IPL 2020: COC presents the Indian uncapped XI of IPL 13

Here are the best eleven uncapped Indian performers of the IPL 2020.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) is known for its motto “Where talent meets opportunity”, which means the uber-popular T20 league is a platform for Indian youngsters to show their talent and get noticed by selectors of the Indian national team.

Over the years many new faces have come out of the IPL starting with the very first edition in 2008, which gave us the likes of Yusuf Pathan, Virat Kohli, Manish Pandey, and Ravindra Jadeja, though some of them had won the U19 World Cup with Indian team that year, everyone got to see them go against the legends of international cricket and proving their mettle.

IPL 2020: COC presents the IPL 13 Team of the Tournament

And hence, every year since we have gotten some of the best young Indian talent showcasing their abilities and skills against the best in the world including current Indian team players, and many of them made their mark in the IPL 2020 as well.

Therefore, today, Team COC will take a look at some of the best young Indian uncapped players who excelled in the IPL 2020 season and have staked a claim for a berth in the Indian team.

Here is the COC Indian Uncapped XI of the IPL 2020

DEVDUTT PADIKKAL (RCB)
M: 15| RUNS: 473| HS: 74| AVG: 31.53| SR: 129.80 |100s: 0| 50s: 5 | 6s: 8 | 4s: 51Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) pouched on Karnataka’s young opener Devdutt Padikkal who has an impressive record in domestic cricket and came off a good domestic cricket season, especially with the white-ball. The gamble proved to be correct as RCB was looking to bolster their batting at the top.

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Padikkal also grabbed the opportunity with both hands and smashed 473 runs, the most by an uncapped batsman in his debut season. He looked at ease both against pace and spin and was unflustered while facing the best in the business like Bumrah, Boult, Archer, and others.

The 20-year-old won the Emerging Player Award for IPL 2020 and is a bright prospect for the future of the Indian team in the coming years.

RUTURAJ GAIKWAD (CSK)
M: 6| RUNS:  204| HS: 72| AVG: 51.00| SR: 120.71 |100s: 0| 50s: 3 | 6s: 16 | 4s: 6

Ruturaj Gaikwad had a tough initiation into the world of Indian Premier League as he was struck with the Coronavirus on arrival in UAE and then didn’t get to do anything in the first three matches he played for the Chennai Super Kings.

However, once the CSK franchise was eliminated from the playoffs race, the management gave Gaikwad another chance, this time as an opener, and he smacked three consecutive half-centuries, helping the yellow army end their campaign on a high with victories. Gaikwad looked compact in his technique and has all the shots to take advantage of the powerplay.

CSK will in all possibility put him on the list of players to retain for next year’s IPL, which will be played in India.

NITISH RANA (KKR)
M: 14| RUNS:  352| HS: 87| AVG: 25.14| SR: 138.58 |100s: 0| 50s: 3 | 6s: 12 | 4s: 43

Nitish Rana has done amazingly well in the IPL over the years, for two of the best teams in the competition. He was the first part of the Mumbai Indians and now plays for Kolkata Knight Riders. He has done well for both the teams and is one of the brightest talents in the Indian domestic scene as well.

Rana made 325 runs in 14 games for KKR with three fifties and a highest score of 87. He played the tournament despite suffering a personal loss as well, showing his grit and character and proving why KKR is right in putting their faith in his talents.  

SURYAKUMAR YADAV (C- MI)
M: 16| RUNS:  480| HS: 79*| AVG: 40.00| SR: 145.01 |100s: 0| 50s: 4| 6s: 11 | 4s: 61

Suryakumar Yadav is one of the foremost talents knocking on the doors of the Indian team, thanks to his performances for Mumbai in the Indian domestic scene and for Mumbai Indians in the past few seasons in the IPL as well. He has batted everywhere in the top order for MI in the past three years and before that, as a finisher for Kolkata Knight Riders.

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This means he has the game for any spot in the batting order and has shown his acumen for finishing the games when the opportunity arises while absorbing pressure. He can attack both the pacers and spinners and can also play the waiting game while running hard between the wickets.

He is definitely on the radar for Indian selectors, especially with the T20 World Cup scheduled in India next year in 2021.

ISHAN KISHAN (WK- MI)
M: 14| RUNS:  516| HS: 99| AVG: 57.33| SR:  145.76| 100s: 0| 50s: 4| 6s: 30 | 4s: 36

Indian team is on the lookout for a wicketkeeper in all the formats and while they are currently banking on KL Rahul to the job in the white-ball cricket, one name that has cropped up in the talks is that of former U19 captain Ishan Kishan. Kishan made his debut in IPL for Gujarat Lions.

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But then was picked by Mumbai Indians and though they now have Quinton de Kock keeping wickets, Kishan has managed to cement his place as a pure batsman. He smashed 516 runs in the IPL 2020 with the best score of 99 and won MI matches from precarious positions in the tournament. The pocket dynamo also hit the maximum, 30 sixes in IPL 2020.

He, along with Suryakumar Yadav, is on the radar for the Indian team in near future.

RAHUL TEWATIA (RR)
M: 14| RUNS: 255| HS: 53|AVG: 42.50| SR: 139.34| 50s: 1| WKTs: 10| BB: 3/25| ECO: 7.08

What a find Rahul Tewatia proved to be as a batting all-rounder in the IPL 2020. The left-handed batsman and right-arm leg-spinner gave IPL 2020 its highlight moment when he smacked Sheldon Cottrell for five sixes in an over to win his team Rajasthan Royals a match that they were looking down and out of, chasing 224 runs.

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Tewatia showed that he can carry the responsibility of a tight chase as well, as he did with Riyan Parag against SRH. His bowling is a bonus as he can keep the batsmen quiet in the middle overs and he is one of the best catchers in the tournament and is excellent in the field otherwise as well.

KARTIK TYAGI (RR)
M: 10| WKTs: 9| BB: 2/36| ECO: 9.61

Kartik Tyagi was one of the most impressive bowlers of the U19 World Cup 2020 and was picked up by Rajasthan Royals in the IPL 2020 auction. He played alongside the likes of international stars like Jofra Archer, Jaydev Unadkat, and Varun Aaron and would have gotten to learn a lot.

Tyagi showed amazing maturity when captain Steve Smith gave him the ball and he bowled at good speeds as well. Much to look forward to from the youngster from Hapur, Uttar Pradesh in the 2021 IPL, if RR decides to retain him.

VARUN CHAKRAVARTHY (KKR)
M: 13| WKTs: 17| BB: 5/20| ECO: 6.84

The best spinner in the IPL 2020 proved to be KKR’s Varun Chakravarthy as he earned the only five-wicket haul in the tournament. His spin was instrumental for KKR as Sunil Narine struggled with the ball and even had to sit out due to his action being called suspicious.  

Instead, Chakravarthy did amazingly well being the leading spinner throughout the tournament for KKR and also earned a call-up for the Indian team on the T20I leg of the Australian tour. Unfortunately, a shoulder injury meant that he wouldn’t be traveling to Australia, but expect a better showing from the tweaker when IPL 2021 comes through, in India.

T NATARAJAN (SRH)
M: 16| WKTs: 16| BB: 2/24| ECO: 8.02

T Natarajan was a gem plucked by Kings XI Punjab from the Tamil Nadu Premier League in 2018 but didn’t give him enough chances to shine that season in the IPL. He was then bought by Sunrisers Hyderabad for the IPL 2019 but didn’t get a game due to the presence of Bhuvneshwar, Sandeep, and Siddharth in the bowling lineup.  

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However, with Bhuvneshwar suffering an injury in IPL 2020 and SRH turned towards Natarajan for the hard overs in the death and he delivered in style. His yorker to dismiss AB de Villiers in a crunch game can be called the ball of the tournament. He was rewarded with a maiden India call-up for the T20I series in Australia.

RAVI BISHNOI (KXIP)
M: 14| WKTs: 12| BB: 3/29| ECO: 7.37

Ravi Bishnoi is also one of the talents from the class of the Indian team of 2020 U19 World Cup and he had excelled in the whole tournament. The young leggie was picked up by Kings XI Punjab and played all the 14 games for the franchise and picked 12 wickets with a best of 3/29.

Though other spinners fared better in terms of showing, Bishnoi stood out for his aggression with the ball and always looked out for wickets not caring if he went for runs in the bargain. But his economy of 7.37 was mighty impressive for a spinner in IPL, where the batsmen always look to hit them out of the ground. Bishnoi proved to be a sure-fire talent to keep an eye out for in the future.

ARSHDEEP SINGH (KXIP)
M: 8| WKTs: 9| BB: 3/23| ECO: 8.77

The tall Sardar from Punjab, Arshdeep Singh came late into contention for a spot in the Kings XI Punjab playing XI, but in the 8 matches he played, he showed his mettle. Struggling to find a suitable fast bowler to support a raging Mohammad Shami, KXIP turned to the left-arm pacer and he delivered.

Arshdeep did mighty well with both the new ball and in death overs. Shami was then free to go for wickets, as Arshdeep created pressure at the other end and it helped the team find a properly balanced playing XI. He possibly has done enough to keep his place in the KXIP unit for the next IPL season in 2021.

COC Presents Uncapped Indian XI of IPL 2020:
Devdutt Padikkal (RCB), Ruturaj Gaikwad (CSK), Nitish Rana (KKR), Suryakumar Yadav (MI-C), Ishan Kishan (MI-WK), Rahul Tewatia, Kartik Tyagi (RR), Varun Chakravarthy (KKR), T Natarajan (SRH), Ravi Bishnoi (KXIP), Arshdeep Singh (KXIP)