16 matches in the IPL 2023 are done and dusted. The competitive nature of the tournament has shone through as none of the 10 teams is undefeated now and only one team – Delhi Capitals – is winless. The race for the top 4, and top 2, will take fire as the tournament will enter its second half.
So far, it has been an entertaining season: while most of the matches have been high-scoring ones, the last three days have seen three last-ball thrillers, making it very exciting for the players and fans alike.
There have been a number of impressive performers in the first couple of weeks of the IPL 2023. And, inevitably, there have been a few who have been disappointing and haven’t performed up to expectations.
Here are 3 big flops of the IPL 2023 so far:
Prithvi Shaw
Ahead of the start of the IPL 2023, Prithvi Shaw needed a big season to put his back into the national team contention and also to put behind some of the off-field stuff. However, Shaw’s bat has been rendered quiet until now. In 4 innings, the right-handed DC opener has managed scores of 12, 7, 0, and 15. Shaw needs to turn it around, otherwise, he may lose his spot in the DC teams that has lost their first 4 matches.
Harshal Patel
Harshal Patel, the RCB bowler who was the Purple Cap holder in IPL 2021 for his 32 wickets and took 19 wickets last season, has taken 4 wickets in 3 matches so far. But it is his economy rate of 11.3 that is concerning for RCB. While Harshal went at an economy rate of under 8.5 in the last two seasons, he’s started off expensively this tournament – he’s conceded over 40 runs in 2 out of 3 matches and 38 in another.
RCB’s bowling that is already without Hazlewood and now without Topley, has been the worst of all teams in the death overs in the tournament so far.
Mayank Agarwal
Mayank Agarwal was bought for 8.25 crore by SRH in the Indian Premier League 2023 auction to replace Williamson as the opener. However, Agarwal has failed to put up a performance of note in his first three matches for SRH, managing scores of 27, 8, and 21. Moreover, what’s disappointing has his strike rate of only 112.
Along with his vast experience, Agarwal brings in the reputation of being a fast starter and a batsman who’d want to utilize the powerplay field restrictions by playing aggressive strokes while risking his wicket. That hasn’t been the case so far in Indian League .
