IPL 2022: Jos Buttler bosses league, leads six-hitting charge as batters make merry on sporting pitches

The 15th edition of IPL has seen openers drop anchor but they have not stuck to the template of picking up gaps and batting deep. Instead, the likes of Jos Buttler, KL Rahul and Prithvi Shaw have dominated the powerplay overs with six- and four-hitting abilities. These three batters have topped all the batting charts and after their onslaught at the top of the order, the middle order too has players who are going hell for leather from ball 1.

The nature of surfaces on offer in this IPL has also allowed the stroke-makers to express themselves. As far as the six-hitting numbers are concerned, Jos Buttler, who has lit up the IPL with three tons in seven matches so far, leads this chart as well. In seven innings, Buttler has smashed 32 sixes and this dominance is reflected in his rather extraordinary average of 81.83 and a strike-rate of 161.51.

Buttler’s dominance sets him on the path to overtake Virat Kohli’s herculean efforts from the 2016 season when he had scored 973 runs with 4 centuries.

Buttler is followed by Kolkata Knight Riders’ Andre Russel, who has given glimpses of his brute force with some blitzkrieg of an innings over the last month. In seven innings, the Jamaican has smashed 32 sixes as well. As far as other vital stats are concerned, he has scored 227 runs at an average of 45.40 and with a strike rate of 180.15.

In Punjab Kings’, Liam Livingstone has been one prolific six-hitter. In eight innings, the Englishman has walloped 18 sixes so far and has scored 245 runs at an average of 30.63 while striking at a rate of 187.02. His role seems to be defined for the Punjab Kings and this has given him clarity whenever he strides out to bat, which is generally at the number 4 position.

Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, IPL Live Score, IPL 2022 schedule, IPL 2022 Points table and Entertainment News. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.