The Mumbai Indians’ (MI) experience with scouting bright young Indian talent has continued into IPL 2023, with to their selection of Nehal Wadhera.
This season, the left-handed batter from Ludhiana, who plays for Punjab on the domestic circuit, has been an essential player in the MI lineup. He has accumulated 183 runs in six innings at an average of 36.60 and a strike rate of 147.58, scoring two half-centuries along the way.
His form has reached a peak in the previous few games, thanks to mature knocks under pressure against the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB).
With his undefeated 34-ball 52 that helped MI amass a 200-run target in no time against RCB on Tuesday May 9, he has established himself as one to keep an eye on.
On that topic, here are three reasons why Wadhera is a promising future talent.
1) Confident Facing Both Pace and Spin Bowlers
It’s a rare quality among young domestic Indian batsmen these days, but Nehal Wadhera appears unbothered by both pace and spin. In the game against CSK, he blasted Ravindra Jadeja aerially over the fine leg on many occasions, showing his ability against the latter.
Even against RCB in Mumbai, Vijaykumar Vyshak’s well-directed short ball was pummelling over the square leg boundary. So far there hasn’t been any obvious weakness in his game that has come to light.
While teams will need time to figure this out, the southpaw has shown to be difficult to bowl to thus far in IPL 2023. Another part of his batting that sticks out is his ability to move in the crease, which gives him a bigger potential in the future.
2) Stays Calm Under Pressure
Pressure often puts a player’s character to the test, and young Wadhera has already done so for MI.
Walking out to bat at 48/4 in the team’s season opener against RCB, he quickly established a partnership with Tilak Varma while also taking on Karn Sharma for a couple of monster sixes without allowing the occasion to get the best of him.
The CSK game in Chennai was a huge acid test for him, as he walked out with the score at 14/3 in the third over. With no Tilak to come back on, Wadhera was the lone bright light, scoring 64 and changing strike well and accelerating at the perfect time.
The strain of a 200-run target didn’t bother him either against the Challengers at Wankhede Stadium, with slower deliveries gripping the pitch. His most recent half-century is more proof that he has a solid head on his shoulders, and this attribute will undoubtedly push him forward.
3) He has had an impressive beginning to his first-class career.
While it is still early days, Wadhera’s first-class career is off to a great start. He has now averaged 53.71 in five matches for Punjab after making his Ranji Trophy debut earlier this year. He’s also hit a few of hundreds, including a double-hundred.
This shows not only a tendency for great runs, but also the capacity to succeed in various versions of the game. The temperament he has displayed so far in the IPL is surely no coincidence, and he has the potential to become a sensational name in the near future.
It’s also worth noting that he is capable of throwing down overs of leg spin. A left-handed batter who bowls right-handed and fields like a machine is a really fascinating package in the making, and Wadhera must be carefully cared for in the future.
