Krunal Pandya was the man-of-the-match in IPL final. (Source: BCCI)
Befittingly, Krunal Pandya won the Man of the Match award in the IPL final. The Indian also outshone some of the game’s biggest stars in Hyderabad on Sunday. Without Krunal’s 38-ball 47, Mumbai Indians wouldn’t have had a chance. The spin-bowling all-rounder, who finished with 243 runs and 10 wickets in the tournament, showed he belongs on the big stage. But Krunal wasn’t a case in isolation. The IPL 10 to a large extent was a celebration of the country’s vibrant cricket structure that churns out future stars.
Rahul Tripathi impressed Rising Pune Supergiant coach Stephen Fleming in selection trials and earned a Rs 10 lakh contract. By the end of the group stage he had outperformed his opening partner, Ajinkya Rahane, in his debut IPL season. Tripathi’s 391 runs in 14 matches, especially his fearless batting upfront, contributed a great deal in reviving Pune’s fortunes after early stutters. A match-winning 93 against Kolkata in India’s most storied cricket venue, Eden Gardens, was the youngster’s crowning glory.
Washington Sundar, another Pune kid, didn’t bat an eyelid to bowl in Powerplays and topped his team’s bowling charts in terms of economy rate, 6.16. The 17-year-old filled in for R Ashwin who missed the IPL due to sports hernia. Sundar’s bowling performance – 3/16 – against Mumbai in Qualifier 1 would have made even the world’s best off-spinner proud.
Basil Thampi was the shining light in a flagging Gujarat Lions saga this term. Don’t judge the fast bowler from Kerala by his 11 wickets in 12 matches. Assess him by his ability to bowl yorkers at 140 kph. “Bowl fast and the rest will follow,” Dennis Lillee used to tell his young wards at the MRF Pace Foundation. Thampi seemed to have taken a leaf out of the great man’s coaching book.
Rishabh Pant is excluded from the list here, because the 19-year-old Delhi keeper-batsman has already made enough impact to earn a BCCI contract. But this IPL showed how the uncapped Indian players are coming to terms with the demands of top-grade cricket.
Spare a thought for Jaydev Unadkat as well. A stress fracture in the lower back region had halted his career two seasons ago. The left-arm seamer rebooted it brilliant upon his return, making steady progress. But this IPL might prove to be a catalyst in terms of a future that seemingly lies ahead. A tally of 24 scalps in 12 matches at an economy rate of 7.02 was top-class. The national selectors must have taken note.
Stay updated with the latest sports news across Cricket, Football, Chess, and more. Catch all the action with real-time live cricket score updates and in-depth coverage of ongoing matches.
3 min read
