The Indian Premier League (IPL) is the perfect stage for domestic players to cash in on their opportunities. Although it has had its fair share of controversies, IPL is praised for giving the uncapped players a platform to audition for a side in the national team.
These youngsters hog the limelight from the more established national team members when a chance presents itself. Every year almost, we see new players make the headline and bag lucrative contracts in the IPL. The bench strength of the Indian team has been amplified tenfold. As a result, we’re seeing BCCI operate with two different Indian teams touring two different countries.
Here we take a look at 5 emerging Indian players in the IPL 2021:
1) Avesh Khan – Delhi Capitals (DC)
The 24-year-old was bought by Delhi Capitals in the 2018 IPL auction for a price of 75 lakhs. Although he didn’t have the best of seasons, he went back to the domestic circuit and became the highest wicket-taker for Madhya Pradesh in the 2018-19 Ranji season.
He has turned up for the IPL 2021, picking up 14 wickets at an economy of 7.70. He’s currently in second place on the Purple cap list, only behind RCB’s Harshal Patel. His performances caught the selector’s eye and Avesh was named as a standby for India’s Test series against England starting in August.
2) Ruturaj Gaikwad – Chennai Super Kings (CSK)
After CSK’s dismal showing in the IPL 2020, skipper Dhoni had mentioned a lack of young talent in the team. Following three failures in his first 3 matches, Ruturaj seemed to vindicate Dhoni’s comments. However, at the end of the season with nothing to lose, Gaikwad scored 3 fifties in a row which earned him a spot for the 2021 IPL.
Ever since he’s become a permanent member at the top of the order alongside Du Plessis. Ruturaj has continued his good form, scoring 196 runs in 7 matches in IPL 2021, with a top score of 75 against Sunrisers Hyderabad. For his efforts, Ruturaj was selected in the Indian squad for the white-ball series against Sri Lanka.
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3) Harpreet Brar – Punjab Kings (PBKS)
Harpreet was bought by Punjab Kings in the 2018 IPL auction. He didn’t make an appearance until this year’s IPL season. The 25-year-old made headlines for his stunning performance of 3/19 against RCB, which included the prized wickets of Virat Kohli, Glenn Maxwell and AB de Villiers.
Harpreet follows the Ravindra Jadeja template – maintaining tight lines while wreaking havoc with the willow. In his debut match against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), Harpreet played a quick cameo of 20 that propelled his side towards a decent score. It wasn’t enough to win the match but is surely enough to put him on the selectors radar for the future.
4) Riyan Parag – Rajasthan Royals (RR)
The right-handed batsman from Assam was bought by Rajasthan Royals in the 2019 IPL auction. In a 2019 league match against Delhi Capitals, Parag became the youngest player to score a fifty in the history of the IPL. Although his team eventually lost the game rather poorly, Parag managed to impress.
He has shown he is one for the future in the scarce opportunities presented to him. Not only can he implement the modern game’s aggressive playstyle, his leg-breaks can come in handy in the middle overs. Parag is also a safe-catcher, pouching six catches in seven games of IPL 2021.
5) Ravi Bishnoi – Punjab Kings (PBKS)
The leggie from Rajasthan made a name for himself after an excellent performance in the 2020 U-19 World Cup. He picked up 17 wickets and ended up as the highest wicket-taker in the tournament. He was picked up by Punjab in the 2020 IPL auction and went on to make his debut in the same season.
The 20-year-old picked up 12 wickets at a commendable economy of 7.37 in the 2020 IPL held in UAE. He was kept on the sidelines initially for IPL 2021 but came into the team as the first phase progressed. His excellent economy in the T20 format makes him a potential candidate for the T20 World Cup. Bishnoi was unfortunate to miss out on the Sri Lanka series but has a bright future ahead.
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