The Indian Premier League (IPL) is known for its electrifying cricketing action, featuring some of the world’s best batsmen showcasing their skills. It has been noticed that individual brilliance usually steals the limelight in IPL but the importance of building strong batting partnerships should not be underestimated. In T20 format, effective partnerships is a key factor in a team’s success. Some batting duos have etched their names in the history of IPL. Let’s take a look at Top 10 Best Batting Duo in IPL history.
Successful batting partnerships in the IPL are built on a foundation of understanding roles within the team. Teams often pair contrasting styles of batsmen to create a harmonious balance. One player might be an aggressive power-hitter, while the other could be a more classical, anchor-style batsman. This combination ensures adaptability to different match situations, providing stability during early overs and explosiveness during the death overs. The ability to rotate the strike, pick up singles, and convert ones into twos is crucial. Teams with batsmen who can consistently build partnerships are often the ones that go deep into the tournament.
Top 10 Best Batting Duo in IPL history
10. Ruturaj Gaikwad and Devon Conway
We have put them in the tenth spot because Ruturaj and Conway have played together for only two seasons. However, in such a short period they have etched their names in the list of most runs by an opening pair. With a trusted middle order to follow, both Gaikwad and Conway have the license to score quick runs.
9. Shikhar Dhawan and David Warner
The openers of their respective nations, Dhawan and Warner played together for Sunrisers Hyderabad. During that time, the two openers scored around 1200 runs together in winning causes for Sunrisers Hyderabad. It was because of their consistent partnerships, Sunrisers Hyderbad won its maiden IPL trophy in 2016.
8. Ajinkya Rahane and Shane Watson
This might be the underated batting duo in IPL. Only true IPL lovers know the worth of Watson and Rahane duo. In 2013, Watson and Rahane set up around 90% victories of Rajasthan Royals and took their team to the playoffs. Everyone knows that Watson is capable of hitting shots but when Rahane also scored quick runs when he batted with Watson.
7. Brendon McCullum and Dwayne Smith
Chennai Super Kings is popular for its opening pairs. The exciting thing about this IPL duo was that even after the ban on CSK, both McCullum and Dwayne Smith stick together for Gujarat Lions in 2014. Both of them were power hitters and gave their team a head start.
6. Hardik Pandya and Kieron Pollard
The list of Top 10 Best Batting Duo in IPL history has been dominated by opening pairs. However, here comes the finishing duo of IPL. Pandya learnt a lot from Pollard while playing with him at Mumbai. The playing style of both all rounders were quite similar and both have won a lot of matches in the ending phase for Mumbai Indians.
5. Faf Du Plessis and Shane Watson
The duo of Faf and Watson can be termed as the fans favorite IPL duo. The chemistry between Faf Du Plessis and Shane Watson was excellent. They both managed to play in such a way that each of them adjusts according to the situation. If one was playing big shots then the other was holding the crease.
4. Chris Lynn and Sunil Narine
Some of you would be surprised to see them in Top 10 Best Batting Duo in IPL history. If the previous pair was fans favorite then this duo was definitely the most entertaining one. It is true that the duo of Chris Lynn and Sunil Narine didn’t last for long but it definitely was worth it. This batting duo etched its name in IPL history when they scored outrageous 105-runs in just 6 overs against RCB.
3. MS Dhoni and Suresh Raina
Another lovable batting duo in IPL history. MS Dhoni and Raina were together since the start of IPL in 2008. They played against each other only in 2016-17 when CSK was banned. Both of them had a number of significant partnerships between them. MS Dhoni was the engine room of CSK and Raina was the diesel which fuelled it. The two of them build Chennai Super Kings from scratch.
2. AB de Villiers and Virat Kohli
It is quite disheartening that RCB didn’t win a single IPL trophy even after the presence of Virat Kohli and AB De Villiers. Virat and ABD shared a great chemistry between them, both on and off the field and that’s the reason they are on number 2 spot in the list of best batting duo of IPL. Their impact can be estimated from the fact that De Villiers and Kohli have put on two stands of over 200 on their own. It was quite a treat to watch Kohli and De Villiers batting together and smashing the bowlers out of the park.
1. Chris Gayle and Virat Kohli
There was a dilemma between first and second spot. The duo of Chris Gayle and Virat Kohli have been put on the first position because they opened the innings together. Virat Kohli has been involved with a number of heavy-duty opening stand with Chris Gayle. The duo of Kohli and Gayle was quite consistent over the years for RCB. The two legends of the game shared the dressing room from 2011 to 2017. They both had a good understanding with each other.
