Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni, Rohit Sharma in IPL. Image Credits: AFP/AP
In 19 years of IPL’s existence, the league has witnessed some of the greatest talents grace it with their brilliance. Virat Kohli completed his 9000 runs earlier in IPL 2026, while the most decorated star, Rohit Sharma, is heading towards 7500 runs. MS Dhoni has lifted the title five times as a captain, while Suresh Raina is widely called Mr IPL.
However, former IPL winner with the Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings, Ambati Rayudu, who was instrumental in MS Dhoni and co.’s success post-2018, has a different opinion on the matter. Having played over 200 matches between 2009 and 2023 himself, Rayudu has labelled another consistent performer as his best IPL player ever.
Ambati Rayudu names his IPL GOAT
On Saturday night in Kolkata, as the Gujarat Titans lost against the Kolkata Knight Riders, Sunil Narine, as always, quietly completed his four-over spell with 2/29 to his name. What would be termed a brilliant spell for most bowlers in modern-day T20 cricket was just another day at the office for the Trinidadian spinner.
Sticking his neck out after the match, Rayudu had all praise for Narine’s ability to dictate match results for over a decade and a half, which stands out among the other names in contention for the label of the best IPL player.
“Proper match-winner with the ball, and with the bat. There have been such great players in the IPL, but this guy always stands out. He's at the top of the list for me,” he told ESPNcricinfo.
Following this 2/29, Narine took his season tally to 13 wickets in 11 matches at an economy rate of just 6.69 runs per over. Considering batters play him extra-cautiously, he also helps the bowlers on the other end pick wickets in the middle overs.
Also Read: Finn Allen Record, Pakistan Squad And Sunil Narine Feat- May 16 Cricket Highlights
15 years of Same Narine in IPL
Sunil Narine joined the KKR camp for the first time in 2012 and had an immediate impact on the team with a 24-wicket season, conceding at just 5.46 runs per over as they lifted their first title. He replicated similar performances in their second title win in 2014, picking 21 wickets at 6.35 runs per over.
At the Eden Gardens against GT, he completed 200 IPL matches — all played for KKR. The most important part of his IPL career has been the consistency with which he delivered masterclasses with the ball as their x-factor bowler. Having bowled in 198 innings, he has 205 wickets at an economy of 6.79 runs per over.
In only 7 seasons so far, his economy has gone past 7 but never touched 8 runs per over. Additionally, with the bat, he has scored 1820 runs of high impact with a strike rate of 165.30, predominantly as an opener. In their third IPL win in 2024, he scored 488 runs at 180.74, including 3 fifties and a hundred.
Why did Rayudu pick Narine over Virat Kohli and Rohit Shar,a?
Despite Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma becoming the most-capped IPL players earlier in the season, according to Rayudu, their impact was limited to scoring runs in what is a format dominated by the batters.
He did not explicitly speak about Virat Kohli or Rohit Sharma, who are among the greatest IPL stars, but focused on how Narine, as a bowler, has remained a constant threat, despite T20s becoming a lopsided affair for the batters in recent years, making him the best-ever.
Also Read: Arshdeep Singh Injured? Indian Cricket Faces Heavy Jolt As IPL Comes To An End
