Keshav Maharaj: Decoding his stats in T20 cricket
Rajasthan Royals have roped in veteran South African spinner Keshav Maharaj as a replacement for Prasidh Krishna. The latter was earlier ruled out of the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) edition after undergoing surgery on his left proximal quadriceps tendon. Maharaj is a seasoned left-arm spinner with a proven track record at the international level. Here we decode his stats in T20 cricket.
Maharaj was a net bowler for Lucknow Super Giants
Notably, Maharaj went unsold at the 2024 IPL auction in December last year. He, however, was roped in by Lucknow Super Giants as a net bowler. Meanwhile, he has joined KKR for his base price of Rs. 50 lakh. The left-arm spinner is yet to make his IPL debut, though he has featured in several T20 leagues across the globe.
Decoding his T20 stats
The 34-year-old has so far claimed 130 wickets across 159 T20 matches at an impressive economy rate of 6.89. The tally includes a solitary four-wicket haul. 24 of his wickets have come in 27 T20Is with his economy being 7.38. Maharaj, who is also a handy lower-order batter, has also accounted for 586 First-Class and 182 List-A wickets.
RR's star-studded spin attack
The Royals already have the services of Ravichandran Ashwin and Yuzvendra Chahal, two of India's best spinners. They also retained Australian leg-spinner Adam Zampa, who has now withdrawn from the season. Therefore, RR signed Maharaj as a back-up. However, his chances of making it to the RR XI look bleak as all-rounder Riyan Parag can also chip in with his spin bowling.
His run in SA20 2024
Maharaj was brilliant for Durban's Super Giants in the 2024 SA20, South Africa's premier T20 competition. His tally of 15 wickets from 13 games at 20.46 was the best for a spinner. The veteran would like to put on a similar performance if an opportunity comes his way.
