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The 2023 Indian Premier League (IPL) has been one of the most exciting seasons of recent times. Fans across the globe have witnessed some high-quality cricket - thrillers, rivalries, on-field drama, and a lot more.
Quite a few youngsters have made their mark, staking their claim for a spot in the national team. Some veterans have also shown that they are not done yet in the shortest format of the game.
Domestic cricket remains one of the most crucial stages in the development of a young cricketer. The IPL is a high-pressure competition with a lot more at stake. If a player does not perform consistently, the team cannot afford to back him for long because they have to produce results.
In this piece, we look at three Indian batters who are elite in domestic cricket but have failed so far in IPL 2023.
#1 Prithvi Shaw
Prithvi Shaw came into the IPL after a very good domestic season. The explosive opener scored 332 runs in 10 innings for Mumbai at an average of 37 and a strike rate of 181 in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2022/23. The 23-year-old played an integral role in their title win. He followed it up with a blazing triple hundred against Assam in the Ranji Trophy.
This IPL season has been extremely harsh on Shaw. He has scored only 47 runs in six innings with a high score of only 15. The Delhi Capitals batter was even dropped from the playing XI, with head coach Ricky Ponting saying it was a tough call.
#2 Sarfaraz Khan
Sarfaraz Khan has been amongst the most consistent performers in domestic cricket recently. He was in exceptional form in the Ranji Trophy, scoring 556 runs in nine innings at an average of 92.67. The middle-order batter was also the third-highest run-getter for Mumbai in their successful SMAT title victory - 199 runs at an average of 28 and a strike rate of 123.
However, Sarfaraz has failed to replicate his heroics in the IPL. He had a great opportunity to earn a spot in the playing XI in Rishabh Pant's absence. However, the 25-year-old has scored only 53 runs in four innings at a paltry strike rate of 85.
#3 Mayank Agarwal
Mayank Agarwal was the highest run-getter in the Ranji Trophy last season, scoring 990 runs in 13 innings at an average of 82.50. He also scored 165 runs in eight innings at a strike rate of 155 in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.
Agarwal was released by the Punjab Kings after leading them in 2022 and Sunrisers Hyderabad signed him for ₹8.25 crores at the auction in December last year.
The 32-year-old has only scored 169 runs in eight innings at an average of 21 and a strike rate of 110. The attacking right-hander has failed to score a single half-century this season.
