Uncapped Indian players who have stood out with their performances this season

NEW DELHI: The slogan of the Indian Premier League (IPL) means “Yatra Pratibha Avsara Prapnotihi,” which translates to “where talent meets opportunity.” So far, in the 2023 season, nail-biting finishes and 200+ scores being made in heaps have been the norm.

But apart from this, the IPL 2023 season has been brightened up by performances from uncapped Indian players, who have turned out to be vital cogs in the wheel for their respective teams. IANS looks at the uncapped Indian players who shot into the limelight this season:

YASHASVI JAISWAL (Rajasthan Royals)

After hitting six centuries, including two double-hundreds, in the 2022/23 domestic season, the southpaw has been a mainstay for Rajasthan, amassing 477 runs from 11 matches at an average of 43.36 and a strike rate of 160.61, including three fifties and one century against his name.

Jaiswal also holds the record for the season’s highest individual score of 124 against the Mumbai Indians which came at his home ground Wankhede Stadium, though Rajasthan ended up on the losing side.

As a ten-year-old, Jaiswal left his village in Uttar Pradesh to make a career out of playing cricket in Mumbai, including living in a tent at a cricket ground and selling panipuris to keep his dream alive. With many players, including Rohit Sharma calling him a future India player, it won’t be a surprise if Jaiswal dons the Indian jersey in the near future.

RINKU SINGH (Kolkata Knight Riders)

Rinku’s effortless six-hitting ability injected frenzy in the tournament when he single-handedly pulled off a heist against defending champions Gujarat Titans in Ahmedabad. With 28 needed off the last five balls of the final over, Rinku smashed Yash Dayal for five consecutive sixes to chase down 205.

With 337 runs in 11 innings at an average of 56.17 and a strike rate of 151.12, Rinku is also Kolkata’s leading run-getter and recently hit a four on the last ball to get Kolkata a nervy win over Punjab Kings.

Born in Uttar Pradesh’s Aligarh, Rinku comes from a humble background. His father worked as a cylinder-delivery executive for an LPG company, and spent his growing up years in a dilapidated, tin-roofed house, with his family of nine. Now with IPL 2023 propelling him to stardom, Rinku is justifying the faith in his skills shown by Kolkata.

JITESH SHARMA (Punjab Kings)

In IPL 2023, Jitesh has turned out to be a reliable finisher for Punjab, amassing 260 runs in 11 innings at an average of 26 and a strike rate of 160.49. With the ability to play attacking strokeplay against pacers and spinners, Jitesh, also Punjab’s wicketkeeper, is showing he can deliver under pressure to take the side to big scores.

Jitesh wasn’t initially seeing playing cricket as a career, with his aim of playing the sport to get extra marks in class ten board exams and go past the cut-off list of the NDA exam. But destiny had other plans as he got into the Vidarbha team and is now being a standout player for Punjab, and who knows could be heading towards the Indian team.

SUYASH SHARMA (Kolkata Knight Riders)

Unearthed out of nowhere, Suyash has joined Varun Chakravarthy and Sunil Narine to form a formidable spin trio for Kolkata in IPL 2023. In his first game, Suyash picked up three wickets and led Kolkata to an emphatic 81-run win over Royal Challengers Bangalore. With his stunning googlies, Suyash has taken 10 wickets in eight innings.

Hailing from the Bhajanpura area in East Delhi, Suyash is yet to feature in either a first-class match, a List A match, or a T20 match for his state side Delhi, though he did play in two U-25 games, where he caught the eye of Kolkata scouts and as they say, the rest is history.

TILAK VARMA (Mumbai Indians)

After being a bright spot for Mumbai in IPL 2022, Tilak has continued to shine for the side though he didn’t play the last few games due to a slight unspecified injury. So far, Tilak, the left-handed batter, has scored 274 runs in nine innings of IPL 2023, averaging 45.67 and at a strike rate of 158.38.

His unbeaten 84 against Royal Challengers Bangalore in Mumbai’s season opener was a sparkling effort in stroke-play, apart from impactful cameos in matches against Delhi Capitals, Punjab Kings and Sunrisers Hyderabad. He was born into a middle-class family, where his father worked as an electrician, but now Tilak is brightening the IPL world.

DHRUV JUREL (Rajasthan Royals)

After not playing in Rajasthan’s IPL 2023 opening game against Sunrisers Hyderabad, Dhruv got a chance to play and hasn’t looked back since. The youngster has adapted to the finisher’s role brilliantly, amassing 141 runs in nine innings, at a strike-rate of 183.11.

Hailing from Agra in Uttar Pradesh, Dhruv’s father is a Kargil War veteran and began playing the game during a summer camp at his school. But with consistent performances as a finisher for Rajasthan in IPL 2023, Dhruv can be a potential India player and represent the country in future. IANS

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