Decoding CSK pacer Tushar Deshpande's remarkable stats in IPL 2023
Chennai Super Kings pacer Tushar Deshpande has revived his Indian Premier League (IPL) career this season by consistently picking wickets. The speedster is the joint-highest wicket-taker in IPL 2023 along with superstars like Mohammed Shami and Rashid Khan (19 each). However, Deshpande has a poor economy of 10.33. Here we decode his stats.
Joint-second most wickets in overs 17-20
Deshpande has gone for runs but his ability to pick up crucial wickets has forced MS Dhoni to continuously go back to him in the death (17-20) overs this season. As per ESPNcricinfo, he has scalped eight wickets in this phase and is the joint second-highest wicket-taker with Mohit Sharma. He is behind team-mate Matheesha Pathirana (10 wickets). Deshpande's economy of 12.48 is concerning.
Decent numbers in the powerplay overs
Deshpande may have shone for his ability to pick up wickets at the death overs but his powerplay numbers aren't that bad. Earlier, when Deepak Chahar was sidelined with injury, Deshpande picked some crucial wickets in the first six overs. He has snapped six wickets in the powerplay this season in 11 innings. His economy of 8.52 is still on the higher side.
His exceptional numbers in Syed Mushtaq Ahmed Trophy 2022-23
Deshpande was one of the standout performers in the SMAT 2022-23. The pacer representing Mumbai finished as the third-highest wicket-taker in the tournament, scalping 17 wickets in 10 matches. He had a brilliant average of 15.23 and his economy of 6.72 was also very impressive.
Deshpande's verdict on death bowling
"I've been working on yorkers," Deshpande revealed his thoughts on death bowling to local Chennai newspapers. "I feel it does not come naturally. Even if it comes naturally, need to have the guts to execute that under pressure. So I feel staying in the moment helps. If you're bowling in the death, you have to accept that someday you are going to get hit."
Did you know?
Among Deshpande's 19 IPL wickets this season, only one of them is a wicket of a non-batter. All other wickets are of genuine batters or all-rounders. His only wicket of a non-batter was of RCB pacer Wayne Parnell.
Deshpande's numbers in the 20-over format
Deshpande has claimed 81 scalps from 54 games in the shortest format, averaging 20.65. He has an economy rate of 8.64. Meanwhile, his IPL tally reads 23 scalps from 18 games at 28.30. He has an ER of 10.44.
