Kumar Kushagra, Delhi Capitals’ 19-year-old wicket-keeper batter, made his IPL debut in 2024 and walked straight into the spotlight reserved for India’s next-gen finishers. Across three brisk outings he faced only seven balls, yet those seven deliveries told the story of a fearless right-hander who already trusts the arc between long-on and cow-corner. Although the numbers currently read 3 runs, 0 fours and 0 sixes, the intent behind the 42 strike-rate in death overs shows why DC invested in the Jharkhand stumper. His highest score of 2 not out came under scoreboard pressure against Gujarat Titans, revealing composure while shepherding tail-enders. With no fifties or hundreds yet, Kushagra’s résumé is still a blank canvas waiting for the 2025 season to splash big hits on it. What stands out is his strike rotation in the only over he batted completely—six singles off six balls—hinting at the busy crease craft that once turned MS Dhoni into a legend from the same state. Behind the stumps he kept to Anrich Nortje and Kuldeep Yadav without conceding a bye in 12 overs, a micro-sample that franchises love while scouting glovemen for turning tracks. Delhi Capitals have already locked him in for next year, signalling that the think-tank views Kushagra as their long-term successor to Rishabh Pant. Expect those seven balls to multiply into 70-plus strike-rate knocks when the 2025 IPL caravan begins; the kid who grew up playing on the dusty Ranchi maidans is ready to turn every short ball into a six over mid-wicket.

Chris Gayle IPL story: 13 seasons, 4 965 runs, 357 sixes and one unforgettable 175. The self-styled “Universe Boss” walked into IPL 2009 with Kolkata Knight Riders, but it was at Royal Challengers Bengaluru from 2011-2017 that he became a global T20 icon—belting 404 fours and 357 sixes overall at a jaw-dropping strike rate of 148. In 141 innings he cleared the rope once every 9.3 balls and produced 31 half-centuries plus six blistering hundreds, the most famous being his record 175* off 66 balls at the Chinnaswamy in 2013. After his Bengaluru fireworks, Gayle took his power game to Punjab Kings, turning up in orange from 2018 to 2021 and continuing to pepper boundaries with the same ruthless ease. While he rolled his arm over occasionally—18 wickets in 38 bowling innings—his narrative is written in soaring sixes and match-winning hundreds that re-defined T20 batting forever.

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