Wisden’s IPL 2024 team of the tournament

Virat Kohli – Royal Challengers Bengaluru

741 runs @ 61.75, SR: 154.69

Kohli’s attacking intent against spin played a big role in RCB’s turnaround, where they won six in a row to make the playoffs. Kohli edged ahead Phil Salt and Travis Head to make the XI – he ends the season as the Orange Cap winner and was also sensational against pace. He had a strike rate of 174.3 against the quicks in the powerplay. Though Kohli ended with a strike rate of 125 against the slower bowlers, he struck at nearly 152 against them in the last nine games.

Sunil Narine – Kolkata Knight Riders

488 runs @ 34.85, SR: 180.74
17 wickets @ 21.64, ER: 6.69

The move to open with Narine turned out to be a masterstroke for KKR. The West Indian, who made 418 runs in his last five seasons with the bat, crossed 500 runs this season for the first time in his IPL career. Narine scored a hundred for the first time in T20s this season and was especially lethal against the slower bowlers, striking at 198.5. He was also effective with the ball, as he generally is, offering great all-round value to the Knights.

Abhishek Sharma – Sunrisers Hyderabad

482 runs @ 32.26, SR: 204.21

Sharma ended with the best strike rate among players with more than 350 runs in the league. Six times he made more than 30 at a strike rate in excess of 230. Sharma also showed he can be a useful slower bowler for India going forward, bowling SRH to a victory on a sluggish wicket against Rajasthan in the second Qualifier.

Rajat Patidar – Royal Challengers Bengaluru

395 runs @ 30.38, SR: 177.13

Patidar only made 50 runs in his first four games but turned around his season dramatically thereafter, with five fifties in nine innings, along with a knock of 41 in the crucial match against Chennai Super Kings. Patidar’s intent against spin – he struck at 204.3 in his last nine innings at an average of 190 – helped in RCB’s resurgence in the second half of the edition.

Heinrich Klaasen – Sunrisers Hyderabad (wicketkeeper)

479 runs @ 39.91, SR: 171.07

Klaasen started the tournament with a fine 29-ball 63 in a run chase of 209 against KKR but his efforts went in vain as SRH lost by four runs. He played crucial cameos throughout, hitting four fifties in 14 innings, three of which were at a strike rate in excess of 215. His 34-ball 50 in the second Qualifier on a tough wicket gave Hyderabad a fighting chance.

Shashank Singh – Punjab Kings

354 runs @ 44.25, SR: 164.25

Shashank, in the news for being bought accidentally by Punjab Kings during the auction, had a fairytale tournament, ending as the team’s leading run-scorer. He proved to be a reliable finisher for the side, first bursting onto the scene with a 29-ball 61* in a run chase of 200 after Punjab were reduced to 70-4. He followed it up with an unbeaten 46 but the highlight was his knock of 68* in the massive run chase of 262, helping Punjab to a convincing win over KKR.

Andre Russell – Kolkata Knight Riders

222 runs @ 31.71, SR: 185
19 wickets @ 15.52, ER: 10.05

Russell did not bat in a single run-chase in the IPL this year but his biggest impact was with the ball, where his slower deliveries in the death overs troubled the batters. The all-rounder picked up 19 wickets, the most he has taken in a single edition of the tournament, at a strike rate of 10.06 and formed a lethal pair that Harshit Rana in the last few overs. He picked up 3-19 in the final.

Pat Cummins – Sunrisers Hyderabad (Captain)

18 wickets @ 31.44, ER: 9.27

Cummins makes the cut for his captaincy after taking over from Aiden Markram at the start of the season. The quick guided Australia to the World Test Championship trophy and the ODI World Cup last November but fell short in the final here. He was also economical with the ball considering the phases of the game he often bowled in, conceding 9.28 an over.

Jasprit Bumrah – Mumbai Indians

20 wickets @ 16.80, ER: 6.48

Bumrah was arguably the best bowler in the 2024 Indian Premier League – he was economical, had a staggering average and was also the best bowler by a mile from Mumbai Indians. In a disastrous season for the side, Bumrah was the sole bright light.

Varun Chakravarthy – Kolkata Knight Riders

21 wickets @ 19.14, ER: 8.04

Varun had his best IPL season, picking up one wicket more than his tally of 20 scalps last year. He had a slow start to the season, getting only eight wickets in his first eight games and gave away 0-46 in three overs against Punjab Kings. From thereon, there was no looking back for him.

T Natarajan – Sunrisers Hyderabad

19 wickets @ 24.47, ER: 9.05

Though Natarajan went for plenty in the final, it does not take away from his efforts throughout the tournament. He had an economy rate of 8.84 before the final with a strike rate of 15.8. he was phenomenal in the death, getting 11 scalps at an average of 17.3.