3 unlucky Indian players who are yet to play a game in IPL 2023
IPL 2023, like any other season gone by over the years, has provided a number of talented young Indian players the opportunity to put their best foot forward and stake a claim for higher honors.
There have been plenty of finds so far in the form of Dhruv Jurel and Suyash Sharma, among others. The likes of Yashasvi Jaiswal and Tilak Varma have also further enhanced their reputations.
That said, not everyone has been fortunate enough to get into the playing XI in IPL 2023. Some of it is down to the balance of the sides they are a part of, meaning that they are fighting stiff competition to get a look-in. There are others, too, who could have gotten a chance. Unfortunately, that hasn't been the case.
Tilak Varma, the future of Indian cricket ❤️🇮🇳
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On that note, let's look at three Indian players who have been very unlucky to warm the bench so far in IPL 2023:
#1 Kartik Tyagi
Some words of appreciation for Kartik Tyagi by Jasprit Bumrah for his wonderful spell last night and the young pacer is thoroughly enjoying it 🙌
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One of the finest young pace-bowling prospects in the country, Kartik Tyagi has found it difficult to break into the SunRisers Hyderabad playing XI for IPL 2023. The team combination has been such that they have three frontline Indian seamers ahead of him in the pecking order in Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Umran Malik and T Natarajan.
Tyagi might have fancied his chances ahead of the season, courtesy of the presence of the impact player substitution. However, that hasn't been the case, and after eight matches played by SRH this season, he is yet to play a game.
Tyagi hasn't been listed as a substitute either on a regular basis, so whether he's carrying an injury or not is unclear at this point. Either way, if available, he is surely unfortunate to not have played yet, given his ability to crank up some serious pace and fire yorkers at will.
#2 R Sai Kishore
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Sai Kishore bagged 2 wickets in the expense of just 7 runs 🏏👏🏻
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Tamil Nadu left-arm spinner R Sai Kishore is easily one of the best white-ball spinners in India at present. However, opportunities have been hard to come by in a very potent Gujarat Titans (GT) outfit.
While he played in the final against the Rajasthan Royals (RR) last year, Sai Kishore hasn't made his bow yet in IPL 2023. With Noor Ahmad forming a potent spin combination with fellow Afghan Rashid Khan, it might just get tougher for the left-arm tweaker, even though he can also contribute with the bat if required.
Sai Kishore might still get an opportunity towards the latter stages once the pitches slow down considerably, much like he was given a go last year. But with the Titans wearing a settled combination and sitting at the top of the table, it is hard to see them making too many changes.
Kishore's teammate Shivam Mavi, who recently made his bow for India, is also finding it very tough to break into the playing XI. His task has gotten tougher, with Mohit Sharma rewinding the clock with consistent masterclasses in death bowling.
#3 Manoj Bhandage
Bhandage is much better than the guys who’re failing consistently now. Give him a go @RCBTweets. He can also roll his arm over for a few overs #DoddaMathu #CricketTwitter #IPL2023
Karnataka all-rounder Manoj Bhandage was one of the shrewdest picks at the IPL 2023 auction, with Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) bagging him for his base price of ₹20 lakh. Apart from chipping in with useful medium-pacers, he can strike the ball a long way, as his T20 strike rate of 154.66 suggests.
Yet, Bhandage too has been confined to the bench so far in the tournament. With RCB's batting unit seemingly overreliant on Faf du Plessis, Virat Kohli and Glenn Maxwell, however, there is a case to include him in the playing XI to infuse a breath of fresh air.
Bhandage is known to finish the innings in the lower-middle order for Karnataka. With Shahbaz Ahmed and Dinesh Karthik not setting the world alight with their performances, the young all-rounder could be the solution that RCB are after.
Time will tell if Bhandage gets a look-in, but it is surprising that he hasn't been tried already.
Which of these players do you think is most unfortunate to have not played yet in IPL 2023? Have your say in the comments section below!
Also read: IPL 2023: Best playing XI of Week 4 ft. Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ajinkya Rahane