A former Indian cricketer, who has played more than 50 ODIs and half a dozen T20Is, has given rise to a massive debate in the Indian Premier League after he called West Indian and Kolkata Knight Riders’ Sunil Narine the greatest ever player in the IPL.
Retired from international cricket in 2023 and having played his last international in 2019, Narine continues to be a massive figure in the IPL. His debut IPL season for KKR in 2012 proved to be historic as the franchise won the trophy for the first time, with Narine taking 24 wickets in 15 games at a mind-boggling economy rate of 5.47.
In 2014, in another triumph, he took 21 wickets in 16 games with an economy rate of 6.35. Two years ago, when KKR won their third IPL title, again Narine shone with 17 wickets in 15 games at an economy rate of 6.69. That season, he also sparkled with the bat as he scored 488 runs at a strike rate of 180.74. He scored one century and three fifties.
Having those records and contributions in mind, maybe Ambati Rayudu is right when he called the West Indian the greatest player of all time in the IPL. On ESPNcricinfo TimeOut, Rayudu said: “Best IPL player, according to me, of all time. Proper match-winner with the ball and with the bat. There have been many great players in the IPL, but this guy always stands out. He’s at the top of the list for me.”
This season Narine, like a mean machine, continues to bamboozle the batsmen and has taken 13 wickets in 11 matches so far at an economy rate of 6.70. Batting has evolved so much in the last few years, but Narine remains a mystery for batsmen.
What a champion Sunil Narine is!
Last night against Gujarat Titans playing at home at the Eden Gardens in his 200th IPL game, Narine returned figures of 2/29 in his four overs, and his bowling was one of the main reasons why Shubman Gill’s men were never really in the chase of 248 throughout. He was rightly chosen Man of the Match on a bowler’s graveyard in Kolkata.
Former India all-rounder Sanjay Bangar too praised the mystery spinner. “Some great names have plied their trade in this league, but yes, longevity is a factor. He had also had to overcome a lot of other problems in terms of how his action was questioned on many occasions, but he seems to have found another way of delivering with the same overspin that you generally associate with his skill set while retaining the ability to get the ball turning both ways. And that puts massive doubts in the batter’s mind. I think some of those qualities make him a legend of the league,” he said.
