The Most Valuable Player (MVP) is awarded to the cricketer who makes the maximum impact through the course of an IPL season. The IPL council came up with this concept back in 2013. As per this idea, a rating system was devised to find the most impactful player of the tournament. According to the points system, every boundary fetches 2.5 points, while every six scored gets 3.5 points. Each wicket awards a bowler with 3.5 points, and a dot ball generates 1 point. For each stumping or a catch, a fielder gets 2.5 points. This similar scoring system will be used in IPL 2021 to determine the MVP Award in IPL of the season.

StumpsandBails bring to you 5 players who we believe will fight it out for the MVP award this season:

#5 Glenn Maxwell

Glenn Maxwell was the MVP in IPL 2014. His 550 runs played a huge part in Punjab Kings qualifying for the finals that year. They have failed to qualify for playoffs ever since. This signifies the impact Maxwell plays in a team. Maxwell was in red hot form in the limited-overs series against India. He will be batting alongside Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers. This will provide Maxwell with the freedom to play his natural game. Expect nothing less than fireworks!

#4 Ben Stokes

Ben Stokes was the MVP in IPL 2017. Stokes was largely responsible for the Pune franchise to claim the finalist spot in 2017. He is one of those rare all-rounders who can change the game equally with both bat and the ball. Stokes will be opening for Rajasthan Royals. This makes him doubly dangerous. Stokes has been in great form with the ball lately. In absence of Archer, Stokes’s role becomes even more crucial for RR.

#3 KL Rahul

KL Rahul has been one of the most consistent IPL stars in the last 3 years. He has scored more than 570 runs in each of the past 3 seasons. Rahul keeps wickets for Punjab Kings. He dons the captaincy hat. These responsibilities sit well with Rahul. He has really come onto his own in the last few years in the IPL. Rahul will be one of the contenders to win the MVP this season.

#2 Andre Russell

Andre Russell is only one among the 3 players to win the MVP twice (2015 and 2019). Russell had an indifferent IPL season in 2020. He looked completely out of sorts in the bouncy conditions of the UAE. But since IPL 2021 will be held in India, Russell will be backing himself to deliver the goods for Kolkata Knight Riders. He is one of the biggest match-winners in T20I cricket.

#1 Virat Kohli

Virat Kohli was the MVP in IPL 2016. He had an insane IPL 2016 where he registered 4 IPL hundreds and scored 973 runs. No other batsman has breached the 900-runs mark in a single season. Kohli is the only batsman to have done so in the history of IPL. Kohli much like 2016 will be opening the batting for RCB this season. He has been in scintillating form against England in the limited-overs format. If he carries on his good form there will be little stopping the king from claiming the crown.