Cricket betting tips: Indian Premier League specials preview and best bets

Cricket betting tips: Indian Premier League

1pt e.w. Faf du Plessis top tournament runscorer at 20/1 (General 1/4 1,2,3,4)

1pt e.w. Mohit Sharma top tournament wicket-taker at 33/1 (Paddy Power, Betfair Sportsbook 1/4 1,2,3,4)

As IPL careers go, FAF DU PLESSIS can be satisfied with what he has achieved in cricket’s biggest and most prestigious franchise tournament. The South African enjoyed two productive spells at Chennai Super Kings, the most recent when an excellent campaign with the bat helped his team to title glory in 2021, and he has continued to rack up the runs since moving to Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2022.

Though now 39 years of age, du Plessis remains as fit as a fiddle and his returns with the bat show no signs of diminishing. His last year for CSK saw him finish with a tournament aggregate of 633 runs, yet last season he enjoyed his best return yet as he plundered 730 runs from two games fewer, making eight fifties and averaging 56.15.

I’ve wondered for a couple of years now when du Plessis might start slowing down, but all the evidence would suggest he remains as good as ever, and he signed off from this year's SA20 with three half-centuries from his last five matches.

Equally strong against spin and pace, perhaps the biggest development in du Plessis’ game in his six hitting. Originally a fine Test batsman famed for his ability to bat for long periods, he can now clear the ropes for fun, particularly down the ground. Du Plessis hit 36 maximums last season, easily surpassing his previous best of 23 in 2021.

Now captain of RCB and batting at the top of the order, everything points to another fruitful season for du Plessis and he’ll be looking forward to his home matches in Bengaluru, always one of the best places to bat in the IPL.

The 20/1 available about du Plessis to be top tournament batsman looks very fair, and with four places generally available, I advise backing him each-way. BoyleSports to do offer five places, but at four points shorter.

I did seriously consider adding Ruturaj Gaikwad to the staking plan in the same market, with defending champions Chennai Super Kings expected to go very deep once again.

Gaikwad is a terrific player who was the leading runscorer in the tournament in 2021 when the latter stages of the competition were staged in Dubai because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Another strong season last term – 590 runs at 42.14 – suggests he will be a big runner again, but his home matches will be played on a Chennai pitch that has historically proven hard work against spin, and it feels like the CSK batsmen are handicapped in this market before the competition begins.

Expect another big season from Shubman Gill, last year’s winner, but he has captaincy of Gujarat Titans to deal with this time around and 10/1 best hardly sets the pulse racing. A few low scores and we could well get much bigger a little further down the line.

Sharma to star in Shami absence

With last season’s leading wicket-taker, Mohammed Shami ruled out of the tournament through injury, the top bowler market looks ripe for a bet.

Fully fit again, Mumbai Indians frontman Jasprit Bumrah is a worthy favourite, but further down the list I can’t for the life of me understand by MOHIT SHARMA is as big at 33/1.

Though having his heart broken at the death by Ravi Jadeja in last year’s final, Mohit was one of the success stories of the tournament.

The veteran forced his way into the Titans starting XI and once there, quickly became one of their most important weapons, claiming 27 wickets from only 14 matches. Shami’s 28 scalps took him 17 matches.

Mohit’s strike-rate of 9.81 was miles clear of the other leading wicket-takers in IPL and of those to take 10 or more wickets in the season, only Mark Wood had a marginally better strike-rate, and he only managed four games in total.

Mohit is a real death specialist with brilliant variations and subtle changes of pace. As such, he bowls the majority of his overs in the second half of the innings and mainly at the death when cheap wickets can be picked up. With no Shami to lean on this term, Mohit’s responsibility at the death will become even greater.

His economy (8.17) was another impressive aspect of his bowling last year, suggesting teams struggled to get a handle on his variations. It certainly wasn’t the case that he was picking up wickets but doing the distance.

He should continue to be one of the leading wicket-takers on show, and with the Titans – winners in 2022 and runners-up 12 months ago – fancied by many to show up well again, it’s hard to see how Mohit doesn’t go close again.

At 33/1, Mohit rates another solid each-way bet with four places on offer.

Aside from Bumrah, others considered were Wanindu Hasaranga and Trent Boult.

The prospect of Hasaranga filling his boots at home on a Hyderabad pitch that generally spins big is exciting, but Sunrisers have a plethora of big-name overseas starts to keep happy, so don’t be surprised to see plenty of chopping and changing with their starting line-up.

As for Boult, he generally takes wickets for fun with the new ball and must go well if he can sharpen up at the death. Nevertheless, 2023 wasn’t a vintage season for the Kiwi so I can let him go at 20/1 or shorter.

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