The IPL is often known for slam-bang batting and crazy hitting that takes our breath away. However, there have been those rare batsmen who have excelled in the league through their sheer class and elegance. They have shown that one need not always rely on belligerence to score runs in the IPL; sometimes classy strokeplay can do that as well.
Here, we look at the five most elegant batsmen of the IPL at present.
5. David Miller (Kings XI Punjab):
Yes, his name is more associated with colossal sixes that sail over the ground. However, David Miller has that elegance about his batting. None of his shots are ever ugly and never does he take untoward swipes at the ball. He is one of the cleanest strikers of the ball and loves to hit it straight in the arc. Miller creaming the ball is a delightful sight for the sore eyes, as all his shots are pure and classy. Plus, being a left-hander makes him look even more royal. He is a beautiful batsman to watch when in full flow.
4. Ajinkya Rahane (Rising Pune Supergiant, Mumbai Indians, Rajasthan Royals):
Perhaps one of the most elegant batsmen that the IPL, or even T20 cricket as a whole, has ever seen. Rahane has collected his 2000-plus runs in the league with sheer class, elegance, and timing. He caresses the ball down the ground and cuts it beautifully. He has power in his shots too, but the little man prefers to use his natural elegance to smack boundaries and sixes. Truly, the most aesthetically pleasing batsman of this era.
3. Hashim Amla (Kings XI Punjab):
Although this South African batting great has only played one season of the IPL prior to this where he played just six games, he is surely the classiest batsman around. Amla has been in the form of his life these past few years and even in the IPL, he did leave a mark with his delightfully classy strokes. Amla's 96 against Sunrisers Hyderabad last season was a testimony of his classy batting as he garnered his runs with deft touches, soft hands and pure elegance. The IPL really needs to see more of this elegant batsman.
2. Robin Uthappa (Kolkata Knight Riders, Mumbai Indians, Pune Warriors, Royal Challengers Bangalore):
Ever since the Kolkata Knight Riders have used Robin Uthappa as an opener, a new dimension of his T20 batting has come to the fore: elegance, style, and class. He was always a good batsman, but he has really been elegance personified as an opener for the KKR. Scoring bundles of runs through neat cuts and punches and slick flicks and drives, Uthappa is a batsman one enjoys to watch. He is uncomplicated in his approach and is a real treat when in flow. Uthappa has really shown that huge runs can be consistently scored in T20 even with elegance and class.
1. Murali Vijay (Kings XI Punjab, Chennai Super Kings, Delhi Daredevils):
Branded as a pure Test batsman earlier, it was indeed the IPL which gave Murali Vijay an opportunity to expand his game and become a complete player. From the 2010 season onwards, where he represented the Chennai team, Vijay, through his delightfully elegant stroke making, began to excel in the IPL. He loves playing with a straight bat and just punches the ball lightly through the covers and mid-on to get boundaries. Even his sixes are delightful and nonchalant. If he can be more consistent, Murali Vijay 's classy and elegant batting can make him the most successful and most beautiful batsman to watch in the IPL.
