Since the inception of the Indian Premier League, we have seen "N" number of players come through the ranks. While some of these players were one-hit wonders, some had the skill set to survive on the international circuit. Many of these players who were able to survive, went on to proudly wear the Blue India jersey. Many players have the talent, but talent is one thing and using your abilities to good effect is another.
The likes of Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, Ravichandran Ashwin, and Keiron Pollard have all time and again thanked the IPL for their success in the international arena. The ocean of opportunity was spread even wider when the IPL introduced two new teams in Tata IPL 2022. This only meant one thing: more opportunities for younger players who were sidelined before due to experienced players.
In the Tata IPL 2022, there were five such players, who grabbed the attention of every cricket lover with their skill-set on display against the international players. These five players can surely become superstars of their respective national teams one day in the near future:
1 Tilak Varma
The 19-year-old all-rounder has been a revelation in the Tata IPL 2022. After being sold for 1.7 crores in the mega auction, all eyes were on this tall left hander to deliver for the most successful franchise in the IPL, the Mumbai Indians. Tilak had been given the critical position of four in this revamped Mumbai Indians lineup.
And boy! He just did what the doctor ordered. Scoring at a blistering strike rate of 131.02, Tilak had accumulated 397 runs in 14 innings for Mumbai. What impressed one and all was the composure with which Tilak batted and the reverse sweep six of Ashwin is still fresh in the minds of prominent cricket lovers. In fact, such consistent performances helped Varma become Mumbai’s second-highest run scorer in the 2022 season.
Tilak’s father, who is an electrician, used to light up others' homes for a living, and when he saw the cricketing light in his son, the hardworking father and Varma’s coach ensured his son had a bright future. Coming from a humble background, Tilak always dreamt of playing in the IPL. Due to financial struggles, Tilak couldn’t even afford to buy the cricketing gear in his initial days, but as they say, if you are stronger than your situation, you will make it big sooner or later. If Tilak continues on the confidence from the IPL and performs in the domestic arena, a national call-up for Varma isn’t far away.
2 Mohsin Khan
The tall left-hand seamer from Uttar Pradesh, Mohsin Khan, isn’t someone we have been hearing about for the first time. The talented seamer was picked first by the Mumbai Indians in 2018 and 2020, but unfortunately didn’t get even a single game in the blue and gold. It was rather a blessing in disguise, as Mohsin was picked in the mega auction by Lucknow Super Giants for his base price of 20 lakhs.
Khan had an impressive start to his under-16 days, where he picked up 27 wickets in the four trial matches that he featured in. Such an impactful performance earned Mohsin a call-up to the UP-19 squad and senior team. Later, Mohsin’s career almost ended even before it took off. The pacer faced a serious shoulder injury which kept him out of the game for almost two years. It was KL Rahul’s LSG who backed him even after a history of injuries, and Mohsin was ready to bowl the heavy ball.
In the eight innings Mohsin has featured for Lucknow, he has picked up 13 wickets with the best bowling strike rate of 13.38, amongst all the LSG bowlers. More than the wickets, Mohsin’s control over the line and length and ability to hit the deck hard makes him stand apart. This deadly combination can only make Mohsin a better bowler than what he is already, and if he continues in the same rhythm, an Indian team call-up might come swinging into his arms, just like his in-swingers.
3 Dewald Brevis
Baby AB has escalated quite quickly to make a name for himself after an outstanding under-19 Cricket World Cup. Yes, we are talking about the South African superstar, Dewald Brevis, also known as DB. DB has taken the IPL 2022 by storm. His stance, his bat, and his composure are very similar to the legendary Ab De Villiers, but DB has added his uniqueness to it.
Brevis didn’t get the opportunity to play the entire IPL given some permutations and combinations being tested by the Mumbai management. In the seven innings that Dewald featured for Mumbai, he scored 161 runs at a strike rate of 142.47, which has been raising eyebrows everywhere. The sheer six-hitting ability of Dewald is unmatched with other 19-year-olds performing at the same level.
The second highest run scorer in the Under-19 World Cup was definitely in contention for an international debut. But the South African didn’t get a call up for the series against India, which would have been disappointing for Brevis. However, Dewald's calibre and skill set cannot be contained for long.It will be just a matter of time when Dewald explodes on the international circuit too, just like he did in the Under-19 World Cup.
2 Umran Malik
Umran "Bullet" Malik has definitely been the find of IPL 2022. The speedster bowled consistently above 145 KMp in all the matches he featured for Sunrisers Hyderabad in this season. In fact, Umran was so fast this season that he bowled the second fastest delivery ever in the history of the IPL, a 157 KMPh bullet that broke the speed-o-meter and the internet with praise for the youngster. After an impressive IPL, all the hype around Umran led to him earning a maiden call-up to the Indian squad for the T20 series against South Africa.
Umran had the pace last season too, but what was missing in his armoury was an accurate line and length to back up the fast deliveries. The story was different this season, as he was under the experienced hands of "Steyn Gun," Mr. Dale Steyn. As a bowler, he wreaked havoc during his prime, terrorising batters with his deadly pace and accurate out swingers. Dale passed on his experience to the youngster as well, and suddenly Malik was a different bowler altogether.
Umran took 22 scalps in this IPL with a threatening strike rate of 13.40, which was the best amongst all the SRH bowlers. Umran was not just the highest wicket taker for the Sunrisers, but the Jammu speedster also broke into the top five wicket takers across all teams. The most impressive thing about Umran was the Yorkers that followed after a dreadful bouncer, and clearly his master, Steyn, was all smiles from the dugout seeing the youngster execute his skills. If Malik continues the same, he will be the next big thing in the Indian setup.
1 Arshdeep Singh
A bowler who can bowl yorkers will never go out of fashion. Similar is the story of Arshdeep Singh, who has risen through the ranks with his impressive death bowling capabilities. Arshdeep impressed even the likes of Kagiso Rabada with his accurate yorkers, as the South African bowler was all praise for Mr. Singh.
Arshdeep has been the most economical bowler for Punjab Kings this season with an economy rate of 7.70. One thing that has stood out for Arshdeep as compared to other bowlers has been the calmness and self-belief in nailing those yorkers under pressure. Arshdeep not only contained the batters in the death over but also put the pressure back on them, which resulted in a wicket from the other end. India have been missing a left-arm pacer for quite some time now, with Natarajan being in and out of the squad with injuries.
Arshdeep has already received his maiden call up for the South Africa series. It shows the youngster is already in contention for a longer stay in the Indian setup with an eye on the T20 world cup in Downunder later this year. With another left-arm seamer, Natarajan, missing out on the bus for the South Africa series, it is pretty evident that Arshdeep will be a potential candidate to fill up the left-arm pacer spot for India for years to come now.
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