The 16th edition of the immensely popular Indian Premier League (IPL) kicked off yesterday, and the Gujarat Titans have begun their journey with a victory against the Chennai Super Kings. The IPL has been a great platform for youngsters to showcase their skills against the greatest names in T20 cricket. Every season, an ‘Emerging Player’ is selected based on fulfilling certain criteria to be rewarded with recognition for their impressive performances.
- Should be less than 25 years old
- Played less than 5 Tests, 20 ODIs & 25 IPL matches
- Should not have won the award before
Here we look at 3 potential contenders for the ‘Emerging Player’ award:
1) Tilak Verma
Tilak Varma, the 20-year-old from Hyderabad, put in an impressive performance for the Mumbai Indians in the 2022 IPL season. He scored 397 runs in 14 innings at an average of 36.07 and a strike rate of 131.02, proving himself to be a positive contributor. Varma also had a successful run in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT), scoring 297 runs in 6 innings at an average of 49.50 and a strike rate of 136.23. He can be a potential ‘Emerging Player’.
2) Yashasvi Jaiswal
Yashasvi Jaiswal has lived up to the hype of being one of the most talented young batters in the country with a sterling start to his IPL career, having scored 547 runs in 23 matches at an average of 23.78 and a strike rate of 134.73. The 21-year-old’s intent has been especially impressive, driving Mumbai’s title-winning run in the SMAT last season with 266 runs in nine innings at an average of 33 with a strike rate of 141.
3) Rajvardhan Hangargekar
Rajvardhan Hangargekar, who was part of India’s victorious U-19 World Cup team in 2022 and is recognized for his special all-round talent, was signed by Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at the IPL mega auction for ₹1.5 crores ahead of the 2022 season. Having an experienced Deepak Chahar on their side gives CSK the confidence to experiment more with this young player and allow him a longer stay in their squad. He is yet another candidate for the ‘Emerging Player’ award.
