There was something different about TATA IPL 2023. It may have been the return of full capacity crowds, the electric race for the top four, or a thrilling last-ball finale culminating in the IPL’s perennial darling – 41 year-old MS Dhoni – lifting the trophy for a staggering fifth time. Underlying it all though was the unmistakable sense that this year marked a definite step change in the IPL’s trajectory. With whispers of franchise owners aiming to subvert the long-standing supremacy of international cricket, traditionalists now have legitimate cause to fear.
That, however, is a debate for another day. Read on as we relive the best moments of #IPL2023.
1. Shubman Gill takes Kohli’s throne
It’s long been said that if Kohli is the king of Indian cricket, Shubman Gill is its prince. Yet after his 2023 exploits across both international cricket and the IPL, it is safe to say Gill has now taken the throne. While Kohli was in excellent touch himself, churning out 457 runs, Gill was formidable, with his 890-run season tally (including three centuries) second only to Kohli’s own 2016 record of 973.
Any guesses on the inside joke 😋
P.s. swipe right to see Virat bhai in different emoji’s 😆😉😧 pic.twitter.com/Q7uhDlSFeV
— Shubman Gill (@ShubmanGill) June 30, 2022
It was the manner in which Gill scored his runs – particularly in a stunning knockout assault of 129 against Mumbai – that was most telling. It was sweet timing, rather than brute force, that earned Gill this season’s Orange Cap.
2. SKY’s rollercoaster
Suryakumar Yadav entered the IPL bereft of form, having earned the unwanted tag of becoming the first Indian to score three consecutive golden ducks in an ODI series, against Australia.
SKY’s IPL campaign too, began inauspiciously, with the Mumbai batter adding another golden duck to his tally early in the season. But in a remarkable reversal, SKY lit up the tournament in a way only he could have – with genuine 360-degree shot-making and a fearsome ability to clear the boundary at will, SKY finished the season with 605 runs at a strike rate of 181 – comfortably the highest in the tournament for any batter with 500 runs.
The highlight was an electric 83 off 35 against Bangalore, helping Mumbai mow down a target of 200 in a scarcely believable 16 overs. Scarily, SKY followed up that knock with an unbeaten century against runners-up Gujarat Titans in the very next innings.
3. The Dhoni circus
Even the perennially stoic MS Dhoni could not help but become emotional in the face of the veritable circus of love which followed him this season. After retiring from international cricket in 2020, glimpses of the notoriously private CSK captain have been limited to IPL cricket, and have been gold dust to his fans.
TATA IPL 2023 proceeded as though it were Dhoni’s last hurrah, with gossip surrounding Dhoni’s retirement plans rising to a near cacophony after CSK – and Dhoni – lifted the trophy for a record-equaling fifth time.
But when the moment came, Dhoni – admitting that the chants of Dhoni, Dhoni before the final left tears in his eyes – couldn’t bring himself to farewell the sport entirely. Instead, the former Indian captain promised to work as hard as he could to come back, for “at least” one more season – as a gift to his fans
4. The feel-good story
21 year-old Rajasthan Royals opening batter Yashasvi Jaiswal sums up exactly what makes the IPL so special. Jaiswal hails from extreme poverty; having moved to Mumbai at the age of 10 to chase his cricketing dreams, Jaiswal slept in a club tent in the maidans and even sold pani puris and fruits by the streetside to make ends meet.
Always considered a future India prospect, this year Jaiswal opened the floodgates, scoring 625 runs at an average of nearly 50, including a maiden IPL century, making Jaiswal the fourth-youngest to ever reach the milestone. With stylistic flair that only a left-hander can pull off, Jaiswal’s rise is this year’s feel-good story for the IPL.
5. The viewers
Kerry Packer long dreamed of holding cricket matches in empty stadiums in a single location, maximising TV viewership and reducing logistical challenges and costs.
Yet TATA IPL 2023 delivered the best of both worlds, with near-capacity crowds at every match, and an estimated 550 million views on Disney-Star – comfortably the most-ever.
Watch till the end 😂 😂 tag that guy also #CSKvDC pic.twitter.com/dCwoM9k4s1
— विजय (@bijjuu11) May 10, 2023
The video above went viral recently, where a man is seen watching IPL match on phone while sitting in the stadium.
Some of the figures are astonishing, including 350 billion minutes of watch-time, 40 of the first 66 matches enjoying peak concurrent viewerships over 30 million. It’s no wonder the IPL continues to cement itself as one of the most valuable sporting properties in the world.
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