Since its inaugural season, Australian players have been an integral part of the competition, but the Australian contingent in the 2021 season arguably had a lacklustre tournament as a whole. On the one hand, Glenn Maxwell and Pat Cummins essayed key roles for the team, but the rest of the players didn’t really have similarly impactful outings for their respective franchises.

We take a look at the good and the bad from Australia in IPL 2021:

David Warner (SRH)

193 runs @ 32.16, SR: 110.28, 2 50s, HS: 57

It was a forgettable tournament for the 34-year-old on all fronts. His batting lacked its usual bite as he struggled to find the right tempo in the powerplay, despite hitting two fifties. As captain, he led SRH to five losses in six games, being replaced (and dropped) mid-season as the team languished at the bottom of the points table.

Steve Smith (DC)

104 runs @ 26.00, SR: 111.82, HS: 34*

Benched for the first two games, Smith earned a spot at No.3 to give Delhi’s batting some stability, but struggled to match up to the pace of his teammates. On sluggish pitches, he found it difficult to get the timing and managed a best of 34 in six innings without creating any kind of impact. Only once in those innings did he end with a strike-rate of 120+.

Glenn Maxwell (RCB)

223 runs @ 37.16, SR: 144.80, 2 50s, HS: 78

Maxwell finally turned things around in the IPL. After spending seasons without doing anything of note, Maxwell was his carefree, explosive self with the bat, combining with AB de Villiers to give RCB the middle-order firepower they have always yearned for. He ended on top of the run-charts for RCB, scoring two fifties and the joint-highest sixes for the franchise.

Pat Cummins (KKR)

9 wickets @ 26.33, BBI: 3-24, ER: 8.83; 93 runs @ 31, SR: 166.07, 1 50, HS: 66*

In a tournament where KKR failed to take off, Cummins was a solo high-flyer, ending with the most wickets for them this season, even though he turned out a touch expensive. With the bat, he was a revelation, almost swinging his way to one a stunning one-man heist against CSK, and ended with the fourth-highest strike-rate among all players.

Marcus Stoinis (DC)

71 runs @ 23.66, SR: 144.89, HS: 27*; 2 wickets @ 54.50, BBI: 1-7, ER: 10.90

Compared to last year, Stoinis’ contribution was fairly mellow this time. As the openers shone more often than not, Stoinis hardly made a telling contribution with the bat, and was equally silent with the ball, picking up just two wickets in ten overs.

Dan Christian (RCB)

0 wickets, BBI: 0-7, ER: 8.00; 3 runs @ 1.00; SR: 37.50

Beyond the off-field drama, Christian’s comeback to RCB turned out to be a damp squib. Apart from a spectacular catch, Christian remained largely unimpressive, returning with no wickets in three matches, and managed three runs in as many innings. As the second half approached, he was promptly replaced by Daniel Sams.

Daniel Sams (RCB)

1 wicket @ 39.00, BBI: 1-24, ER: 6.50

Sams was just settling into his role for RCB when the suspension happened. In two games, he took the new ball and kept a tight lid on the run flow, and didn’t get too much opportunity to bat as well. Would have been interesting to see his role on slower pitches in the second half.

Chris Lynn (MI)

49 runs @49.00, HS: 49, SR: 140.00

Lynn was the highest run-scorer in the only game he played, the tournament opener, but it was always going to be a temporary role for him. Once Quinton de Kock was available, Lynn warmed the benches, much like he did in 2020.

Moises Henriques (PBKS)

16 runs @ 8.00, SR: 80.00 HS: 14; 1 wicket @ 24.00, ER: 4.80

As Punjab Kings looked to settle on an opening combination, Moises Henriques made a fewappearances, featuring in three games where he had limited contribution with bat or ball. In five overs, he picked just one wicket and managed 14 and 2 in the two innings he batted.

Jhye Richardson (PBKS)

3 wickets @ 39.00, BBI: 2-41, ER: 10.63

When Richardson earned his IPL contract, there were plenty expecting last season’s top wicket-taker in the BBL to do something similar in the IPL. There was little to take away though as he became a part of Punjab’s struggling overseas unit, managing three wickets in as many games while being a tad too expensive.

Riley Meredith (PBKS)

4 wickets @ 42.25, BBI: 1-29, ER: 9.94

Meredith, Richardson teammate at Punjab, also struggled to get going in his maiden IPL campaign, chipping in with the odd wicket but also being too expensive. Thrice in five games he conceded more than 35 runs.

Nathan Coulter-Nile (MI)

0 wickets, BBI: 0-35, ER: 8.75

With Mumbai Indians settling on their preferred overseas combination early, Coulter-Nile didn’t find a place early on, getting just the one game where he bowled second-change and remained wicketless.

Kane Richardson (RCB)

1 wicket @ 29.00, BBI: 1-29, ER: 9.66

Back with the franchise after a gap, Richardson played just one game before leaving the tournament, picking up one wicket while bowling first change.

Josh Philippe, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Marsh withdrew ahead of the tournament due to personal reasons. Adam Zampa (RCB) and Andrew Tye (RR) did not get a game, while Ben Cutting (KKR) and Jason Behrendorff (CSK) stayed on the bench as well.