Over the past 12 editions of the IPL, there have been some wonderful stories of players who have emerged from relative obscurity to become stars for their respective teams. Young players look at the tournament as an opportunity not just to try and catch the eye of the selectors, but also test themselves against international stars from India as well as overseas. The 2020 edition of the IPL is no different, with a barrage of hitherto unknown talent set to take to the field. Here’s a look at five players you may not have seen much of before this, but might see a lot of once the tournament begins.
#1. Tom Banton: Kolkata Knight Riders
‘T20 specialists’ are high in demand these days and 21-year-old Tom Banton is quickly falling into that category. Having first lit up the T20 Blast in England while playing for Somerset, Banton bagged himself contracts in T20 leagues overseas as well. He will arrive in Kolkata off the back of a successful stint at Brisbane Heat in the Big Bash, where he scored three 50s in seven games. His six-hitting ability at the top of the order and general playing style have drawn comparisons to Kevin Pietersen, who isn’t a bad player to be likened with! IPL 2020 will be most Indian fans’ first look at the dashing wicket-keeper batsman, with the restrictions placed on overseas players being the only factor that might restrict his playing time for KKR.
#2. R Sai Kishore: Chennai Super Kings
Cricket fans in Tamil Nadu, as well as fans of the TNPL, might be familiar with the tall left-arm spinner, but the nation at large is yet to see R Sai Kishore in action. Although he has tried out for various IPL teams before without much luck, a good showing in this year’s Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy saw his home side Chennai Super Kings pick him up at this year’s auction. He picked up 20 wickets at an average of 10.40 and an economy of 4.63 in the tournament, which shows his T20 prowess. However, CSK does boast a number of spinners in their ranks who Sai Kishore might find difficult to get past, but he can definitely learn a lot from them and take his chance when he gets it.
#3. Ravi Bishnoi: Kings XI Punjab
Ravi Bishnoi is the latest of a long line of impressive bowling talent that Rajasthan seems to be churning out of late, with Deepak Chahar, Rahul Chahar, and Khaleel Ahmed being some other examples. A member of the Indian team that will feature in the U-19 World Cup later in the year, Bishnoi is a wily leg spinner with a decent wrong’un who has picked up 12 wickets at an economy rate of 4.37 in seven youth ODIs. Decent with the bat lower down the order, he can be a viable option for Kings XI Punjab this season, while working with a mentor like Anil Kumble can only help improve his game.
#4. Virat Singh: Sunrisers Hyderabad
Not only does he share the name with India’s current cricket captain, but Virat Singh also comes from the same state as another modern-day legend of Indian cricket in MS Dhoni. With the bar set that high, 22-year old Virat Singh has a lot to live up to! However, his excellent domestic form for Jharkhand suggests that he possesses the talent to back that up. He scored 335 runs in seven matches in the Vijay Hazare Trophy at an average of 83 and a strike rate of 100, following that with 343 runs in ten Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy matches as well. He was picked up by the Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL 2020 auction, and with possible places for young Indian batsmen in that middle order, he will be looking to shine in the orange jersey this year.
#5. Priyam Garg: Sunrisers Hyderabad
Before Priyam Garg features for Sunrisers Hyderabad in IPL 2020, he has the small task of leading India at the U-19 Cricket World Cup that will be held in South Africa later this year. He enjoyed a stellar debut season for Uttar Pradesh in the Ranji Trophy, scoring 814 runs in his maiden season in the tournament. His domestic T20 record is just as impressive for a player of his age, having scored 227 runs in 11 matches at a strike rate of 132.74. He will join his U-19 teammate Virat Singh at SRH for IPL 2020 and is sure to give coach Trevor Bayliss a selection headache when the tournament starts.
