The 2020 edition of the Indian Premier League is under way in the UAE and although the big stars naturally have fans fawning, the tournament also provides a chance for some unknown rookies to make their name.
With that in mind, we’ve looked at four youngsters who could be set to explode onto the scene and examine what they could bring to their franchises.
Devdutt Padikkal (Royal Challengers Bangalore)
Age: 20
Image credit – BCCI/SPORTZPICS
The RCB franchise has long yearned for a local homegrown talent to call its own and their prayers seem to have finally been answered with the rise of young Devdutt Padikkal.
A fluently crafted half-century on his IPL debut against Sunrisers Hyderabad underlined the massive hype which has surrounded Padikkal after a stellar domestic season.
What makes the left-handed batsman tick is his tall frame and long reach. He is extremely comfortable against short-pitched deliveries and plays the pull and hook shots with aplomb. While there is a tendency for tall batsmen to struggle against spin at times, Padikkal’s reach and nimble footwork ensure that he is comfortable against the spinners as well.
The 20-year-old is a naturally attacking batsman and his aggressive qualities were on show in the clash against Hyderabad. There is something about left-handed batsmen which makes their shots look stylish and it is no different for the Karnataka prodigy.
Comparisons with Yuvraj Singh might be a tad premature, though it is easy to see why the connection is being made. He looked strong on both sides of the pitch in his maiden IPL outing which didn’t reveal any apparent weaknesses.
There will be much tougher examinations to come for Padikkal as we go deep into the IPL, although the early signs are highly promising for both RCB and India.
Ravi Bishnoi (Kings XI Punjab)
Age: 20
Image credit – BCCI/SPORTZPICS
Like Padikkal, young Ravi Bishnoi has also made his IPL bow this year with a seamless introduction against the Delhi Capitals.
Finger spinners are always a precious commodity in T20 cricket and Bishnoi seems to carry all the requisite attributes to be a roaring success. Unlike someone like Yuzvendra Chahal, Bishnoi is not one to impart plenty of flight on the ball.
Rather, he likes to hurry the batsmen with the skiddy nature of his deliveries. The leg-spinner is not the biggest turner of the ball, but he is still able to keep the batsmen guessing with a deceptive googly which goes the other way.
Against Delhi, Bishnoi rarely bowled any conventional leg-spinners and instead relied heavily on the googly. In fact, his googlies turned more sharply than his leg-spinners on Sunday.
It was his clever use of the googly which kept an aggressive batsman like Rishabh Pant in check. Ultimately, Pant ran out of patience against Bishnoi’s relentless googly onslaught and chopped one on to his stumps.
The former India U19 youngster showed no signs of nerves on his IPL debut and conceded just two boundaries in his quota of four overs. The UAE pitches will suit his style, even more so in the latter stages of the tournament.
The fact that he was chosen in the playing XI over an experienced spinner like Mujeeb ur Rahman speaks volumes about the belief KXIP have in Bishnoi’s potential.
Josh Philippe (Royal Challengers Bangalore)
Age: 23
Image credit – BCCI/SPORTZPICS
Padikkal is not the only future superstar that RCB have on their hands and Australia’s Josh Philippe will have similar amounts of eyeballs on him this IPL.
The franchise wasted no time in handing Philippe his IPL debut, with the Australian taking the wicketkeeping gloves in the win over Sunrisers Hyderabad. Coming in to bat in the last over of the Bangalore innings, Philippe didn’t really get a chance to make an impression.
However, his talents are no secret and there is a reason he has been picked up by an IPL franchise despite the complete lack of any senior Australia appearances.
The 23-year-old showed his T20 chops with some exhilarating displays for Sydney Sixers in the 2019-20 BBL campaign. The right-hander has a 360-degree range with his shot making and is also blessed with the gift of immaculate timing.
Despite his average frame, he was able to send the ball flying to the pavilion of the Sydney Cricket Ground. While he is just getting started at the senior level, there are clearly some shades of AB de Villiers in his batting.
What stands out about Philippe is his ability to withstand the pressure of the big occasion and his man-of-the-match effort in the BBL final is testament to his ice cool temperament.
Yashasvi Jaiswal (Rajasthan Royals)
Age: 18
At just 18 years of age, Yashasvi Jaiswal is one of the youngest rookies on the IPL roster. The left-handed batsman has made a blazing start to his career at every level and comes into the IPL on the back of a marvellous domestic campaign for Mumbai.
Jaiswal is a certainty to make his IPL debut on Tuesday when Rajasthan Royals take on Chennai Super Kings, and looks set to occupy the opening slot.
Expectations are enormous, especially after he emerged as the best batsman of the ICC U19 World Cup earlier this year. That he is also the youngest List A double centurion in history only adds to the expectations on the teenager.
What is impressive about his batting is an ability to change gears seamlessly depending on the situation. He can dig in when the going gets tough as displayed by his patient knock in the U19 World Cup final loss to Bangladesh.
He can also tear into bowling attacks as evidenced by his 154-ball 203 against Jharkhand in a Vijay Hazare Trophy clash. Equally strong on the front-foot and back-foot, Jaiswal’s batting style bears an uncanny resemblance to Shikhar Dhawan.
Nothing seems to faze the youth prodigy so far and his solid temperament should hold him in good stead in the pressure cauldron of the IPL.
