"It is over the boundary line", "The ball has sailed over long on fielder for a huge six", "One bounce four", are what cricket fans would love to hear from commentators during an IPL game.
Though people love a great contest between bat and ball, they prefer to see a high-scoring game with the bat doing most of the talking and one can expect the big guns of this tournament to deliver the goods with their explosive batting.
There are a number of players in this IPL capable of destroying the bowlers in a matter of few overs.
Here is a look at some of these explosive batsmen who could take IPL 2015 by storm.
AB de Villiers – Royal Challengers Bangalore
IPL Career: 2057 runs (88 matches)
IPL Sixes: 81
Strike Rate: 138.89
Do not go by the size of this South African batsman, who can tear apart any bowling attack in the world. De Villiers has been one of the most in-form batsmen of late scoring runs for fun.
He is one of the toughest batsmen to bowl to in world cricket. When on song, he cuts and pulls anything that is short of length and drives the ball beautifully when it is pitched up. He has an answer to each and every ball that is bowled to him.
One of the best things about De Villiers is the way he picks up the length of the ball so quickly and dispatches the ball into the stands.
With batsmen such as Chris Gayle and Virat Kohli in his team, De Villiers will not be under any pressure to hold back, which will allow him to take the attack to the opposition.
Chris Gayle – Royal Challengers Bangalore
IPL Career: 2708 runs (68 matches)
IPL Sixes: 192
Strike Rate: 154.56
Gayle is one of those batsmen who clears the fence with ease and past editions of the IPL have shown that the West Indian can not only clear the boundary ropes, but also hit the roof of the stadiums. He hits monster sixes. In the recently concluded World Cup , Gayle thrashed the Zimbabwean bowlers all around the park and hit some lusty blows en route to his first double hundred. It is such an innings which highlights his big hitting power.
The West Indian may not be in top form and he does not need to be to strike the ball long. The T20 format suits his game to the hilt. There have been times in the IPL, when the left hander has been relatively quiet and that is where the danger lies, as he could explode anytime.
Gayle will open the innings for RCB and his opponents will give it all to dismiss him cheap.
Glenn Maxwell - Kings XI Punjab
IPL Career: 594 runs (21 matches)
IPL Sixes: 40
Strike Rate: 178.91
The Australian knows no other way to play apart from smashing the bowlers all around the park and he does it so consistently.
He fears no bowler in world cricket and treats all the bowlers the same. If the ball is there in his zone he goes for it and most of the time it sails over midwicket fence. Maxwell was not a well-known figure to IPL fans, but his performances last year made everyone ask for more from the batsman.
He was the third highest run scorer last season with 522 runs and an impressive 36 sixes. His strike rate of 187.75 stood out and Kings XI Punjab will ask for more of the same from the Australian this season as well.
Yuvraj Singh – Delhi Daredevils
IPL Career: 1851 runs (84 matches)
IPL Sixes: 110
Strike Rate: 131.65
How can we have a list of explosive batsmen and not include Yuvraj Singh, who once hit Stuart Broad for a memorable six sixes in an over.
The left hander might no longer be a member of the Indian cricket team, which might get the best out of him as he looks to make it back to the Indian team.
His ability to clear the fence is second to none. When he strikes the ball, it stays hit. There is no ground in world cricket, which would be too big for his sixes.
Yuvraj plays shots all around the wickets, which makes him such a dangerous batsman. He is one of those batsmen, who depends on his timing and makes batting look so easy when in full flow.
Brendon McCullum – Chennai Super Kings
IPL Career: 1644 runs (62 matches)
IPL Sixes: 67
Strike Rate: 122.77
If one were to go by recent form, the New Zealander ranks right up there and his attack at the top of the order has been an attractive feature of his batting.
McCullum will be one of the most prized dismissals in the tournament for any team. He can demoralise the bowlers with his bold shots. The word 'respect to bowlers' is not found in his dictionary.
The Black Caps skipper will try to play his natural game and entertain IPL fans as he has been doing in the past.
