The biggest extravaganza of Indian cricket is back and fans from across the country have started putting their bets on the teams and players to be featured in the tenth edition of the Indian Premier League, starting April 5 2017.
Ahead of IPL 2017, we present you a list of young cricketers, who would grace the mega event with their enthralling performances.
Mustafizur Rahman : Sunrisers HyderabadThe Bangladeshi fast bowler has become an international sensation at a young age of 21. Despite being the youngest bowler in Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), Rahman led their bowling attack perfectly to drive them to the title in 2016.
Having played 16 matches in the previous season, Rahman claimed 17 wickets at an economy of 6.90 runs per over. The left-handed pacer also claimed his IPL-best spell of 3/16 against Mumbai Indians in 2016.What more? Rahman has 60 wickets in his kitty from 29 international matches.
Ishan Kishan : Gujarat LionsThe 18-year-old top-order batsman, Ishan Kishan is a bright prodigy of Indian cricket. He has led the Under-19 team to the second place finish at the 2016 Under-19 World Cup in Bangladesh.
In the 2016 edition of the IPL, he scored 42 runs from five matches at a strike rate of 102.43. However, his first-class cricket appearance has been tremendous so far as he scored 1539 runs from 21 matches.
Kishan could look for an impressive start when Gujarat Lions face Kolkata Knight Riders in their first match of the fresh season on April 7.
Shivil Kaushik : Gujarat LionsThe 21-year-old boy with an unconventional bowling action, Shivil Kaushik, was a sheer delight to watch in the last season of the IPL and is expected to bring some charm in the upcoming season as well.
Also known as India’s Paul Adams, Kaushik’s distinctive bowling action deceived even the best of batsmen and his deliveries carved ways to great results.
In seven matches of the IPL 2016, Kaushik claimed six wickets with a league-best spell of 3/20 in his second match against Kings XI Punjab.
Pat Cummins : Delhi DaredevilsAustralian pacer Pat Cummins, who is expected to make his second Test debut after a gap of five years in the ongoing Test series against India, would definitely be a player to watch out for in the IPL 2017.
Having played 2014 and 2015 seasons of the IPL with Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), Cummins claimed just two wickets in four matches. However, the lanky speedster carries a lethal combination of pace and accuracy under his sleeve as his international and Twenty20 career saw him doing wonders with the ball.
Cummins was the youngest player to receive a central contract with Cricket Australia and his Test debut against South Africa in 2011 witnessed him claiming seven wickets to mark an emphatic beginning.
Rishabh Pant : Delhi DaredevilsAnother young-gun from the Zaheer Khan-led troop, Rishabh Pant is an example of aggression at an early age. The top-order south paw was a part of Kishan-led Under-19 team that ended the 2016 Under 19 Cricket World Cup as runner-ups.
The dynamic hitter scored a record-breaking 24-ball 78, besides a much-valued century in the young-guns’ World Cup.
Axar Patel : Kings XI PunjabThe 23-year-old Gujarat-born spinner Axar Patel is now a T20I specialist bowler in the national side for the shortest format of cricket. However, it’s his astonishing stint at the IPL that made him earn his name for the specialisation.
Patel played three seasons of IPL with Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) and contributed with both ball and the bat. Besides his slow left-arm orthodox spin, Patel’s pinch-hitting skill with the willow makes him a powerhouse of the league cricket.Having played 45 matches with KXIP, Patel took 43 wickets with an IPL-best spell of 4/21 against Suresh Raina-led Gujarat Lions in 2016.
Travis Head : Royal Challengers BangaloreA star of the esteemed Big Bash T20 League, 23-year-old Travis Head is a top bet at the Virat Kohli-led Royal Challengers Bangalore.
The left-hander played just three matches in the IPL 2016, though aggregate 54 runs from the stint were extremely stylish and swift. He ended the season with an impressive strike rate of 135 and entertained the spectators with two sixes and three boundaries.
In international cricket, Head has scored 891 runs from 29 matches so far, with a century and five fifties.
Source: The Statesman