’ match-winner against SRH by claiming the wickets of both openers – Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma – to stall the opposition after a start of 120 runs. He has made a difference to PBKS with 354 runs (avg 44.25) in 2024 IPL striking at 164.65, and 350 runs (avg 50) striking at 153.51 last season.
Sunrisers Hyderabad’s Harshal Patel is also a bowler in the Sandeep Sharma category, who has developed to become a highly effective IPL operator. Kolkata Knight Riders’ Vaibhav Arora, Lucknow Super Giants’ Avesh Khan, Chennai Super Kings’ Khaleel Ahmed and Delhi Capitals’ T Natarajan are among other pacers who have proved their competitiveness in the IPL.
Among other batters, Prabhsimran Singh (549 runs in 2025) has been an effective opener for PBKS, bringing confidence in his ability to take down any international bowler. Nitish Rana, Abdul Samad and Naman Dhir have also proved their value to various teams.
