The underwhelming XI

Delhi Daredevils' top run-getter in IPL 2015, with 439 runs in 14 games, Shreyas Iyer eked out a mere 30 runs in six matches this season at a strike rate of 69.76. Iyer had three ducks in the tournament, the joint-most with Glenn Maxwell.

The T20 phenom sleepwalked through the early stages, with five single-digit scores in a row, and was then dropped. Chris Gayle burst to life with rapid half-centuries against Kings XI Punjab and Sunrisers Hyderabad, but that latter innings could not prevent Royal Challengers Bangalore from losing their third IPL final. Gayle ended with 227 runs in in 10 games at 22.70.

David Miller looked short of answers as captain. Miller looked short of answers with the bat as well. He was relieved of captaincy after Kings XI lost five of their first six matches, but there seemed to be no end to his batting woes.

Glenn Maxwell was also at sea, particularly on the slow surfaces at Mohali. He hit a couple of fifties, both coming in losing causes, before being left out of the line-up. His tournament eventually ended with a side strain.

Deepak Hooda had come to the fore when he blitzed a fifty off 22 balls for Rajasthan Royals against Daredevils, the highlight of a breakthrough 2015 season. Sunrisers played Hooda in each of their 17 games in 2016, but he failed to repay their faith, scoring 144 at 10.28. He was run out five times and hit wicket once.

Hardik Pandya has played each of the 16 T20Is India have played in 2016. He came into the tournament with an enhanced reputation, but misfired and eventually lost his India spot. His average of 6.28 was the lowest among batsmen to have played nine innings or more between Nos. 1 and 7. He didn't do too much better with the ball, picking up four wickets at 82.25.

Pawan Negi, with a base price of INR 30 lakh, was snapped up by Daredevils for INR 8.5 crore at the auction in February. He seemed weighed down by pressure and looked uncertain about his role. In hindsight, Negi's puzzling promotion ahead of Chris Morris and Carlos Brathwaite jolted the side's playoff chances. Negi's eight games for Daredevils yielded only 57 runs and one wicket. Negi, like Hardik, missed out on the Zimbabwe tour.

James Faulkner sealed a last-ball win for Gujarat Lions on his 26th birthday with a pulled four, but otherwise he had a forgettable tournament. His economy rate of 9.82 in seven games was the worst among Lions bowlers to have bowled at least 15 overs. He was then dropped for Lions' last seven matches.

Mitchell Johnson retired from international cricket four months before the IPL and then skipped the BBL, but the fast bowler was tipped to be Kings XI Punjab's strike bowler, especially with the Sharmas, Sandeep and Mohit, coming off injuries. Johnson's short balls did not rear up and were comfortably put away. He took two wickets in three matches at an economy rate of 9.63 before being relegated to the sidelines.

Mohammed Shami showed sparks of brilliance in his first IPL match since 2014 - his wickets of Virat Kohli and Shane Watson at the death laid the platform for Daredevils' victory. The fast bowler then leaked 50 runs in 3.1 overs in the team's loss to Supergiants and remained inconsistent thereafter. Overall, Shami took five wickets in eight games at an average of 48.80 and an economy rate of 9.69.

Sunrisers let go of Amit Mishra after 2014 and decided to build their spin attack around Karn Sharma. Karn did reasonably well in 2015 with 10 wickets in 14 matches, but he had a proper struggle this season. He failed to break the duck on the wickets column in five games and leaked 10.46 runs an over - the second-highest economy rate among bowlers to have sent down at least 90 balls this season. Left-arm spinning allrounder Bipul Sharma outshone Karn and established himself as Sunrisers' lead spinner.