IPL 2018: Indian team hopefuls who have impressed so far this season
The Indian Premier League serves as the perfect platform for Indian players to prove their pedigree against some of the best local and international talent from around the globe.
The IPL has also acted as a springboard for selection into the national team. It serves as the best opportunity for budding talents to showcase their mettle and for out-of-favour Indian players to show the selectors and fans that they can get back into the Indian team.
The eleventh edition of the IPL has produced riveting encounters and fabulous individual performances from local Indian players, which has kept fans glued to their seats.
The Indian team management are likely to rest a few of the star players for the upcoming test match against Afghanistan and the T20Is in Ireland after the IPL.
This would provide some of the fringe players with opportunities to don the India jersey. Here, we take a look at those Indian players who have performed the best in the first month of action and would stand a chance of getting a call-up in the Indian team.
#7 Prithvi Shaw (Delhi Daredevils)
Matches:5 Runs:205 Average:41 Strike Rate:170.83 Fifties:2 Fours:23, Sixes:9
Prithvi Shaw was highly rated in the cricketing circles after a fantastic start to his first-class career.
The U-19 World Cup winning captain was picked up by Delhi Daredevils at the auction this year. The presence of Gautam Gambhir meant that Shaw was rooted to the dug-out for the first five matches.
A poor run of form which saw Gambhir step down presented Shaw with a chance to open the batting.
Shaw has impressed one and all right from his first match in the tournament. The Mumbai-lad has been in good form for the Daredevils ever since making his IPL debut against Kings XI Punjab. Two fifties in his first five matches and his spectacular stroke-play have illustrated the self-confidence that this 18-year old possesses.
Many who felt that Shaw would be more ideally suited to the longer versions of the game and that he might struggle to adapt to the fast-paced nature of T20 cricket have already been proved wrong.
If the senior Indian players are rested for the historic test match against Afghanistan, Shaw's impressive first-class numbers and the maturity shown by him in his short IPL career might earn him a maiden call-up to the senior team.