Shreyas Iyer's love for the beautiful game is well-documented. The Chelsea fan quickly recreated Lionel Messi's famous FIFA World Cup celebration after Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) lifted the Indian Premier League (IPL) for the third time. Under Iyer's leadership, the Gautam Gambhir-mentored KKR side thrashed former champions Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in a one-sided final at the Chepauk on Sunday. Table-toppers KKR hammered Pat Cummins and Co. by eight wickets to win the IPL 2024 crown.

Snubbed from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) central contract list, Iyer had a recurring back injury, derailing his comeback as a premier batter in competitive cricket this year. Exorcising the ghosts of the 2020 final, former Delhi Capitals (DC) skipper Iyer guided KKR to IPL glory to claim his first title as captain. A name that needs no introduction, Iyer was the Emerging Player of the IPL back in 2015.

Why Nitish Kumar Reddy in special company

The KKR batter smashed 439 runs in 14 games at the time. This season, the same award was handed over to SRH’s Nitish Kumar Reddy. The 21-year-old smashed 303 runs at an average of 33.67. With a strike rate of 142.92, Reddy spearheaded the SRH middle order. He also picked two wickets at the IPL 2024. Reddy was among the five players, who caught everyone's attention at the IPL 2024. Having said that, let's talk more about the breakout stars of the recently concluded edition.

Remember the name - Abhishek Sharma

Next in line for an India call-up after the T20 World Cup, Abhishek Sharma dominated the bowlers in the powerplay this season. Enjoying the support of explosive opener Travis Head, young Abhishek smashed 484 runs in 16 matches. The SRH opener batted at a strike rate of over 200 in IPL 2024. "I wouldn't want to bowl against him. He's scary," SRH skipper Cummins perfectly summed up Abhishek's talent at the IPL 2024 playoffs.

Smashing strike rate - Jake Fraser-McGurk

Backed by Ricky Ponting and Sourav Ganguly at DC, Jake Fraser-McGurk had an impressive debut season in the IPL this year. The 22-year-old opener was roped in as a replacement for bowler Lungi Ngidi. The DC opener scored 330 runs in nine matches. DC opener McGurk had an explosive strike rate of over 234 in the IPL 2024. DC’s McGurk is drafted into the reserve list by Australia for the T20 World Cup.

'Phenomenal' Will Jacks

Making sure chase master Virat Kohli takes a back seat in Royal Challengers Bengaluru's (RCB) run chase against Gujarat Titans (GT), Will Jacks announced himself at the IPL 2024 with a stunning century. Showcasing his batting exploits, the England star fired a 41-ball 100 against the 2022 winners. The 25-year-old accumulated 230 runs in eight matches. Jacks was signed by RCB for INR 3.2 crore at the IPL 2023 auction.

Next Wild Thing? Mayank Yadav

Breaking speed records with his lethal pace, Mayank Yadav became the next big thing in Indian cricket at the IPL 2024. Turning heads in the league stage, the tearaway pacer clocked 156.7kph this season. The Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) pacer bowled the fastest ball of the IPL 2024. Though Mayank played only four games in the IPL 2024, the pacer earned a bowlers' contract from the BCCI.

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