Rahul Sharma : The only hero of PWI this IPL

Just like previous IPLs, it has been a batsmen knock this year. Sachin, Gayle, Gilchrist, Sehwag and Valthaty they all have scored centuries this IPL but most of them have fallen short and lost their wicket to one common opponent bowler Rahul Sharma who has been a difference in this IPL for an otherwise very disappointing Pune team.

He has been outstanding through out the tournament with 16 wickets in 13 games(one washed out of rain) and an economy rate of 5.46, the best for any full time bowler. An economy of 6 or less is very respectable in this shorter version of cricket where average run rate lies around 8. When we talk about other Indian leg-spinners, particularly the two most prominent: Amit Mishra 7.07, Piyush Chawla 7.71, he has given a tremendous performance.

Rahul's performances against Mumbai Indians, 2 for 7 and 1 for 14, prompted even Tendulkar to compliment him. Not bad for someone who, after being diagnosed with a facial nerve disorder a season ago, had to use eye-drops after every delivery to give himself a chance of spotting the next one in the field. He had serious problems in last season because of dodgy vision in one of his eyes which troubles him in batting, fielding and the most in bowling but the game spirit pushed him to play.

That's not all about his performance this IPL. He has also maintained the top bowling average of 17.06 this series better than most of the IPL bowlers(excluding only one full time bowler - Malinga). Even after this, if you will have a closer look, not one of Rahul's 16 victims has been a bowler this tournament. The mode of his dismissals is revealing of the restricting fuller line he bowls. Almost all the batsmen have gone either bowled, stumped, leg-before, caught behind or caught at long-off and long-on which shows his bowling skills at its pick. The subtle turn and quicker pace for a leg-spinner have inevitably brought comparisons with Anil Kumble, whom Rahul treats as his guru.

Though, the tournament was terrible for Pune Warriors this year but surely it has yielded an outstanding bowler in future for team India. The one who can follow the path led by legend spinner Anil Kumble.