IPL 2020: Five Costliest Batsmen Who Have Failed To Perform So Far

The Indian Premier League (IPL) is widely known as a cash-rich league for a reason. The players who go under the hammer, are bought by franchises for quite hefty amounts with the records for the same broken every year. Hence, the franchise owners, who heavily invest in the cricketers, want them to live up to the same instead of falling flat.

Also Read: IPL 2020: Shubman Gill Not Worried About Andre Russell’s Lean Returns With The Bat So Far

However, not many players can do that as the pressure of the price tag weighs heavy on them, leading to underperformance. For instance, when Delhi Daredevils dished out a record-breaking sum of INR 16 crores on Yuvraj Singh in 2015, little did they know that the southpaw would not be able to justify it. Similarly, in IPL 2020 as well, a few players are falling in that category.

We take a look at five costliest batsmen, who have failed to perform in IPL 2020 so far:

Dinesh Karthik – INR 7.74 crores:

Kolkata Knight Riders have shelled INR 7.4 crores on their captain Dinesh Karthik. However, Dinesh Karthik has not justified the price tag by any stretch of the imagination, at least with the bat. The right-handed batsman averages a meagre 9.80 in five matches with 49 runs.

The five matches so far have produced a best of 30. However, Karthik’s captain has not been questionable, considering that the two-time champions are on the fourth position in the points table. However, critics have backed Eoin Morgan to take over as the skipper.

Shimron Hetmyer – INR 7.75 crores:

Shimron Hetmyer played his first IPL season last year for the Royal Challengers Bangalore. In five matches, Shimron Hetmyer made 90 runs and came good only in the final stages of the tournament. With RCB releasing the West-Indian batsman, Delhi Capitals roped him in for INR 7.75 crores.

However, the left-hander has hardly done anything in IPL 2020 of note. In six matches, Hetmyer has 91 runs, maintaining a strike rate of 149.18 with a best of 45. With Delhi Capitals going strong, the management should experiment by promoting him up the order moving forward.

Kedar Jadhav – INR 7.8 crores:

Chennai Super Kings bought back Kedar Jadhav in the auction using the right-to-match-card, dishing out a whopping INR 7.8 crores. However, Kedar Jadhav has been a massive disappointment thus far, failing to take responsibility as a senior player in the absence of Suresh Raina.

The veteran’s conservative approach came under criticism mainly against Kolkata Knight Riders, playing dot balls when the team dearly needed boundaries. In six innings in IPL 2020, Jadhav has 58 runs at an average of 19.33 while maintaining a strike rate of 19.33.

Andre Russell – INR 8.5 crores:

Andre Russell boasts the reputation of dishing out meaty blows and could turn the game on its head from any position. Andre Russell, who is the heartbeat of Kolkata Knight Riders’ batting line-up, received the man of the tournament award last year. He was also in a red-hot form in CPL 2020 that concluded just before IPL.

However, Russell has not been able to perform with the bat in IPL 2020 so far. In five matches so far, the 32-year old has only 50 runs with a strike rate of 135. However, for INR 8.5 crores, the all-rounder has proved his worth with the ball, delivering brilliantly at the death against Delhi Capitals and Chennai Super Kings.

Glenn Maxwell – INR 10.75 crores:

Kings XI Punjab roped in swashbuckling Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell for an amount of INR 10.75 crores in the auction. The optimism increased about Glenn Maxwell’s stellar showing, considering he muscled Australia to an ODI series victory over England.

However, Maxwell’s returns have fallen flat, failing to provide the much-needed impetus in the middle-order. In six matches so far, the Victorian has only managed 48 runs at an average of 12 while maintaining a strike rate of 85.71. The same has been partially responsible for KXIP currently languishing at the bottom of the table.

(All Stats Updated Till 9th October, 2020 / End of Match 23 of IPL 2020)