By Daniel Beswick

With the global tournament inside 40 days away, a look at how form in India could translate in the USA and the Caribbean.

Domestic run machines dominate though overseas best close in

India players still hold four of the top five run-scorer spots at the tournament, though the overseas presence is beginning to shine.

Virat Kohli leads the tournament tally (379 at a strike rate of 159.39),  joining four others with centuries at the tournament. England captain Jos Buttler is the only player to boast two centuries, making 100* (58) against Royal Challengers Bangalore and a 60-ball 107* against Kolkata Knight Riders to complete the highest successful chase in IPL history, passing the 224 target.

Australia's Travis Head is the second-highest run scorer on the list (324, strike rate 216), smashing a 41-ball 102 in Sunrisers Hyderabad's astonishing 287/3, accompanied by South Africa star Heinrich Klaasen, who contiued his form with a 31-ball 67.

Klaasen (268 runs at 198.51 strike rate) leads Proteas batter, with Faf du Plessis also finding his groove with back-to-back fifties (239 runs at 152 strike rate). Quinton de Kock and Aiden Markram also boast half-centuries at the tournament, while Nicholas Pooran has flown the West Indian flag, making 246 runs at an average of 82 to begin his campaign.

Fellow West Indian Sunil Narine meanwhile has also shown his pinch-hitting batting evolution, making a maiden T20 hundred (109 off 56 balls) on 16 April.

Narine has not played international cricket in almost five years, though there is at least murmurs of a return for the T20 World Cup, according to Rovman Powell.

"For the last 12 months, I've been whispering in his (Narine's) ears, but he's blocked out everyone," Powell said after Narine's latest effort with the bat.

"I've asked (Kieron) Pollard, (Dwayne) Bravo and (Nicholas) Pooran. Hopefully, before they select the team, they can crack his code."

*More as IPL heroics sees Narine in West Indies sights for T20 World Cup
*

India captain Rohit Sharma (297 runs at 164 strike rate) reminded everyone of his power in a meeting with Chennai Super Kings on 14 April, bludgeoning 105 not out off 63 balls against the Chennai Super Kings at the Wankede Stadium. He hit 11 fours and five sixes in the effort, though his Mumbai Indians side were unable to chase down a target of 207.

Shivam Dube (245 runs, strike rate 157) is enjoying a career purple patch, with is knock of 66* from 38 balls enough for the Super Kings to overrun their opponents. After the innings, Dube received endorsement from Super Kings coach and former New Zealand star Stephen Fleming late last week for a potential spot in India’s T20 World Cup squad.

"Yeah, I would have him on the (Indian) side,” Fleming said.

"I love his power. I'm biased, aren't I? But I think when you have something (power) like that... (I would take him).”

Former India U19 international Riyan Parag has raced to 318 runs at a strike rate of 161.42 in his first five knocks, while Shubman Gill has again shown his quality with 298 runs at a strike rate of 146 in his seven knocks.

It hasn’t quite worked out for Sanju Samson so far in international cricket, but the Rajasthan Royals mainstay has again showed his quality, making three scores greater than fifty to begin the campaign.

Chahal chased down as fast bowlers fire

As India look to find the right formula with the ball, leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal has proved his class once more, winning the race to 10 wickets in the 2024 edition, taking five matches to reach the mark. The 33-year-old has since moved to 12 wickets in seven outings, though has been overtaken in the wicket-taking tally by **Jasprit Bumrah **and **Harshal Patel **(13 wickets).

Certain India selection Jasprit Bumrah joined Chahal in double figures thanks to a five-wicket haul over Royal Challengers Bangalore, and now boasts a tournament bowling economy under a run a ball (5.96). Punjab's Patel by contrast has been more expensive, taking his wickets at an enonomy of 9.58.

In good news for Bangladesh fans Mustafizur Rahman has hit the ground running at Chennai Super Kings, becoming the third player to reach 10 wickets at the tournament, and should spearheard the Tigers' attack come June in the USA and the West Indies. For Australia, Pat Cummins has quietly gone about his business in run-dominated Sunrisers matches taking nine wickets at an economy of 8.00.

As their batters overall impress, Proteas fans too will be upbeat on the success of their fast bowlers, namely Gerald Coetzee and Kagiso Rabada. A nominee for the ICC Men's Emerging Cricketer of the Year after a strong 2023 Cricket World Cup showing, Coetzee has again enjoyed his time in India with 12 wickets in seven outings, while Rabada has 10 in eight matches.

Having risen onto the international scene at the last T20 World Cup in Australia, left-arm new ball specialist Arshdeep Singh is again peaking ahead of a global tournament, picking up a wicket every 16 deliveries for Punjab Kings. Sri Lanka's Matheesha Pathirana has also proved to be a point of difference, taking eight wickets in his last three outings for the Super Kings.

The competition is the time to showcase quality, and the opportunity has been taken by a number of domestic quicks gunning for India squad spots. After his name was thrown around last season, Mohit Sharma has again impressed, picking up 10 wickets in his first six outings for Gujarat Titans. Youngster Mayank Yadav has left an impression with his 150+ kph rockets too much for a number of batters.

For the spinners union, **Kuldeep Yadav **has quietly moved up the wicket list, moving to 10 wickets in five matches at an economy of 7.60.

Andre Russell rampages as all-rounders press claims

West Indies' Andre Russell could make a case as the IPL's best all-rounder so far in 2024, making quickfire scores of 27* (20), 41 (19) and 64 (25) to go with nine wickets in as many outings.

Russell returned for the West Indies late last year for their home white-ball series of England, and looks poised to enjoy a home T20 World Cup. Sam Curran, a member to perform on that England tour, has claimed 11 wickets at the IPL, as well as scores of 63, 23 and 29 for the Punjab Kings.

Afghanistan's Rashid Khan will no doubt make headlines at the T20 World Cup, though it was his death-over exploits with the bat that had the IPL talking, hitting the winning runs off the last ball of the match for Gujarat Titans over the Rajasthan Royals on Wednesday (April 10). Rashid's 24 (11) and 1/18 earned him Player of the Match honours.

Ravindra Jadeja lurks as another player to play a key role at the T20 World Cup, only dismissed once in his late-over batting blitzes (141 runs at 141 strike rate) to go with his four wickets, at an economy of 7.84.