Data Shorts: How Josh Inglis stretches the field

If you scan through the fastest Powerplay scorers in the current IPL cycle, the usual suspects pop up: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Priyansh Arya and Abhishek Sharma. The surprise entrant is Josh Inglis. Among the 32 batters to have faced 100-plus balls in the first six overs since 2025, his strike rate of 203.73 is second only to Sooryavanshi's 230.73. Despite limited availability, Lucknow Super Giants spent INR 8.60 crore on Inglis for the range he brings.

Highest SR in first 6 overs in IPL since 2025

Inglis scores across 360 degrees. Since IPL 2025, 21% of his runs have come in the 'V' behind the wicket, well above the tournament average of 12.7%, exploiting an area often left vacant with only two boundary riders allowed.

His 33-ball 85 at Chepauk, 77 of which came in the Powerplay, demonstrated that range. Akeal Hosein began with deep extra cover and deep midwicket. Inglis lofted one straight and slog swept over square leg, forcing a field change. When Hosein shortened length, Inglis pulled through wide mid-on.

Against Mukesh Choudhary, he reverse scooped over vacant third man for six. Anshul Kamboj received similar treatment. Three reverse scoops in the Powerplay – the first time a batter attempted that many so early in IPL.

When third man went back and long-on came in, Inglis went straight. He brought up a 17-ball fifty off Hosein, then inside-out drove over extra cover.

Inglis uses unorthodox shots on 16.5% of balls – comfortably ahead of second-placed Prabhsimran Singh at 12.4% – scoring at a strike rate of 229.62 off those shots.

Highest share of unorthodox shots (200+ balls faced)

16.7% of Inglis' runs come from unorthodox shots.

Note: Unorthodox shots include reverse sweep, late cut, scoop, switch hit, reverse scoop, reverse ramp, and upper cut.

Yet for all the audacity, his innings at Chepauk ended on the losing side – a middle-overs slowdown undoing early advancement. In contrast, Urvil Patel scored only 1.5% of his runs behind the wicket, preferring brute force straight down the ground.

All stats correct till end of CSK vs LSG on May 10, 2026.