The Indian Premier League (IPL) is where opportunity meets talent. In this country, the IPL is the biggest platform for upcoming cricket stars. The tournament, which had been brought into being with this idea in mind, has been largely successful in its objectives so far.
The top six young guns to watch for in the 2020 edition of the IPL are likely to make a mark on the world’s most prestigious T20 franchise leagues.
Devdutt Padikkal, the only Karnataka lad who stands a chance of being in the playing XI for the Royal Challengers Bangalore, is coming with a dream domestic debut season. Padikkal has been the top scorer in both the Vijay Hazare Trophy and SMAT.
Padikkal scored an unreal 609 runs for the Vijay Hazare Trophy in just 11 games, with 2 centuries and an average of 67.66. Immediately afterwards, he amassed 456 runs in 10 innings with an average of 57 and a surreal strike rate of 171. Padikkal is also flexible with his batting position as he has opened the innings as well as played at numbers 3, 4 and 5 for Karnataka.
Though RCB bought him ahead of last year’s IPL, Padikkal hasn’t gotten a game yet. This might change soon though, given his domestic performances.
Riyan Parag has long been heralded as the next great spin bowling all- rounder in the country. Known for his ability to play the big shots and the wide selection of variations in his pulling arsenal, the 18-year-old is said to play a big role for the Rajasthan Royals (RR).
In the 2019 IPL, he became the youngest player to score a fifty in the league, when he scored a fighting half-century against the Delhi Capitals, and seems to be ready to be a regular feature in the XI of a team that is renowned for producing the next generation of Indian stars. The 2018 U-19 World Cup star will partner with Shreyas Gopal in the RR spin bowling attack and is definitely one to watch out for in the 2020 IPL.
Kartik Tyagi is another young player that the RR has invested heavily in, and he seems to have all the right skills to succeed at the highest level. The star of the 2020 U-19 World Cup, this pacer has been likened to Jasprit Bumrah due to his ability to ball pinpoint yorkers. RR is all but guaranteed to provide the youngster with an opportunity to ex- press himself, and he could take the 13th edition of the IPL by storm.
18-year-old Abdul Samad has been making waves in the Indian domestic circuit due to his performance with Jammu and Kashmir. Samad, who has been la- belled an effortless 6 seater, was spotted by former In- dian all-rounder Irfan.
Blessed with a deceptive googly, Samad is more than handy with the ball in hand as well. With the likes of Rashid Khan, Mohammad Nabi and bowling coach Muttiah Muralitharan to mentor him, the leg-spinning all-rounder might truly break onto the scene in the 2020 IPL.
Ravi Bishnoi was snapped by Kings XI Punjab (KXIP), and his speed through air, coupled with an almost un- readable googly, make him tailor-made for the T20 format. Bishnoi is also an excellent fielder and can prosper under the tutelage of his team’s coach, the great Anil Kumble.
K.L. Rahul’s side recently traded veteran spinner Ravichandran Ashwin with the Delhi Capitals, opening a slot for Bishnoi in their XI. He is expected to feature heavily for them in the spin-friendly UAE conditions.
Last but not least is Yashasvi Jaiswal, who amassed 400 runs in the high profile tournament and top- scored for his side in almost every single match. If that wasn’t enough, he often found himself among the wickets as well with his right-arm off-spinners. He also holds the record of being the youngest player to score a double hundred in List A cricket.
Being a player who has experienced hardships at a very young age, Jaiswal has shown that he is far beyond his years. Having been picked up for the Rajasthan Royals for a whopping rupees 2.4 crores, Jaiswal would be hungry to prove that he is worthy of higher honour