IPL TEAM OF THE WEEK: Chris Gayle and Shikhar Dhawan open up for our all-star XI

The Cricketer picks out a high-performing side from the most recent set of matches in the Indian Premier League...

Shikhar Dhawan (Delhi Capitals): The India opener’ brutal, unbeaten 97 from 63 balls propelled Delhi Capitals to a comfortable victory over Kolkata Knight Riders at Eden Gardens and left Sourav Ganguly saying the batsman is among the top three in the world against the white ball.

Chris Gayle (Kings XI Punjab): The West Indian’s form has been purple for so long that you would ordinarily suggest a trip to the GP. He might only just about be able to run, but he can still clear a boundary with extraordinary ease, as shown by 63 in 36 balls against Mumbai Indians and 99 not out in 64 against Royal Challengers Bangalore. A dozen sixes in the week, too. Freak.

KL Rahul (Kings XI Punjab): It is really quite ominous just how good a nick the Indian top order is ahead of the World Cup. Rahul is just one of a group of five or six who cannot stop scoring runs at present, and he followed 71 not out against Sunrisers Hyderabad with a gorgeous century against Mumbai Indians. All in utterly elegant style.

Jos Buttler (Rajasthan Royals): His 89 against Mumbai Indians was just the latest in a string of devastating knocks. And a sustained strike rate of 206.97 is just ludicrous. More than a third of the deliveries he faced went to the boundary, against an attack featuring the likes of Jasprit Bumrah, Jason Behrendorff and Hardik Pandya.

Kieron Pollard (Mumbai Indians): One of a handful of players to be totally transforming the nature of a T20 chase, Pollard’s brutal 81 from just 33 balls against Kings XI took Mumbai to a victory which in a different era we might have described as miraculous.

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Andre Russell (Kolkata Knight Riders): Keeps hitting runs, even when the rest of his teammates aren’t. A relatively sedate 50 by his own ballistic standards (44 balls) came in KKR’s meagre total of 108 for 9 against CSK, before he knocked off 45 in 21 balls against Delhi. Kolkata lost again.

Ravi Jadeja (Chennai Super Kings): Chennai enjoyed an excellent week and that was in no small part thanks to the contribution of the Indian allrounder. A miserly four overs went for just 17 against KKR, figures of 2-20 in his full allocation followed against Rajasthan Royals (and he was there at the end in a sensational chase, hitting one six which defied the basic principles of physics), and he ended the week with 31 in 17 balls to see the Super Kings home in their second meeting with Kolkata.

Deepak Chahar (Chennai Super Kings): Anyone who manages 20 dot balls in a single IPL match deserves a place in this side. Next.

Imran Tahir (Chennai Super Kings): Lovers of Tahir’s manic celebrations were indulged at length, as the South African ripped batting lineups apart for fun. His 4-27 against KKR at the weekend included the key scalps of Chris Lynn and Andre Russell, while he had managed 2-21 against the same opposition five days earlier.

Keemo Paul (Delhi Capitals): With David Warner and Jonny Bairstow in full flow, Sunrisers Hyderabad looked like they would coast to victory over Delhi. No one bargained for what was about to happen. Paul removed Bairstow, Kane Williamson and Ricky Bhui in quick succession to lay the groundwork for a superb Capitals comeback.

Kagiso Rabada (Delhi Capitals): Three catches and 4-22 with the ball in Delhi’s rearguard against Sunrisers. Rabada now has 17 wickets in this year’s IPL, four more than anyone else.

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