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Australian ex-opener Aaron Finch, currently serving as an expert in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 season, faced a challenging task: blind ranking the opening pairs of five different teams, slotting them one by one into his five open slots.
Aaron Finch’s blind ranking: Assessing IPL opening pairs
Taking part in the ‘Blind Ranking’ segment of ESPNcricinfo, Finch found himself tasked with a challenging assignment. In this segment, Finch was asked to rank the opening pairs of five different IPL teams without knowing which pair would appear first. As an ex-opening batter himself, Finch admitted to feeling nervous about the task, jokingly expressing his dislike for it.
Inside Finch’s mind
The segment began with the appearance of the Mumbai Indians’ (MI) opening pair, Rohit Sharma and Ishan Kishan. Despite not knowing what other pairs would follow, Finch decided to rank them fourth, expressing uncertainty about what lay ahead. Next up was the explosive duo of Sunil Narine and Phil Salt from the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), whom Finch placed second, fearing what might come next.
Following them were the experienced pair from the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), Virat Kohli and Faf du Plessis, whom Finch promptly ranked fifth. Then came the destructive opening pair of the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma, whom Finch enthusiastically ranked first, impressed by their ability to rack up 125 runs in just six overs during powerplays.
Finally, the Rajasthan Royals’ (RR) pair of Jos Buttler and Yashasvi Jaiswal appeared, leaving no room for them except the number three spot. When asked about his satisfaction with the rankings, Finch humorously admitted he wasn’t entirely pleased with his choices.
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Statistical breakdown: IPL 2024’s top opening pairs
In terms of performance in the current season, the top opening pair statistically belongs to KKR, with Narine and Salt amassing 438 runs in just nine games. Their remarkable average of 53.88 is complemented by a highest opening stand of 138 runs against Punjab Kings (PBKS). Following closely in second place is the duo of Virat and Du plessis, who have contributed 458 runs at an average of 45.80 across 10 games, including a century-plus and a fifty-plus partnership.
The MI opening pair of Kishan and Rohit occupies the third spot, having accumulated 374 runs in 10 games, featuring a century-plus stand and three fifty-plus partnerships. SRH’s dynamic duo of Head and Sharma secures the fourth position, with 336 runs in only six matches, highlighted by two century-plus partnerships.
Finally, the opening pair of Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), featuring Quinton de Kock and KL Rahul, secures the fifth spot with 287 runs in nine games. This includes a century-plus partnership and a fifty-plus stand.
