IPL 2016: 5 U-21 cricketers expected to shine this season

Every year, the IPL introduces us to some really bright talent, which mesmerises us with skills, spirit and temperament at such a young age. Franchises constantly keep an eye open for such talent as they come cheap compared to the international stars. Funnily, this year’s IPL bidding witnessed some Indian uncapped young players going for whopping prices dozens of times above their base price.

Call it the confidence of the franchises in what they see or the exposure that most of these young players already have which makes them worth their weight in gold, it is good news all the way for youngsters. Gone are the days, when kids were lured away from cricket because very few could end up making a reliable career out of it.

Thanks to IPL, youngsters know they are one good season away from fame, like the talented Delhi batsman Shreyas Iyer realised last year. He doesn’t make it to the list of our top U-21 players having just crossed 21. So did Sanju Samson, Baba Aparajith and Akhil Herwadkar, impressive names in the domestic circuit.

But we do have some U-21 players who are expected to do really well for their franchise. Some of them are playing IPL for the first time, while some of them already understand the challenges it can conjure.

Sarfaraz Khan

He has played two U-19 World Cups for India and has already impressed everyone with amazing cameos last year for the Royal Challengers Bangalore. He will likely explode this year, given his confidence levels. Sarfaraz, touted as the next big thing in the Indian cricket circuit registered scores of 48, 81, 74, 74, 21*, 76, 59 and 51 in the recently concluded U-19 World Cup showing how he was a class apart.

Raised by his dad to play for India one day, the single-minded hard work is paying off big time as Sarfaraz was retained by the RCB team. With a strike-rate of 157 in 14 T20 innings, Sarfaraz will definitely bloom under Virat Kohli, who himself is in the form of his life. He also plays for UP, having left Mumbai for greater opportunities.