Many fans consider T20 to be a batsmen’s game, and since IPL is played in that format, some have the assumption that even the IPL batsmen oriented game only. However, in the last 13 years, several bowlers have proven that if you have the skill and the innovation, T20 cricket can be a bowler’s game as well. The fans have often seen low scores being defended in the IPL.
Speaking of IPL, the auction always hints at the trends of the game. Earlier, the teams preferred to go in with more batsmen and then use them as a part-time bowling option in case any specialist bowler had an off day. However, now there has been a change in the thinking as the team management sign more all-rounders.
Thanks to the emergence of all-rounders, a few batsmen who used to bowl part time in IPL before have stopped doing that now. Here’s a look at those five batsmen.
5. One of the most successful batsmen in IPL – Rohit Sharma
Rohit Sharma is currently the most successful skipper in IPL history. The right-handed batsman from Nagpur has won six IPL trophies in his career, with five of them coming as the captain of the Mumbai Indians team. Sharma has played 200 matches in IPL, scoring 5,230 runs at a strike rate of 130.62.
During his stint with the Deccan Chargers, Rohit used to bowl regularly. In his IPL career, Rohit has taken 15 wickets, which also includes a hat-trick against his current team Mumbai Indians.
4. Virat Kohli
Royal Challengers Bangalore captain Virat Kohli has been a member of the Bangalore-based IPL franchise since the inaugural season. He has been one of the key batsmen for the Royal Challengers in IPL. Kohli bowls right-arm medium pace, and he has bowled in 26 IPL innings.
Kohli picked up four wickets with his medium pace bowling in the IPL. It is rare to see Kohli rolling his arm over in all formats let alone the talks of seeing him bowl in IPL.
3. Chris Gayle
Virat Kohli’s former Royal Challengers Bangalore teammate Chris Gayle was a vital all-rounder for the RCB franchise during his prime. Gayle often chipped in with some important wickets in the middle overs. The right-arm off-spinner has bowled in 38 innings of his IPL career.
In those 38 innings, Gayle took 18 wickets at a decent economy rate of 7.9. Gayle is 41 years old now, and he primarily focuses on his batting. The Caribbean player will turn up for the Punjab Kings team in IPL 2021.
2. One of the most underrated batsmen in IPL – Ajinkya Rahane
Ajinkya Rahane is now a member of the Delhi Capitals squad. In the past, Rahane represented the Rajasthan Royals, the Rising Pune Supergiant, and the Mumbai Indians in the IPL. Rahane has never bowled in international cricket, but he has delivered six balls in IPL, also picking up a wicket.
Rahane bowled for the Mumbai Indians in IPL 2009 in a game against the Punjab Kings. He rattled the stumps of the dangerous Luke Pommersbasch in the only over that he has bowled in the IPL.
1. Shikhar Dhawan
It might surprise a few fans that Shikhar Dhawan has taken four wickets in IPL and all are of prominent batsmen. His first IPL wicket was David Warner, while Sourav Ganguly was the next player to lose his wicket to Shikhar Dhawan.
The opening batsman, who bowls right-arm off-breaks, then dismissed Shaun Marsh and Virender Sehwag in IPL. It is pertinent to note that Dhawan has never bowled a single ball in the white-ball cricket at the international level.
