In his first international assignment, barely a couple of months after his maiden Indian Premier League (IPL) campaign, Virat Kohli was India’s second-highest run-scorer – in an ODI series against Sri Lanka. With its commencement tracing 15 years back, the trend of IPL producing – barring everything else the spectacle offers – India’s next crop of stars, has remained a racing certainty.
The 2023 season has politely adhered to the rules set by its predecessors, with a plethora of playing audaciously punching above their weights, and challenging the world’s best in the most resplendent platform franchise cricket has to offer.
Let us have a look at five emerging stars from IPL 2023, who could be handed India debuts very soon:
1. Yashasvi Jaiswal
Tears had swelled up in Yashasvi Jaiswal’s eyes, following his match-winning knock against Kolkata Knight Riders on 11 May. Nor was overwhelmingly ecstatic for taking his team, Rajasthan Royals, a step closer to the playoffs, and neither was he in devastating agony, for being stranded on an unbeaten 98.
Instead, it was perhaps the realisation that, amid fans and pundits unequivocally demanding it, a national call-up was not too far away. On being asked about his aspirations in the post-match press conference, Yashasvi did not hold back, stating “I want to play at number three in the 2023 ODI World Cup, which is happening in India. This is my dream, I hope Rohit bhaiya considers me.”
Whether Rohit Sharma, India’s skipper, and the selection committee will consider him for the sport’s apex competition, is not known yet, but if numbers in IPL are anything to go by, he does warrant a place in the team.
Currently the third-highest run-scorer of the season, the 21-year-old has scored 575 runs in 13 matches, including four half-centuries and a ton, barring the 98* at Eden Gardens. Moreover, he also now holds the record for scoring the competition’s fastest half-century, in only 13 deliveries.
Yashasvi’s journey from Uttar Pradesh to Mumbai is extensively documented, with the prodigy baring it all during an exclusive conversation with The Quint. Now, however, it could be the optimum time to transition towards another journey – that, into the realms of international success.
2. Rinku Singh
Rinku Singh is not among the youngest stars, having made his debut in the competition five years back, but having used all of his patience to get adequate opportunities of proving his mettle, he is now using all of the shots in his repertoire to create – not ripples – but waves.
Barring Yashasvi, Rinku is the only other batter in IPL 2023’s list of top ten run-scorers, who are yet to play a match in the international circuit. Currently placed ninth on that list, Rinku has scored 407 runs in 13 matches, with an average of 50.87, and a strike rate of 143.30.
Barring Yashasvi, Rinku is the only other batter in IPL 2023’s list of top ten run-scorers, who are yet to play a match in the international circuit.
Currently placed ninth on that list, Rinku has scored 407 runs in 13 matches, with an average of 50.87, and a strike rate of 143.30.
What will be remembered and eternised from his prolonged list of miraculous achievements is his last-over exploits against Gujarat Titans, wherein he struck five consecutive sixes to win the game for his team.
That being said, with three half-centuries – which includes both quickfire knocks, like the one against Sunrisers Hyderabad, and innings where he had to exercise restraint in the face of adverse batting conditions, like the one in Chepauk against Chennai – Rinku has done enough to prove is his, for all the hype the word generates, a ‘multi-dimensional’ batter.
Speaking to The Quint, Rinku’s childhood coach from Aligarh, Masood Uz Zafar Amini said “In my opinion, Rinku is 90% there (in terms of selection in the national team). With what he has been doing in the IPL, the selectors’ doors have definitely been knocked on. Now, it is up to them to open the door, because on grounds of performance, he surely deserves a chance in the Indian T20I team.”
3. Tilak Varma
Not that we have an innate admiration for Southpaws, but strictly guided by statistics, we could soon see three emerging left-handed batters from this season’s IPL in Indian colours. Rounding off the list, after Yashasvi and Rinku, is Mumbai Indians’ Tilak Varma.
The youngster from Hyderabad was not particularly a known figure when Mumbai Indians spent Rs 1.70 crore to acquire his signature, a year ago. Since then, however, he has emerged as a stanchion, in a batting order featuring many of world cricket’s more recognized names.
Scoring 397 runs in IPL 2022 meant that he was there or thereabouts in the discussions for India’s next-gen middle-order, yet, anything less spectacular this season would have resulted in the dreaded ‘one season wonder’ tag.
Varma has not only avoided that, but so far, has improved his numbers to signify progress.
Scoring 274 runs in nine matches, his 2023 average and strike rate is 45.67 and 158.38 respectively, rising from his 2022 numbers of 36.09 and 131.02.
4. Tushar Deshpande
Beyond recency bias, a closer, sterner look at this season’s numbers will highlight a flaw – unlike IPL 2022, we hardly have had any emerging bowling talents. Whilst the likes of Prasidh Krishna and Mukesh Choudhary are nursing injuries, many of those who are competing, including Umran Malik and Avesh Khan, have seen a significant dip in their numbers.
At a stage wherein stars from yesteryears, like Mohit Sharma and Piyush Chawla, are launching full-blown bids of fame reclamation, Tushar Deshpande has emerged as, barring everything else, a unique phenomenon.
That, Deshpande will receive a few big blows, is almost a certainty, but in an act of balancing out, it is also certain that he will be among wickets. The only bowler to have made the cut on this list, Chennai Super Kings’ speedster has picked up 19 wickets in 13 games.
Besides his three-wicket hauls, what sets Deshpande apart is his ability to bowl both with the new ball, and at the death overs.
Coupled with this, helping the Mumbaikar’s case is his ability to bounce back, considering he conceded 51 runs in the season’s opening match, resulting in a barrage of criticism.
5. Jitesh Sharma
During an interaction with The Quint, former Indian head coach, Anil Kumble highlighted how it is necessary to look beyond the numbers in their rudimentary form, and analyse which players have excelled well in specialized roles.
One among those to fit the bill is our fifth mention – Punjab Kings’ Jitesh Sharma. In its rudimentary form, statistics will show that Jitesh scored 265 runs, with his average being 24.09 and his strike rate being 158.68.
Howbeit, if we consider batting statistics from only the death (last four) overs, it will be revealed that amongst the batters who have scored a minimum of 70 runs in that phase, Jitesh has the third-highest strike rate (206.98).
Not that he has a half-century to his name, but a 27-ball 49 against Mumbai in Mohali, alongside a 7-ball 25 against the same opposition at the Wankhede Stadium, proves the 29-year-old could be a prime candidate to be India’s next specialised finisher.
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