The Indian Premier League (IPL) has provided a platform for uncapped players, particularly from India, to rub shoulders with seasoned campaigners from across the world since its start in 2008. This has frequently hastened their growth, allowing players to adapt smoothly to international cricket.
Many young players have dominated the IPL over the years with outstanding performances.
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Ishan Kishan – 516 runs (2020)
In the IPL 2020, Ishan Kishan was brought in to replace Saurabh Tiwary, and it turned out to be a brilliant move. He scored 516 runs to help Mumbai Indians win the trophy. Following his steady results in the domestic circuit, Kishan was also given his first national call-up. The aggressive left-hander was successful both in the middle order and as an opener (coming in for the injured Rohit Sharma), scoring 516 runs with a strike rate of 145.8 and an average of 57.3.
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Suryakumar Yadav – 512 runs (2018), 480 runs (2020)
Suryakumar Yadav scored 512 runs in the IPL 2018, averaging 36.6 and striking at 133.3 percent. In 14 innings, he had nine 30-run innings, including four 50-run innings. Yadav was the franchise’s leading run-scorer in an otherwise disastrous season for the Mumbai Indians, who missed the playoffs.
Suryakumar Yadav continued his outstanding form for Mumbai Indians in the IPL 2020 season, amassing 480 runs for his club. He had a healthy average of 40 runs per game and four half-centuries throughout the competition. Yadav became the first uncapped player in IPL history to hit 400 runs in three consecutive seasons.
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Devdutt Padikkal – 473 runs (2020)
In the IPL 2020, Devdutt Padikkal was a breath of fresh air for Royal Challengers Bangalore. The left-handed opener was a big reason for RCB’s good season in 2020. His 473 runs set a new record for an Indian uncapped player in his first IPL season, surpassing Shreyas Iyer’s previous mark (439 runs in 2015). Devdutt Padikkal was named ‘Emerging Player of the Season’ for his outstanding performances.
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Paul Valthaty – 463 Runs (2011)
During the 2011 IPL, Paul Valthaty shone for Kings XI Punjab. The opener scored 463 runs at a brilliant strike rate of 136.98, including a match-winning century against the Chennai Super Kings. He was, however, a one-season wonder who failed to repeat his success the following season. In 2012, he only scored 30 runs in six matches and was subsequently dropped from the playing 11. Soon after, he was cut from the Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings) squad. After going unsold in the 2014 auction, he was never seen in the IPL again.
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Tilak Varma – 397 runs (2022)
Tilak Varma has stood out as the biggest positive for Mumbai Indians in a season of unprecedented disappointments, both in terms of what he has provided and what he can provide for MI in the future. In IPL 2022, Varma scored 397 runs at an average of 36.09 and a strike rate of 131.02.
