After a relatively quiet build-up, the 2014 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is set to kick off today. Shiamak Unwalla takes a look at some exciting young Indian talent to look out for in the upcoming weeks.
It’s that time of the year again. Cricket weds Bollywood in the one-and-a-half month-long celebration of quintessential Indian entertainment. Only this time, there are no cheerleaders. Jokes aside, the Indian Premier League (IPL) has been a launch-pad for quite a few of Indian cricket’s brightest prospects like Suresh Raina, Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin. It also helped little-known cricketers like Manish Pandey, Karn Sharma and Sanju Samson become household names.
With that in mind, here’s our pick of the 10 upcoming cricketers who we think have a chance to make a mark in this edition of the IPL.
1. Kuldeep Yadav
Team: Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR)
Age: 19
Role: Bowler
Batting Style: Left-handed
Bowling Style: Left-arm chinaman
One of the most endearing images of the ICC Under-19 World Cup 2014, was watching Kuldeep Yadav outfox batsman after batsman with his loopy leg-breaks. Unlike the conventional leg-spinners, however, Kuldeep bowls left-handed. He has been hailed by many as someone who has a very realistic chance of playing for India. With a delightfully mean googly and his fair share of variations, Kuldeep is someone who can partner Sunil Narine to form a potentially fearsome duo of mystery spinners. His one drawback is a lack of control, but leg-spin has always been a tough art to master.
2. Deepak Hooda
Team: Rajasthan Royals (RR)
Age: 18
Role: All-rounder
Batting Style: Right-handed
Bowling Style: Right-arm off-break
Another member of India’s 2014 Under-19 World Cup squad, Deepak Hooda grabbed the limelight with a five-wicket haul against the Pakistan Under-19s. Some consistent performances with the bat meant that Hooda finished as one of India’s leading run-scorers of the tournament. His accurate off-breaks and handy lower-order batting ought to be an asset to his side. Being a part of a team that has traditionally given youngsters an opportunity to grow will only help his chances of making an impact in the IPL.
3. Rahul Tewatia
Team: Rajasthan Royals
Age: 20
Role: All-rounder
Batting Style: Left-handed
Bowling Style: Left-arm orthodox
Very little is known about this all-rounder from Haryana beyond the fact that Rahul Dravid saw something in him that others have not. According to a DNA report, Dravid felt Rahul Tewatia was as talented as Amit Mishra and good enough to bat in the top four. Is he an ace up Rajasthan’s sleeve, or is this his lone shining moment? Only time will tell.
4. Vijay Zol
Team: Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB)
Age: 19
Role: Batsman
Batting Style: Left-handed
The captain of India’s Under-19 team, Vijay Zol had a rather insipid tournament with the bat. However, for someone who once made 451 runs off 467 deliveries in an Under-19 match for Maharashtra, one lean patch can be overlooked. His obvious class was on display when he made a 153-ball 110 on First-Class debut for India A against the visiting New Zealand A side. He has since gone on to score an unbeaten double hundred in Ranji Trophy cricket. In a team with relatively few Indian batsmen, Zol has a chance to sparkle.
5. Harshal Patel
Team: Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB)
Age: 23
Role: Bowler
Batting Style: Right-handed
Bowling Style: Right-arm medium-fast
Unlike some of the others on this list, Harshal Patel played a number of games for the RCB in the 2012 edition of the IPL, where he was very impressive with his accuracy and swing. A terrific fielder, Patel won the best catch award four times. His record in domestic cricket is outstanding, with 76 First-Class wickets in just 21 games. He once took eight-wicket hauls in two successive games for Haryana. He did not get to play a game in IPL 2013, but with the RCB bowling looking a bit threadbare this year, it could be an ideal opportunity for Harshal to shine.
6. Jasprit Bumrah
Team: Mumbai Indians (MI)
Age: 20
Role: Bowler
Batting Style: Right-handed
Bowling Style: Right-arm medium-fast
This young pacer from Gujarat bowls with a rather strange action. Unlike most pace bowlers, Jasprit Bumrah’s arm stays straight at the elbow at all times from his run-up till his follow-through. Behind this slightly odd action, however, is some nagging accuracy. He had an impressive debut last year for MI against RCB, where he finished with figures of three for 32. He has since had a couple of solid seasons with Gujarat and looks like a good option for MI to open their season with.
7. Manan Vohra
Team: Kings XI Punjab (KXIP)
Age: 20
Role: Batsman
Batting Style: Right-handed
The only Indian player to be retained by KXIP, Manan Vohra played a couple of sparkling cameos for them in IPL 2013. He made his Ranji Trophy debut in 2011, but even there he was unable to play a big innings, until he hit a match-winning 187 against Jharkhand. Yuvraj Singh was among a number of experts to hail Vohra as a batsman for the future. The KXIP management certainly have faith in him. It remains to be seen how he responds to it.
8. Baba Aparajith
Team: Chennai Super Kings (CSK)
Age: 19
Role: All-rounder
Batting Style: Right-handed
Bowling Style: Right-arm off-break
A member of Unmukt Chand’s victorious Under-19 World Cup-winning team, this Tamil Nadu player is built in very much the same mould as Ravichandran Ashwin. Both are quiet, hardworking cricketers who focus on every aspect of their game. Even their bowling actions are similar. The difference between them is that Baba Aparajith is more of a batsman than a bowler. Though he had an impressive season with the bat this year for Tamil Nadu, his bowling failed to live up to the promise he showed in his Under-19 days for India. That being said, MS Dhoni’s preference for part-time off-spinners might mean that Aparajith could have some bowling to do this IPL if he gets an extended run.
9. Lokesh Rahul
Team: Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH)
Age: 21
Role: Wicketkeeper/Batsman
Batting Style: Right-handed
The Karnataka opener was the second-highest run-scorer in the Ranji Trophy 2014 with 1,033 runs at an average of almost 69. A steady, accumulative batsman, Lokesh Rahul would be an ideal foil for the likes of Shikhar Dhawan and Darren Sammy in an explosive SRH line-up.
10. Manpreet Juneja
Team: Sunrisers Hyderabad
Age: 23
Role: Batsman
Batting Style: Right-handed
After a dream run in the 2013 domestic season, Manpreet Juneja was touted as a batsman to look forward to in the near future. A brilliant 201 not out on debut batting at No 6 was followed by an equally important 193 for India A against the visiting New Zealand A side. A 50-ball 108 not out against Kerala in the 2013 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy showed his ability in the shortest format. However, things have not gone well for the Gujarat batsman since then. He had a mediocre IPL with the Delhi Daredevils last year and was dropped midway through the 2014 Ranji Trophy season due to poor form. Juneja will be looking to make amends and put a forgettable season behind him and come up with some good performances for Hyderabad.
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