IPL 2019 Stats Wizard: Most Valuable Player Report Card

Is it Andre Russell or Hardik Pandya as we look at the most valuable player report card of IPL 2019?

According to IPL’s official website, Andre Russell has been named the most valuable player of this season. Rightly so, as the all-rounder has been in devastating form this season. However, we have our own unique way of calculating the ‘Most Valuable Player’.

So, Is Andre Russell still the Most Valuable Player, or has Hardik Pandya edged him to become the most valuable player of IPL 2019?

Before we begin the analysis, let’s look at how we arrived at the Most Valuable Player Calculation.

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Methodology:

According to us, the most valuable player is someone who has excelled in his role perfectly.

So, a batsman has to maximize his value in batting and fielding departments. A bowler has to maximize his value in bowling and fielding departments. While an all-rounder has to maximize his value in all the three departments.

To calculate the Most Valuable Players points, we have considered the overall aspect of the game such as runs scored, wickets taken, acceleration bonus, economy rate bonus, consistency, number of catches takes, number of stumpings done, number of fours & sixes hit and the number of man-of-the-match awarded.

To leave out the biases and perceptions, we have calculated the most valuable players by comparing the overall MVP points of all the players. 

So, let’s look in detail at the most valuable player report card of IPL 2019.

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#5: RAVINDRA JADEJA (CSK)

PLAYER ROLE: All-ROUNDER | MVP POINTS: 1383

INNS: 9 | RUNS: 106 | AVG: 35.33 | SR: 120.45

INNS: 16 | WKTS: 15 | AVG: 22.86 | ECO: 6.35 | CATCHES: 9

At number 5, we have the all-rounder from the men in yellow, Ravindra Jadeja. Not a complete all-round package, Ravindra Jadeja’s primary role has been of a bowler, and he has done a good job in that. As a bowler, he has managed to take a total of 15 wickets from 16 innings at an average of 22.86 and a brilliant economy rate of 6.35.

In the batting department, he played a few cameos coming down the order. However, he could only manage 106 runs at an average of 35.33 and a strike rate of 120.45. The positive thing about his batting has been his batting average of 35.33 from 9 innings; indicating he has been not-out on 6 of the 9 occasions. 

Known for his fielding supremacy, Ravindra Jadeja has been one of the safest hands in the field accounting for 9 catches. 

Overall, for his brilliant tight bowling, few batting cameos, and excellent fielding, Ravindra Jadeja gets a total of 1383 MVP points

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#4: RASHID KHAN (SRH)

PLAYER ROLE: BOWLER | MVP POINTS: 1428

INNS: 15 | WKTS: 17 | AVG: 22.17 | ECO: 6.28 | CATCHES: 4

At number 4 we have the magician spinner from Sunrisers Hyderabad, Rashid Khan. As compared to Rashid Khan’s previous IPL performances, IPL 2019 performance has yielded marginally poor returns. In the 15 innings he played, he could take only 17 wickets at an average of 22.17, but at a brilliant economy rate of 6.28. 

To be honest, Rashid Khan has bowled his heart out in this IPL too. However, teams have played him smartly this IPL taking minimal risks. His economy rate of 6.28 is the best among all bowlers who have taken 10 wickets or more. Just goes on to show how batsmen have played him in the IPL.

Another fascinating thing about Rashid Khan has been his consistency. With a consistency of 80%, Rashid Khan has either given less than 7 RPO or has taken 2 wickets or more in 12 of the 15 innings.

Overall, for the champion bowler he is, Rashid Khan gets a total of 1428 MVP points 

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#3: IMRAN TAHIR (CSK)

PLAYER ROLE: BOWLER | MVP POINTS: 1500

INNS: 17 | WKTS: 26 | AVG: 16.57 | ECO: 6.69 | CATCHES: 6

At number 3, we have the Purple cap holder of IPL 2019, Imran Tahir.

If we have to find the player who has sprinted the most this season, it has to be Imran Tahir. Even MS Dhoni would find it difficult to catch him in the sprint he does after taking a wicket. Anyway, Jokes apart, Imran Tahir has been phenomenal this season as a bowler. A total of 26 wickets from 17 innings at an average of 16.57 and an economy rate of 6.69 speaks lengths of his bowling performance. 

Often given the responsibility to take crucial wickets in the middle-overs, Imran Tahir has never disappointed his captain. His wicket-taking ability has often turned the game in CSK’s favour. It won’t be a controversial statement to say that Imran Tahir has delivered the best performance by a spinner across all IPL seasons.

Overall, for being the spinner of the season, Imran Tahir gets a total of 1500 MVP points

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#2: ANDRE RUSSELL (KKR)

PLAYER ROLE: ALL-ROUNDER | MVP POINTS: 1702

INNS: 13 | RUNS: 510 | AVG: 56.66 | SR: 204.81

INNS: 14 | WKTS: 11 | AVG: 26.09 | ECO: 9.51 | CATCHES: 4

Surprise, surprise !! Andre Russell is not the most valuable player, and as he is second on our list.

While he is a slightly better all-rounder than Hardik Pandya, he missed out on being the most valuable player by meager 2 points as Pandya outscored him in the fielding department by taking 7 catches more. Nevertheless, this has been the season of Andre Russell’s hard-hitting and monstrous display of batting. In the 13 innings he got to bat, he smashed a total of 510 runs at a superb average of 56.66 and an unbelievable strike rate of 204.81.

In fact, his strike rate of 204.81 is the best across seasons among players scoring 200 runs or more. Just shows, how brutal he has been this season with his hitting. To add to that, he also has 4 man-of-the-match awards; the most by any player this season.

In the bowling department, he didn’t bowl much as he bowled only 30 overs while accounting for 11 wickets. As a fielder, he could take only 4 catches. If he had taken slightly more catches, he could have easily leapfrogged Hardik Pandya as the most valuable player.

Overall, for being the most brutal batsman and a decent bowler, Andre Russell gets a total of 1702 MVP points 

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#1: HARDIK PANDYA (MI)

PLAYER ROLE: ALL-ROUNDER | MVP POINTS: 1704

INNS: 15 | RUNS: 402 | AVG: 44.66 | SR: 191.42

INNS: 16 | WKTS: 14 | AVG: 27.85 | ECO: 9.17 | CATCHES: 11

Being revealed already, we have the swashbuckling all-rounder from Mumbai Indians, Hardik Pandya as the most valuable player of IPL 2019. Contributing to all the departments, Hardik Pandya has been a handy batsman down the order, a wicket-taking bowler and an exceptional fielder.

As a batsman, he has scored a total of  402 runs from 15 innings at an average of 44.66 and a brilliant strike rate of 191.42. His knock of 91(34) has easily been the best knock this season in a losing cause. 

In the bowling department, he has often been used as a breakthrough bowler, and he has done that job brilliantly. He has accounted for a total of 14 wickets from 16 innings at an average of 27.85 and an economy rate of 9.17. 

In the fielding department, Hardik Pandya edges ahead of Andre Russell accounting for a total of 11 catches; the second-best by an outfield fielder. 

Overall, for being the perfect all-around package, Hardik Pandya gets a total of 1704 MVP points.

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So, these are our top 5 most valuable players of IPL 2019.

Other players who were equally good are,

1. Jasprit Bumrah: 1316 Points
2. David Warner: 1307 Points
3. Rishabh Pant: 1272 Points
4. Shreyas Gopal: 1262 Points
5. Deepak Chahar: 1242 Points

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