3 Uttarakhand players other than Akash Madhwal who deserve an opportunity in the IPL
The Uttarakhand cricket team is among the newer sides in the Indian domestic competition, coming into existence since the 2018-2019 season.
Despite the late start, the side have impressed immediately in Ranji Trophy competitions. They qualified for the quarter-finals in all but one of the four seasons played. They have also started blossoming in white-ball competitions, which has resulted in several talented cricketers coming up the ranks.
One such cricketer from the state has been the 29-year-old Akash Madhwal. He has set the second half of the ongoing IPL season on fire with his incredible bowling.
Madhwal made his debut for Uttarakhand in the 2019-20 season. The youngster had an impressive Syed Mushtaq Ali tournament in 2022-23, with nine wickets in seven games at an average of 20 and an economy rate of 7.20 runs per over. He was also named as the captain of Uttarakhand ahead of the 2022-23 season.
Akash Madhwal was initially roped in as a net bowler for the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in 2019. Later, he was drafted into the Mumbai Indians (MI) squad for the 2022 season due to an injury to Suryakumar Yadav.
The right-arm-medium pacer did not get an opportunity until the second half of IPL 2023, and the talented youngster has not looked back since. Madhwal debuted in MI's ninth game of the season against the Punjab Kings (PBKS). Since then, he has picked up 13 wickets at an average of 12.85 and an economy rate of 7.77 runs per over.
In MI's last four outings, Madhwal has picked up 12 wickets, including incredible figures of 5/5 in the Eliminator against the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG).
The 29-year-old also picked up a four-wicket haul in MI's final league game against the SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH), helping them qualify for the playoffs.
Madhwal is among several talented cricketers from Uttarakhand, many of whom have started making claims to have a run in the IPL.
Let us look at three Uttarakhand players other than Akash Madhwal, who also deserve opportunities in the IPL.
#1 Rajan Kumar
The 26-year-old left-arm-medium-fast bowler Rajan Kumar was picked up by the Royal Challengers Bangalore for ₹70 lakh at the mini-auction ahead of the 2023 season.
The youngster made his first-class debut in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy in October 2022 and showed plenty of promise.
Rajan was the leading wicket-taker for Uttarakhand, with ten wickets in seven games at an average of 15.90 and an economy rate of 5.88 runs per over.
The left-arm pacer has stated his wish to bowl fast by clocking speeds of 160 KMPH like his favorite bowler Mitchell Starc.
With left-arm pacers being considered one of the most valuable commodities, Rajan Kumar shouldn't be far from making his IPL debut for RCB, considering the team's lack of local left-arm pace bowling options.
#2 Avneesh Sudha
The 21-year-old Avneesh Sudha is one of the most solid T20 openers coming up the ranks from Uttarakhand.
The youngster debuted for Uttarakhand in first-class cricket in the 2018-2019 season. He had a breakthrough season in the recent Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2022-23.
Sudha was the leading scorer for the side, with 271 runs at an average of 38.71 and a strike rate of 126.04. This included a breathtaking 96 off 66 against Mumbai in the final group-stage encounter that almost single-handedly won Uttarakhand the game.
Several young uncapped openers, such as Yashasvi Jaiswal and Prabhsimran Singh, among others, have impressed in the ongoing IPL season, and Avneesh could be next in line for breaking through the IPL door.
Avneesh also provided a part-time bowling option with his right-arm off-breaks, evidenced by his tally of 17 wickets in his first-class career.
#3 Kunal Chandela
Kunal Chandela has been among the most experienced domestic batters going around. The youngster started his first-class career in 2017 for Delhi before moving to Uttarakhand in 2021.
Indian middle-order batters have become among the most sought-after commodities in the IPL, with most franchises seeking local talent to play the spinners in the middle overs.
The 28-year-old right-handed batter had a sensational first-class season for Uttarakhand in all formats. Despite batting in the middle order, Chandela scored 152 runs at an average of 30.40 and a strike rate of 143.39.
Chandela also had a terrific Ranji season, scoring 555 runs in 12 innings at an average of 50.45, with a century and three half-centuries.
With his ability to play dual roles of anchoring the innings and attacking the bowling when the situation arises, Chandela's versatility could be handy for several IPL teams.