IPL 2024: All Teams Best Top-order Batsmen Ranked 1-10

Royal Challengers Bangalore, the undisputed champion team as we look at the ranking and rating of the best top-order batsmen of all 10 teams for IPL 2024.

When it comes to T20 or IPL cricket, it is no secret that the top 3 batters in any team play most of the deliveries. Hence, teams always invest heavily in these batters. The 17th edition of the Indian Premier League, the IPL 2024 is also going to witness a barrage of quality top-order batters in all 10 teams.

But how are all teams placed when it comes to their best top-order batters in IPL 2024? Well, if we have to do a solid comparison, the best way would be to compare all 10 teams basis their top 3 batters in the first-choice playing 11. More or less, teams already have their top-order defined, and unless for injury or overseas combination, we should see the same top-order playing all the matches.

So, with the data in front of us, and considering our unique methodology as defined below, let’s look at the ranking and rating of all 10 teams basis their best top-order. Please note, all batsmen are relatively rated on a scale of 10 against the benchmark batters, basis their IPL and T20 performance in the last three years. The benchmark top-order batsman for IPL 2024 is as follows. 

Benchmark Top-order Batsman for IPL 2024: Virat Kohli

Punjab Kings

At number 10, we have Punjab Kings, who somehow have a more potent top-order than what their rankings depict. Shikhar Dhawan and Jonny Bairstow form a solid opening duo, but it is their number 3, Prabsimran Singh that kind of considerably reduces their rating. In addition, Bairstow has hardly played in the IPL in the last two years, which also kind of reduces their overall rating.

IPL 2024 Best Top-order Batsmen Rating for Punjab Kings (PBKS) – 8.167

1. Shikhar Dhawan
2. Jonny Bairstow
3. Prabsimran Singh

Sunrisers Hyderabad

Number 9 belongs to Sunrisers Hyderabad, who also have good top-order, but it is their performance that kind of reduces their rating to 8.333. There is no doubt about the potential of Travis Head, Mayank Agarwal, or Rahul Tripathi. But Travis Head doesn’t have much IPL experience, and Mayank and Rahul have had below-average performance in the last two years in the IPL.

IPL 2024 Best Top-order Batsmen Rating for Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) – 8.332

1. Travis Head
2. Mayank Agarwal
3. Rahul Tripathi

Lucknow Super Giants

At number 8, we have the Lucknow Super Giants. LSG are almost neck-and-neck with SRH when it comes to their top-order. However, the rating and ranking both would have been top-notch. But with KL Rahul’s decision to play in the middle-order, LSG kind of have two decent players in the form of Devdutt Padikkal and Deepak Hooda. However, de Kock kind of elevates their rating significantly. 

IPL 2024 Top-order Batsmen Rating for Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) – 8.333

1. Quinton de Kock
2. Devdutt Padikkal
3. Deepak Hooda

Gujarat Titans

Talking about number 7, we have the Gujarat Titans team with a rating of 8.334. GT have Shubman Gill as their best opener, and he is also easily in the top 5 batters in the IPL currently. However, the support to Gill at the top is kind of decent with Wriddhiman as his opening partner, and Sai Sudharsan as the number 3 batter. While Saha can give you 200-300 runs in the tournament, Sudharsan is inexperienced and, hence has a lower rating. 

IPL 2024 Top-order Batsmen Rating for Gujarat Titans (GT) – 8.334

1. Shubman Gill
2. Wriddhiman Saha
3. Sai Sudharsan

Kolkata Knight Riders

Coming to number 6, we have the Kolkata Knight Riders team with a rating of 8.499. Given KKR’s issues with the wicket-keeper, we should most-likely see Phil Salt ahead of Gurbaz in their first-choice playing 11. Salt came in as a replacement for Roy, and this move makes a whole lot of sense from KRR’s perspective. Other than Salt, KKR have two good batters at the top in the form of Venkatesh Iyer and Nitish Rana. While these two aren’t in the league of Gill or Yashasvi, they are more than handy batters at the top. 

IPL 2024 Top-order Batsmen Rating for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) – 8.499

1. Venkatesh Iyer
2. Phil Salt
3. Nitish Rana

ALSO READ: IPL 2024: All 10 Teams Confirmed Best Playing 11

Mumbai Indians

Moving on to the top 5, we have the Mumbai Indians grabbing the fifth position with a rating of 8.5. MI have two solid openers in the form of Rohit Sharma and Ishan Kishan, which kind of keeps their rating on the higher side. However, the number 3 will most-likely see Tilak Varma with Suryakumar Yadav batting at number 4. This kind of reduces their rating to 8.5. Nevertheless, expect Rohit to come all guns blazing this season having been relieved from Captaincy duties. 

IPL 2024 Top-order Batsmen Rating for Mumbai Indians (MI) – 8.500

1. Rohit Sharma
2. Ishan Kishan
3. Tilak Varma

Chennai Super Kings 

Talking about the number 4 position, we have Chennai Super Kings, who were ideally number 3 on the list. But with Devon Conway unavailable for most part of the tournament, it reduces their rating considerably. Without Conway, the team will see Rachin Ravindra and Ruturaj Gaikwad as their opening duo. Joining them at the top shall be Ajinkya Rahane. While from the outset, this trio may not look dangerous, it is MS Dhoni’s charm that kind of brings the best out of any player. 

IPL 2024 Top-order Batsmen for Chennai Super Kings (CSK) – 8.501

1. Rachin Ravindra
2. Ruturaj Gaikwad
3. Ajinkya Rahane

Delhi Capitals

Moving on to the top 3, we have the Delhi Capitals team with a rating of 8.667. Delhi have two solid and reliable batters at the top in the form of David Warner and Mitchell Marsh. Both bring some solid experience under their belt when it comes to T20 cricket. However, only if Prithvi Shaw brings back his old form, Delhi’s top-order will rank as good as the top 2 teams. 

IPL 2024 Top-order Batsmen Rating for Delhi Capitals (DC) – 8.667

1. David Warner
2. Prithvi Shaw
3. Mitchell Marsh

Rajasthan Royals

At the number 2 position, we have the Rajasthan Royals team, whose top-order is simply outstanding in the competition. The RR team will see Jos Buttler and Yashasvi Jaiswal as their opening combination, which is as good as one would like to have. With Captain Sanju Samson coming at the number 3 position, the quality of RR’s top-order is supreme, unarguably one of the best in the competition. 

IPL 2024 Top-order Batsmen Rating for Rajasthan Royals (RR) – 9.167

1. Yashasvi Jaiswal
2. Jos Buttler
3. Sanju Samson

Royal Challengers Bangalore

Finally, at the pinnacle, we have Royal Challengers Bangalore, who have a fantastic top-order in the form of Faf du Plessis, Virat Kohli, and Rajat Patidar. Faf du Plessis and Virat Kohli are two of IPL’s best openers in the competition. Not only do these two score runs, they score them in abundance. With Rajat Patidar coming in at number 3, it’s a great setup at the top for RCB, and following these three is once again destruction in the form of Cameron Green and Glenn Maxwell. 

IPL 2024 Top-order Batsmen Rating for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) – 9.250

1. Faf du Plessis
2. Virat Kohli
3. Rajat Patidar

So, that’s about the best top-order ranking for all 10 teams for IPL 2024. 

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