A lot of big names failed to deliver in IPL 15. This worst playing 11 of IPL 15 features a playing 11 arranged according to the batting order consisting of some of the most prominent names who couldn’t live up to the expectations
top order batsmen (openers and #3)
(Rohit Sharma, Kane Williamson, and Manish Pandey)
When was the last time one could have imagined that Rohit Sharma and Kane Williamson will feature as the openers of a team consisting of the ‘Worst Playing 11’?
The hitman had a very poor season with the bat as he managed to score only 268 runs and failed to reach even a single half-century in the season. He also had the worst season as captain with MI finishing at the bottom of the table.
Kane Williamson had the worst season with the bat this time having scored only 216 at a paltry average of 19.64 with a strike rate of below 100.
Like Williamson, Manish Pandey too had his worst season this time as he couldn’t even accumulate 100 runs this season in the 6 opportunities he got. Moreover, his strike rate of just 101.50 was hurting LSG big time in the middle overs. Is this the end of Manish Pandey as far as playing for India is concerned? Only time will tell!
Middle Order batsmen (#4 and #5)
(Vijay Shankar and Sheldon Jackson)
19 runs in 4 matches at an average of 4.75 and a strike rate of 54.29 with the bat and next to nothing with the ball. Numbers speak for themselves, and these figures of Vijay Shankar from IPL 15 clearly indicate why he is included in this team of worst playing 11 of IPL 15.
The same goes with Sheldon Jackson as he disappointed each and every KKR fan with just 23 runs in 5 matches at a very poor average of 5.75 and a strike rate of 88.46. The fact that he couldn’t win the match for KKR when 11 runs were required off the last over vs RR will hurt KKR fans the most.
Finishers (#6 and #7)
(Kieron Pollard and Odean Smith)
Retained by MI, Pollard too had his worst season this time and in fact, was even dropped for the team towards the end having failed to live up to the expectations with just 144 runs in his kitty from 11 matches at an average of just 14.40. His strike rate of 107.46 has been the most disappointing aspect.
Odean Smith couldn’t live up to the hype he created for himself before the mega auction. Having conceded almost 12 runs per over economically, he was awful with the ball and with the bat too, his nightmare of a season continued having managed to score just 51 runs at an average of 17 and strike rate of a mere 115.91 and hence finds himself in the worst playing 11.
Bowlers
(Shivam Mavi, Mohammed Siraj, Tymal Mills, and Varun Chakravarthy)
KKR picked Mavi with a lot of hope but got only disappointment in return as he picked only 5 wickets in the 6 matches he got his chance in. He leaked runs at an excess of 11 per over and moreover got whacked for 5 sixes in an over vs LSG.
Very few would have expected to see Siraj in this list of worst playing 11 of IPL 15 prior to the starting of this season. Speaking of numbers, he gave away more than 500 runs at a terrible average of 57.11 and a scorching economy rate of 10.08 and only managed to pick 9 wickets out of the 15 matches he played. A real disappointment of this season!
Tymal Mills was picked by MI to support Bumrah in the pace department but the Englishman was far away from doing so having picked just 6 wickets at an average of over 30 and an economy of over 11 in the 5 matches that he donned the MI jersey. This in fact increased the pressure on Bumrah.
Retained by KKR, the mystery spinner Varun couldn’t find his grip this season. He hardly troubled the batsmen having leaked runs at an economy of 8.51 and an average of as high as 55.33 with only 6 wickets to show for himself out of 11 matches. KKR fans, disappointed with this retention?
To summarize, arranged in the batting order, here is the-
Worst playing 11 of iPL 15
- Rohit Sharma (C)
- Kane Williamson*
- Manish Pandey
- Vijay Shankar
- Sheldon Jackson (WK)
- Kieron Pollard*
- Odean Smith*
- Shivam Mavi
- Mohammed Siraj
- Tymal Mills*
- Varun Chakravarthy
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