5 players who might be on the fringes of the Indian cricket team after IPL 2020
It's been a few days since the 2020 edition of the IPL 2020. While fans are still talking about the tournament, the India vs Australia series has been a hot topic of discussion lately.
The Indian and Australian players, who were a part of IPL 2020, have reached Sydney. They are undergoing the mandatory 14-day quarantine period as per the bio-bubble protocols.
India are all set to take on the Aussies in their backyard in three ODIs, three T20Is and four Tests. The first ODI will be played on November 27th at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
Check out the full squads here.
There are a few new faces in the Indian contingent, namely T Natarajan, Varun Chakravarthy, Mohammad Siraj and Shubman Gill. However, there are a few other players who had a brilliant showing the IPL and will certainly be on the radar of the Indian selection committee.
We look at 5 people who might be very close to their national team call-ups based on their performances in the IPL.
1. Devdutt Padikkal (RCB - Opening batsman)
The young Karnataka batsman emerged as one of the biggest finds of IPL 2020. Backed by extremely consistent performances throughout the tournament, the player definitely has caught the eye of the Indian selectors.
Winning the Emerging Player Award has only added to Padikkal's list of accomplishments this season, and he is definitely on the cusp of his first call-up to the national team.
2. Kartik Tyagi (RR - Pace bowler)
Another young find for India in this year's IPL, Kartik Tyagi has often been described as a player who runs in like Brett Lee and delivers the ball like Ishant Sharma.
The 19-year old, who hails from a small village called Hapur in Uttar Pradesh, has seen quite some success for his age. He had a staggering IPL 2020 with the Rajasthan Royals and became a regular in the playing XI as the tournament progressed.
Having received praise from all corners for his talent and skill, it wouldn't be surprising to see Tyagi donning the blue jersey for India very soon.
3. Kamlesh Nagarkoti (KKR - Pace bowler)
Bowling at over 145 kph and turning heads during India's successful campaign at the 2018 U-19 World Cup, Kamlesh Nagarkoti found a fan in Ian Bishop among many others. He has matched every bit of his pace with sharp, equally impressive, fielding skills. Thanks to a string of impressive outings, Nagarkoti was bought by the Kolkata Knight Riders for INR 3.2 crore at the 2018 IPL auctions.
The 20-year old speedster missed out on the 2018 and 2019 editions of the IPL because of untimely injuries. He finally came out fit for the 2020 edition and managed to make his mark in the few opportunities he got.
Nagarkoti's performances were acknowledged when he received a call-up from the Indian team as a nets bowler. Given his consistency, we will definitely see him rattling stumps for Team India if he can stay fit and avoid injuries.
4. Ishan Kishan (MI - Wicketkeeper-batsman)
The Indian contingent is in desperate need for a replacement for the legendary MS Dhoni, who retired from the team just before IPL 2020 commenced. After Rishabh Pant's repeated failures on the international circuit, the selectors are looking for a suitable and long-term replacement for wicketkeeping position.
Ishan Kishan's impressive performances with the bat, as well as the gloves, will definitely provide some relief to the national team selectors. He is, without a doubt, on the radar of the Indian team as a wicket-keeper-batsman option alongside Sanju Samson.
5. Rahul Tewatia (RR - All-rounder)
Everyone remembers when Rahul Tewatia smashed 5 sixes off Sheldon Cottrell's over and helped RR secure a win from absolutely nothing. The player had a pretty impressive IPL season and performed with both the ball and the ball.
With a skillset similar to Ravindra Jadeja, Tewatia impressed a lot of fans and analysts all across the globe during IPL 2020. His handy shots with the bat and dependable spin bowling will be attractive qualities that grab the attention of the Indian selectors.