Shane Watson IPL legacy: 3,874 runs at 137 strike-rate, 190 sixes, 4 centuries Across 12 electrifying IPL seasons from 2008 to 2020, Shane Watson built a batting résumé that still echoes through stadiums. Opening for Rajasthan Royals, Royal Challengers Bangalore and finally Chennai Super Kings, the Australian all-rounder smashed 3,874 runs off 2,809 balls, stamping his authority with a fearsome strike-rate of 137. He cleared the ropes 190 times and found the boundary another 376 times, converting starts into 21 half-centuries and four match-winning hundreds, the highest being an unbeaten 117. Watson’s all-round value added 92 wickets from 105 bowling innings, including eight three-wicket hauls, but it was his explosive starts with the bat that turned games. Whether powering CSK to the 2018 title or anchoring Rajasthan’s 2008 triumph, his ability to tee off from ball one made him a perennial MVP. Twelve seasons, three franchises, one unmistakable impact—Shane Watson remains the definitive IPL impact player.

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.