It has been a different IPL. The two big teams, MI and CSK, are not winning, and as such the runs have dried up for the superstar. Virat Kohli And Rohit Sharma,
Instead, in a fresh new phenomenon, we have seen a bunch of unknown but talented Indian youngsters enter high-pressure tournaments like Duck to Water. Here we are telling you about those newbies who seem to be born for the big stage…
Umran Maliki
This turbulent, exciting fast bowler has probably been the biggest advantage for Indian cricket. Producing speed in the region of 150kph, this ‘speed gun’ from Jammu and Kashmir hit the helmet and blew up the stumps. The 22-year-old Sunrisers Hyderabad pacer took three wickets in the first over of four wickets (one batsman was run out) against Punjab Kings at the DY Patil Stadium. Where he showed glimpses of his raw pace in the second half of last year’s IPL in the UAE, Malik is now a more powerful weapon with deadly bouncers and yorkers. It was a matter of time before Malik played for Team India.
M: 6, Wicket: 9, Best bowling: 4-28, Average: 22.33, Economy rate: 9.13
Tilak Verma
MI has discovered a silver lining in the dark cloud in Tilak Verma. Like most handsome lefthanders, this 19-year-old is a delight to see the bowlers hit through the line and improve with ease. He has both the timing and the power, as he showed against CSK with a 43-ball 51. His best innings so far is his 61 off 33 balls against Rajasthan Royals, in which his footwork against Chahal and Ravi Ashwin was perfect. MI spent Rs 1.70 crore for him in an impressive white-ball show for Hyderabad in the 2021-22 season. It was a wise investment for the future.
M: 7, Runs: 183, HS: 61, Average: 36. 60, SR: 147.58
Ayush Badoni
After making impressive appearances for the India U-19 team a few years back, the talented Badoni was almost lost in the maze of Indian cricket, ignored by the Delhi selectors in the white-ball tournament and the last three IPL auctions by the franchises. Till then he was picked up by Lucknow Super Giants. The 22-year-old was the first of the ‘unknown’ to light up this IPL. Making his debut with his team at 29/4 against Gujarat Titans, he showed both steel and 360-degree shot-making skills, hitting a 41-ball 54.
M: 7, Runs: 120, HS: 54, Average: 30, SR: 141.17
Jitesh Sharma
The Vidarbha players are an exciting white ball specialist. The 28-year-old, with his aggressive batting style, is an integral part of the exciting batting line-up of Punjab Kings. Sharma’s strike rate of 164.86 shows how valuable he is. He can also hit the ball conventionally and unconventionally, as shown the reverse ramp for four against Mumbai in Pune. loved these strokes Anil Kumble And Jonty Rhodes excited in the Punjab Kings dugout!
M: 5, Runs: 122, HS: 32, Average: 30. 50, SR: 164.86
shahbaz ahmed
He has been dominant at No. 6 for RCB, scoring 45 off 26 balls against Rajasthan Royals at the Wankhede. His 32-ball partnership with Dinesh Karthik changed the color of the game. Shahbaz has consistently made the pitch with his clean hitting.
M: 7, Runs: 171, HS: 45, Average: 42.75, SR: 147.41
Kuldeep Sen
The Madhya Pradesh pacer, whose father runs a hair-cutting salon in Rewa, showed his prowess on debut for Rajasthan Royals, restricting LSG to 15 in the final over with the dreaded Marcus Stoinis in the middle.
M: 2, Wicket: 2, Best bowling: 1-35, Average: 43.00, ER: 10.75
Vaibhav Arora
This spirited 24-year-old seamer from Himachal Pradesh doesn’t have the numbers to sing but it is a good possibility. He enjoyed a stellar IPL debut for Punjab Kings, dismissing Robin Uthappa and Moeen Ali, while conceding just 21 runs in four overs against CSK.
M: 5, Wicket: 3, Best bowling: 2-21, Average: 54. 66, ER: 9.19
(Stats updated ahead of Thursday’s MI-CSK game)
Instead, in a fresh new phenomenon, we have seen a bunch of unknown but talented Indian youngsters enter high-pressure tournaments like Duck to Water. Here we are telling you about those newbies who seem to be born for the big stage…
Umran Maliki
This turbulent, exciting fast bowler has probably been the biggest advantage for Indian cricket. Producing speed in the region of 150kph, this ‘speed gun’ from Jammu and Kashmir hit the helmet and blew up the stumps. The 22-year-old Sunrisers Hyderabad pacer took three wickets in the first over of four wickets (one batsman was run out) against Punjab Kings at the DY Patil Stadium. Where he showed glimpses of his raw pace in the second half of last year’s IPL in the UAE, Malik is now a more powerful weapon with deadly bouncers and yorkers. It was a matter of time before Malik played for Team India.
M: 6, Wicket: 9, Best bowling: 4-28, Average: 22.33, Economy rate: 9.13
Tilak Verma
MI has discovered a silver lining in the dark cloud in Tilak Verma. Like most handsome lefthanders, this 19-year-old is a delight to see the bowlers hit through the line and improve with ease. He has both the timing and the power, as he showed against CSK with a 43-ball 51. His best innings so far is his 61 off 33 balls against Rajasthan Royals, in which his footwork against Chahal and Ravi Ashwin was perfect. MI spent Rs 1.70 crore for him in an impressive white-ball show for Hyderabad in the 2021-22 season. It was a wise investment for the future.
M: 7, Runs: 183, HS: 61, Average: 36. 60, SR: 147.58
Ayush Badoni
After making impressive appearances for the India U-19 team a few years back, the talented Badoni was almost lost in the maze of Indian cricket, ignored by the Delhi selectors in the white-ball tournament and the last three IPL auctions by the franchises. Till then he was picked up by Lucknow Super Giants. The 22-year-old was the first of the ‘unknown’ to light up this IPL. Making his debut with his team at 29/4 against Gujarat Titans, he showed both steel and 360-degree shot-making skills, hitting a 41-ball 54.
M: 7, Runs: 120, HS: 54, Average: 30, SR: 141.17
Jitesh Sharma
The Vidarbha players are an exciting white ball specialist. The 28-year-old, with his aggressive batting style, is an integral part of the exciting batting line-up of Punjab Kings. Sharma’s strike rate of 164.86 shows how valuable he is. He can also hit the ball conventionally and unconventionally, as shown the reverse ramp for four against Mumbai in Pune. loved these strokes Anil Kumble And Jonty Rhodes excited in the Punjab Kings dugout!
M: 5, Runs: 122, HS: 32, Average: 30. 50, SR: 164.86
shahbaz ahmed
He has been dominant at No. 6 for RCB, scoring 45 off 26 balls against Rajasthan Royals at the Wankhede. His 32-ball partnership with Dinesh Karthik changed the color of the game. Shahbaz has consistently made the pitch with his clean hitting.
M: 7, Runs: 171, HS: 45, Average: 42.75, SR: 147.41
Kuldeep Sen
The Madhya Pradesh pacer, whose father runs a hair-cutting salon in Rewa, showed his prowess on debut for Rajasthan Royals, restricting LSG to 15 in the final over with the dreaded Marcus Stoinis in the middle.
M: 2, Wicket: 2, Best bowling: 1-35, Average: 43.00, ER: 10.75
Vaibhav Arora
This spirited 24-year-old seamer from Himachal Pradesh doesn’t have the numbers to sing but it is a good possibility. He enjoyed a stellar IPL debut for Punjab Kings, dismissing Robin Uthappa and Moeen Ali, while conceding just 21 runs in four overs against CSK.
M: 5, Wicket: 3, Best bowling: 2-21, Average: 54. 66, ER: 9.19
(Stats updated ahead of Thursday’s MI-CSK game)