MUMBAI: The IPL provides the young talent in the country a platform not just to showcase their skills but opens a door for them to progress to the national side. Over the years, it has been witnessed that several newcomers who impressed the selectors with their efforts eventually get a national call-up.
The ongoing edition of the glitzy cricket league appears no different because several uncapped players have left an indelible mark with their performance.
In its bid to prepare for the T20 World Cup in Australia later this year, the Indian Cricket Team will host South Africa for a 5 match T20I series in June. The first match of the series will act as a platform for Team India to chase an all-time 13-0 T20I winning record and become an all-time great team in this format.
Experts reckon that a few of the emerging players should get their maiden India call-up, as the team will look to chase an all-time 13-0 T20I winning record in the upcoming bilateral series at home. Many believe that young uncapped Indian players such as Umran Malik, Arshdeep Singh, Rahul Tripathi and Tilak Varma should be rewarded for their fantastic show in the IPL 2022 and could get an India call-up.
West Indies batting legend Brian Lara is impressed with Sunrisers Hyderabad speedster Umran Malik and predicted that the pacer from Jammu is going to play for India.
Speaking on ‘CRICKET LIVE’ on Star Sports, Lara said: “Umran Malik reminds me a lot about Fidel Edwards when he first started, a lot of pace and I hope that he understands it as he goes into international cricket, which I think he’ll eventually play.”
Sunil Gavaskar couldn’t stop gushing about Umran Malik’s pace and accuracy throughout the IPL and the batting great wants the right-arm seamer in the Indian squad as soon as possible.
Gavaskar said: “Umran Malik has been very-very impressive with his speed but more than his speed, it’s his accuracy that’s impressed me the most. A lot of guys who bowl at that speed tend to spray the ball around but Umran bowls very few wide deliveries. If he can control the wides down the leg side, he will be a tremendous bowler because that will mean he’ll be attacking the stumps all the time, and with his pace, it’s not easy to hit straight. If he bowls wicket-to-wicket, he will be pretty much an unplayable bowler. He’s going to play for India. He should be in that Indian squad for the one-off Test and the ODI series against England.”
Former Indian off-spinner Harbhajan Singh lauded Punjab Kings left-arm seamer Arshdeep Singh’s ability to bowl the ball of his choice with sheer accuracy. Harbhajan opined that Arshdeep should be getting an India call-up sooner rather than later.
Harbhajan said, “The best thing about Arshdeep Singh is that he’s a fearless bowler. He’s got a lion’s heart. While many players get bogged down during pressure situations but he flourishes more often than not during tense moments. There is so much confidence in this bowler and the belief that he can do well during tense moments. The other day we saw him giving suggestions to a world-class bowler like Kagiso Rabada on which line to bowl. This shows how involved he is in the game and doesn’t shy away from sharing his thoughts with the senior players. He bowls yorkers at will in the death overs. I believe a left-arm pacer of this calibre should get a chance to play for India sooner rather than later.”
Former Indian head coach Ravi Shastri believes Punjab Kings’ uncapped pacer, who is bowling exceedingly well in the death overs, could be walking into the national side soon.
Shastri said, “For someone so young and to deliver time and time again when the chips are down and the pressure is on him…it’s brilliant to see. Arshdeep is holding on to his nerves brilliantly, he’s doing well in death overs. This shows he’s moving up the ranks very quickly and he could soon be walking into the Indian team.”
SRH batter Rahul Tripathi has been one of the most impressive Indian batters in the IPL and has left legendary Matthew Hayden impressed with his ability to play both sides of the wicket at ease. The former Australian cricketer opined that the Maharashtra cricketer has it in him to be a member of the Indian national side.
Hayden said, “I just love his ability to go hard upfront. The way Tripathi is taking the responsibility to strike the ball hard is brilliant. I think he has the real potential in the future to go all the way to the international level. He’s a dangerous striker of the ball, someone who plays on both sides of the wicket. His ability to play short-pitched balls at ease impresses me in particular. You get him to Australia (for the T20 WC) because he can play those brilliant shots on the bouncy pitches there.”
Legendary Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar while backing Mumbai Indians’ captain Rohit Sharma’s opinion about Tilak Varma said the U-19 India star could be an all-format India cricketer.
Gavaskar said, “Tilak Varma has got the basics right. With all the right basics you’ve got to marry the temperament and that marriage we have seen is very good at the moment (in the case of Tilak Varma). I hope that he carries on. Rohit Sharma rightly mentioned that he could be an all-format player for India. So now it’s up to him to work that little bit extra, get his fitness going, get a little tighter as far as the technique is concerned and prove Rohit right.”
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