Kyle Mayers made a stunning debut for Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), scoring 73 runs from only 38 deliveries and helping the team secure a 50-run victory against Delhi Capitals. LSG had bought him for ₹50 lakhs hoping he’d be an able opener to Quinton de Kock and a potential backup all-rounder to Marcus Stoinis. The IPL has produced great players from the West Indies, like Chris Gayle, Kieron Pollard, Dwayne Bravo, Andre Russell and Sunil Naraine. Whether Mayers can reach those heights remains to be seen, but early signs in his career have shown that he is an extremely talented cricketer. Here are three reasons why the powerful left-hander could turn into a West Indian superstar in the IPL.
1) His abilities as an all-rounder
Kyle Mayers has demonstrated his impressive cricketing ability with his strong batting and effective medium-pace bowling. Most recently, he led Durban Super Giants in the SA20 as an opener and a bowler. He also played a similar role the year prior in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) for the Barbados Royals. In the CPL, he had an impressive 31 average with a strike rate of 135 while also taking eight wickets with an economy rate of 5.40 in 12 matches. The 30-year-old cricketer from Barbados has established himself as one of the few players to have scored a double century and a five-wicket haul in Test cricket, as well as two ODI centuries.
2) His versatility with the bat
Kyle Mayers has proven to be a versatile batsman across his T20 career, displaying the ability to bat at various positions in the batting order. This makes him highly sought-after for IPL teams, considering the need for overseas players who can fill various squad positions. Throughout 61 innings, Kyle Mayers has batted from the opening slot down to no. 7, with most of his batting coming from the no. 3 and no. 7 slots. Despite being able to act as an anchor, he also produces powerful hitting, having already hit 113 sixes in his career.
3) His ability to defend and attack spin
Kyle Mayers made history by becoming only the sixth batsman in Test cricket history to record a double century in his debut. He displayed excellent technique and footwork as he faced off against the home team’s spinners in a run chase of 395, coming in at 59-3. Mayers remained unbeaten for seven hours and 310 balls, scoring 210 with seven sixes and driving the West Indies to victory with 3 wickets in hand. His heroic knock will be remembered for years to come as one of the most remarkable feats in the long history of the game.
