IPL 2023 is turning out to be arguably the most competitive campaign of all. It is also likely to be remembered as the stepping stone to the future careers of four uncapped Indian players.
| Player | M | I | NO | Runs | HS | Avg | SR | 100 | 50 | 4’s | 6’s |
| Yashasvi Jaiswal (RR) | 9 | 9 | 0 | 428 | 124 | 47.56 | 159.70 | 1 | 3 | 56 | 18 |
| Rinku Singh (KKR) | 9 | 9 | 4 | 270 | 58 n.o | 54.00 | 151.68 | 0 | 2 | 15 | 19 |
| Shivam Dube (CSK) | 9 | 8 | 0 | 264 | 52 | 33.00 | 158.08 | 0 | 5 | 11 | 21 |
| Tilak Varma (MI) | 8 | 8 | 2 | 248 | 84n.o | 41.33 | 152.14 | 0 | 1 | 20 | 15 |
Yashasvi Jaiswal
On 30 April, in match 42 of IPL 2023 against MI, RR opener Yashasvi Jaiswal played his finest T20 innings. He made 124 from 62 balls with 16 fours and 8 sixes to help RR to a score of 212/7. Though the knock came in a lost game, it represented the coming of age of the hugely talented lefthander. As Tom Moody observed, the 21-year-old has jumped the queue for an India call up.
Jaiswal began his IPL career with Mumbai Indians in the 2018-19 season. Rajasthan Royals acquired him in the IPL 2020 auction. After his first 50-plus knock versus CSK in October 2021, the young opener has not looked back. In the current season, Jaiswal’s batting has been characterised by consistent scores, with four 50-plus knocks in his first nine matches. The knock against MI has taken the batter to the top of the orange cap leader board.
Rinku Singh
On 9 April, KKR middle order batsman Rinku Singh played an innings against PBKS that will arguably never be forgotten. Chasing 205 to win and needing 28 from the last over, Singh scored back-to-back sixes off the last five balls to take his side to a miraculous win. That feat may never be equalled – leave alone surpassed. Rinku also made an unbeaten 53 from 33 balls versus CSK, 58 from 31 balls versus SRH, and 48 from 21 deliveries versus GT.
Rinku began his IPL career with Punjab Kings in 2017. He joined KKR in 2022 after missing the 2021 due to injury. Though he had a couple of great knocks in the last IPL season, he was not a certainty in the eleven. Rinku’s knocks in 2023 have served to cement the 25-year-old’s place in KKR’s first eleven.
Shivam Dube
Twenty-nine-year-old Dube is the oldest of the quartet. However, his exploits for CSK this season have been no less spectacular. He has played a couple of signature innings. The first one – an innings of 52 from 27 balls against RCB, helped his side to an 8-run win. The second — 50 from 21 balls against KKR — resulted in an 86-run victory. Another half-century – 52 from 33 balls versus RR – came in a lost cause. Dube’s batting has been characterised by an ability to hit spectacular sixes. He has registered 21 hits over the fence in 8 innings so far.
Shivam began his IPL career with MI in 2016. After a couple of seasons (2019 and 2020) with RCB, he represented RR in 2021. CSK acquired him in the IPL auction ahead of the 2022 season. Dube’s exploits in 2023 have more than justified the faith shown by the CSK management in the young man’s talent.
Tilak Varma
Nobody expected Tilak Varma to make – at the age of 20 — a great impression within the batting powerhouse of MI. However, he chose MI’s very first game versus RCB on 2 April to make a statement of intent. He came to the crease with the innings floundering at 3/20. Soon after, MI lost Suryakumar Yadav’s wicket at 4/48. Varma scored an unbeaten 84 from 46 balls to help his side to a respectable 171/7. Though RCB chased down the target in the 17th over, everyone sat up and took notice.
In his very first IPL season, Varma has made a splash, playing for the franchise with the most title wins. He also contributed 30 from 25 versus KKR to help chase down a target of 186. A knock of 37 from 17 balls helped MI to an aggregate of 192/5 against SRH. In MI’s latest game versus RR, Varma contributed 29 off 21 balls in another successful chase. Virtually every cricket observer is unanimous in their view that Tilak will feature for India sooner than later.
Conclusion
Remarkably, all four batters have embellished their consistent run making with strike rates in excess of 150. These men represent the future of Indian cricket, whether in the international arena or merely the domestic circuit. No rational observer of the game would dare argue with that judgement. If you are looking to bet on cricket, you can check out our article on the best cricket betting sites in India.
