(Clockwise from left): Tilak Varma, Abhishek Sharma, Riyan Parag and Abdul Samad. In interviews, former India bowling coach Bharat Arun has recalled that when he first saw Jasprit Bumrah in a U-19 camp at the National Cricket Academy (NCA), he was not impressed at all. It was Bumrah’s unorthodox bowling action which had put doubts in Arun’s mind.
However, in 2013, Mumbai Indians took a punt on the unconventional pacer, who turned out to be one of the finds in IPL history. He would go on to become the leader of India’s bowling attack.
Hardik Pandya is another player who was considered just a bits-and-piece cricketer before joining the Mumbai Indians set- up. After spending seven years with the franchise, Pandya led Gujarat Titans to the IPL trophy in their first season and is now being seen as Rohit Sharma’s successor as India’s white-ball captain.
Then there is Sanju Samson, who became an IPL star before even playing for India U-19s. Barring the two seasons when Rajasthan Royals were banned, and he was with the Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals), Samson has been an integral part of the franchise. He was named captain for the 2021 season, and led the team to the final in the 2022 edition.
In franchise cricket, where franchises crave instant results, very few teams invest in young talent. Teams like Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) largely rely on tried and tested players. Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) often lose patience quickly if youngsters don’t deliver immediately. After India won the U-19 World Cup in 2018, KKR roped in youngsters Shubman Gill, Shivam Mavi and Kamlesh Nagarkotti. However, the pace duo of Mavi and Nagarkotti struggled with their injuries and KKR management never gave Gill a well-defined role.
But these are a few youngsters who would be looking to repay the faith put in them.
Mumbai Indians
Tilak Varma
Earlier this year, Ravindra Jadeja posted a photo with Tilak Varma on his Instagram handle with the caption, “chilling with the future of India.”
After an impressive IPL debut with Mumbai Indians, where he scored 397 runs at a strike rate of 131.02, the left-hander prompted Sunil Gavaskar and Rohit Sharma to say that he could be an “all-format batter” for India. What impressed Gavaskar the most was his temperament.
“He’s got the basics right. Technically, he’s right. He gets right behind the line of the ball. He’s got a straight bat, and while defending on the front foot, his bat is close to the pad,” the former India captain said.
Dewald Brevis
There’s no limit to what the South African youngster can achieve. He has been nicknamed “Baby AB” because of an uncanny similarity with how the South African legend used to play his shots. Just like his childhood hero, Brevis can play the lap shot, scoop, switch hit, ramp, and reverse sweep. The youngster even walks and stands like his idol, went to the same high school and even had the same coach in Deon Botes.
In his first season in the IPL, Brevis showed a glimpse of what is in store, hammering four sixes off the bowling off Punjab Kings’ Rahul Chahar. He played seven games and scored 161 runs at a healthy strike rate of 142.48.
Ramandeep Singh
With Hardik Pandya’s departure and Kieron Pollard’s retirement, there is a big void in the Mumbai Indians set-up. The 25-year-old Ramandeep Singh, who has played only two first-class games and a handful of List A and T20 cricket, has been tipped as someone who can fill the big shoes. In his debut season with Mumbai Indians last year, the Mohali lad scored 45 runs and bagged six wickets.
The all-rounder was retained for this year and led MI’s youth team, which included Brewis and Tristan Stubbs, on their tour to the UK.
Ramandeep credits his development to Mumbai Indians and the improvement in his bowling to Shane Bond. “Just being in the set-up of MI helps you a lot,” he had told this newspaper.
Rajasthan Royals
Riyan Parag
After Samson, if there is any youngster who the Rajasthan Royals franchise has put their faith in for a long time, it’s Parag. The 21-year-old from Guwahati will be playing his fifth IPL this year and has had a largely uneventful time in the last four editions. The team management would be hoping that he steps up on the back of a successful domestic season for Assam.
Parag was a prolific scorer in the 2022-23 Vijay Hazare Trophy, scoring the fifth-highest number of runs — 552 at an average of 69 in nine games with three centuries and a half-ton. In the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy, the right-hander scored 253 runs at a strike rate of 165.35 with two fifties.
Delhi Capitals
Lalit Yadav
In a star-studded Delhi Capitals line-up, Lalit Yadav has been given a long rope. However, in the previous two editions, the Delhi all-rounder has failed to grab the opportunity. In 19 IPL matches, he has scored only 229 runs at a below par strike rate of 104.56, and bagged only eight wickets with his off-spin.
Dilli, presenting Lal-𝐇𝐈𝐓 Yadav 🎬🔥#YehHaiNayiDilli #IPL2023 | @LalitYadav03 pic.twitter.com/JEO8CAmpBI
— Delhi Capitals (@DelhiCapitals) March 29, 2023
But this year, things could be different with the ‘impact player’ rule in place, with Yadav an option for that role for head coach Ricky Ponting and Co.
Punjab Kings
Prabhsimran Singh
A hard-hitting wicketkeeper-batsman, Prabhsimran has only shown glimpses of his talent in domestic cricket. He has been rated highly by former Punjab Kings head coach Anil Kumble. But in his four seasons with the Mohali-based franchise, he has played only six matches with no well-defined role.
However, the absence of England star Jonny Bairstow might give the 22-year-old a longer stint in the an XI.
Shahrukh Khan
Given his six-hitting ability, Shahrukh Khan was expected to be the finisher Punjab Kings were looking for. A tall right-hand batsman, who can also bowl off-spin, would have given the side the required balance. However, his two stints with the franchise have been underwhelming. In 19 matches, he has managed 270 runs at a strike rate of 121.62.
However, the franchise has spent big on him in two auctions. In 2021, he was roped in for Rs 5.25 crore but was subsequently released. In 2022, the franchise spent Rs 9 crore and will have big expectations from the Tamil Nadu all-rounder this season.
Abdul Samad became only the fourth cricketer from Jammu and Kashmir to earn an IPL contract. Known for his hard-hitting batting and useful leg-spin, the youngster has failed to live up to his potential. In three seasons and 25 outings for the Sunrisers, he has managed only 226 runs and two wickets. Under a new captain (Aiden Markram) and coach (Brian Lara), Samad would like to prove his credentials.
With all the potential and comparisons with mentor Yuvraj Singh, Punjab all-rounder Abhishek Sharma finally arrived in the IPL in his fifth season, his fourth with the Sunrisers. In 2022, he got the opportunity to open and took it with both hands. He scored 426 runs at a good strike rate of 133.13.
He has worked a lot on his bowling as well. He has taken 10 wickets in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy with an economy rate under six. However, the 22-year-old doesn’t want to be called a “one-season wonder” and is eager to make a long-lasting impact.
Royal Challengers Bangalore
Shahbaz Ahmed
RCB are not a franchise that usually invests in young talent. They generally pick megastars and build their team around them. One of the reasons they have never won the championship is that they rarely have too many prolific domestic cricketers.
But RCB has made an exception for Shahbaz. He caught the attention with his exceptional all-round skills for Bengal in domestic cricket.
The all-rounder was picked for the 2020 edition and in the last couple of seasons, has become a key player for the team. His performances has helped him to get an India cap, but the 28-year-old left-arm spinner is third in line after Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel and will have to perform extraordinarily in this season to get back in the reckoning.
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