The Indian Premier League has always been a breeding ground for young cricketers. Indian cricket has seen a boom since the advent of the league with several players rising to the top and becoming an integral part of their national teams. Players like David Warner, Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya rose to stardom after their success in the league.
Read also | ‘There are no Indian players with that kind of talent’, Gautam Gambhir names ‘KKR’s biggest loss’
Several critics have attributed the success of Indian cricket to the IPL, as young players have the opportunity to rub shoulders with international stars early in their careers. This season has also seen some Indian cricketers rise to the occasion and show the world that they could be the next big cricket star. Let’s take a look at some of the young Indian cricketers who have shone at IPL 2020.
Read also | ‘Dwayne Bravo, you’re back now’, Pollard sends a message to his West Indies teammate after the Mumbai Indians win fifth title
Devdutt Padikkal: It has to be the first name on the list, as Padikkal has surprised everyone with his consistency with the bat. The RCB starter hit 473 runs this season to emerge as the team’s best rider, even ahead of his captain Virat Kohli. Padikkal, a standout player before the tournament and at the end, surely has become a prospect for India.
Read also | Five most impressive players of the season
Ishan Kishan: The young Mumbai wicket-keeper hitter had always shown promise, but he didn’t show consistency with the bat in previous seasons. But this year, Kishan has turned into a treadmill with 483 at an impressive 53.66 average. Those runs have come to a hit rate of 144. With MS Dhoni retiring and Rishabh Pant failing to secure the spot, Kishan has surely put his name in the hat for future Indian teams.
T Natarajan: Tamil Nadu’s yorker machine has been one of the deadliest bowlers in the IPL this season. He has thrown the most yorkers in the tournament and has proven to be a great asset to Sunrisers Hyderabad. He’s been chosen for the Australian tour and could be the surprise package for India Down Under.
Ruturaj Gaikwad: He may not have started the tournament on the right note, but Ruturaj made sure to finish the league with a bang. In the six games he played, Gaikwad scored 204 runs with an average of 51. He even won the last three games for the Chennai Super Kings. He’s been compared to Virat Kohli and Gaikwad is likely to be the one to watch out for next season.
Shubman Gill: The graceful hitter has proven to be a stone for the Kolkata Knight Riders at the top. The 21-year-old has continually been the one to take on the responsibilities of KKR to other players who are not holding onto their grounds. He scored 444 runs this season and it seems like it’s only a matter of time before he becomes an established name in world cricket.
Rahul Tewatia: The Rajasthan Royals’ all-rounder became almost a cult figure this year after winning matches for his team single-handedly during the tournament. His innings against Kings XI Punjab put Tewatia’s name on the lips of all cricket fans. Although their performances waned in the end, Tewatia offers an interesting combination of leg turning and explosive hitting in the end that could prove to be an advantage for the Indian team.
.
