The Indian Premier League’s tagline is “where excellence meets opportunity” and it is true. IPL 2018 has been a wonderful tournament so far with the majority of matches going into the last over with result unclear. The only thing left to see in the tournament is a super over and many matches almost came close to ending up as a tie.
In the auction of IPL 2018, franchises had a set plan for buying players who were young and exciting. The teams went for players in the younger lot and we saw many of the U19 World Cup winners being bought for hefty amounts.
So far, the young batsmen in the ongoing IPL have impressed a lot with their ability to take on the international and national bowlers. Therefore, without further ado, let’s have a look at 5 young exciting Indian batsmen in IPL 2018.
(The stats in the article are updated until May 3, 2018)
SHUBMAN GILL (KKR)
Shubman Gill was bought by Kolkata Knight Riders for INR 1.8 crores. Gill top-scored for India U19 in the World Cup earlier this year, was a hot property in the auction, with many teams vying for his services. KKR brought him into the squad; however, he was played in the middle order, instead of the top order where he is accustomed to playing.
Gill has played 6 matches so far and scored 65 runs with a best of 37 with a strike rate of 122.64. Gill, who is a natural opener, has adapted well to the role of finisher quite well. However, he is unable to pull off the big sixes, something that he will learn in due course.
PRITHVI SHAW (DD)
Prithvi Shaw, the U19 World Cup winning captain was bought by Delhi Daredevils for INR 1.2 crores. Shaw, who is considered a prodigy, has scored 5 centuries and 4 fifties in his 10 First-Class matches, including centuries on debut in Ranji Trophy and Duleep Trophy.
Initially benched by the DD team management, Shaw was brought in the team to open when the team was going a slump. So far he has taken the IPL 2018 by storm with his big hitting at the top. He has 140 runs in 4 matches so far with a best of 62, which he scored his just his second T20 match. His strike rate is amazing 166.66 and he has hit 17 fours and 6 sixes so far. Shaw will definitely be the next big thing in the Indian cricket scene in coming years.
SHREYAS IYER (DD)
Shreyas Iyer was retained by Delhi Daredevils for IPL 2018. Iyer, who plays for Mumbai in the FC cricket, has been wonderful for Delhi Daredevils, scoring 1114 runs in 41 matches with a strike rate of 134.70 and the highest score of 96 in IPL so far. He has hit 99 fours and 51 sixes so far and has scored 10 fifties for his team.
Iyer, who took over the DD captaincy from Gautam Gambhir mid-season in IPL 11, has kicked into another gear as a batsman. He has scored 307 runs with a best of 93* in 9 matches with a strike rate of154.27. He has hit 20 sixes and 19 fours in the IPL 2018 so far and has shown why he was picked for the Indian team and is looked as the one to carry on the legacy of Indian batting in the future.
SANJU SAMSON (RR)
Sanju Samson was bought by Rajasthan Royals for INR 8 crores in the IPL 2018 auction. So far, he has scored 282 runs in 8 matches for RR with a best of 92* against RCB. His strike rate is 145.36 and he has hit 13 sixes and 17 fours so far.
Samson has been on the edge of making his India debut but has always missed the boat by a very small margin. But this year, with the form he has been, Samson will surely realize his dream of becoming a permanent member of Team India. Samson has scored 1708 runs in 74 IPL matches with a best of 102, which he scored in last season. He has also hit 129 fours and 70 sixes and has a strike rate of 127.26.
RISHABH PANT (DD)
Rishabh Pant was retained by Delhi Daredevils for the IPL 2018, along with Shreyas Iyer and Chris Morris before the auction. Pant was a revelation for DD with 366 runs in 14 matches in IPL 2017 with a strike rate of 180.28. His hitting abilities were superlative and this as evident when he scored the second fastest T20 century during the domestic T20 tourney recently.
Pant has scored 375 runs in 9 matches with a strike rate of 180.28 and a best of 85. He has hit 40 fours and 20 sixes so far. He was instrumental in DD’s recent win over RR when he smoked 69 runs with 7 fours and 5 sixes.
A young prodigy, he is yet to make his mark on the international scene in the handful of chances he has gotten so far. But everyone knows that some more confidence and backing will help him develop into a full-fledged destructive batsman, someone who will serve the Indian cricket for a long time to come.
