Ruturaj Dashrat Gaikwad has become Chennai Super Kings’ batting cornerstone across six IPL seasons, stacking up 2,502 runs from 1,820 balls at a brisk strike-rate of 137. In 70 innings he has hammered 231 fours and 95 towering sixes, turning every 7.9 balls into a boundary. Twenty half-centuries and two scintillating hundreds—capped by a personal-best 108—underline his consistency and match-winning appetite. Completely a batting specialist, Gaikwad has bowled zero balls and claimed zero wickets, letting his blade do all the talking. Loyal to the yellow jersey since 2020, the Maharashtra right-hander keeps raising the bar for modern T20 openers.

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.