David Willey’s IPL story is written through the ball, not the bat. Across 11 bowling innings for Royal Challengers Bengaluru in 2023, the left-arm seamer claimed six wickets, never once going for more than two in any spell. Operating at an impressive strike-rate of 36 balls per wicket and an economy of just 7.56, Willey kept a lid on scoring even at the death. His 216 deliveries cost only 272 runs, a testament to accuracy on Bengaluru’s batting-friendly tracks. While his batting flashes were brief—53 runs from 62 balls with seven boundaries—RCB valued him chiefly for the control and breakthroughs he delivered with the new ball and in the slog overs. Three seasons, two franchises, one clear role: Willey is the swing-and-pace insurance policy every T20 side covets.

Hardik Pandya IPL career story: 11 seasons, 2749 runs at a 146 strike-rate, 148 sixes, 10 half-centuries Hardik Pandya has been one of the Indian Premier League’s most explosive batting all-rounders since his 2015 debut with Mumbai Indians. Across 140 innings he has unleashed 2,749 runs off just 1,871 balls, translating to a fearsome strike-rate of 146—the sort of number that turns middle-overs into match-winning passages. He has cleared the ropes 148 times and found the boundary another 207 times, underlining why captains post straight long-on and deep mid-wicket for him from ball one. His highest score of 91 and ten half-centuries show he can both finish innings and anchor them when required. While Pandya’s primary currency is runs, he has also delivered 78 wickets in 107 bowling innings, including one five-for and five three-wicket bursts. Operating at an economy of 9.18 and a strike-rate of 20.87, he often bowls the difficult overs at the death, trusting his cutters and the slower ball. Having represented Mumbai Indians for eight of his eleven campaigns and captained Gujarat Titans to the 2022 title, Pandya’s dual-skill value has made him a marquee name every mega auction.

Note: This overview is partially generated using AI and is based on statistical data. Please verify with official sources for complete accuracy.