IPL 2021: 3 uncapped Indian pacers to watch out for in the second phase of the tournament
The second phase of IPL 2021 gets underway in the UAE from September 19 and will see the usual T20 cricketing behemoths battle for glory.
While the big guns can always be counted on to register an impact, the league has also provided a platform for youngsters to express themselves. The first half of IPL 2021 unearthed more than a few such youthful talents.
The second half of the season in the Middle East will be no different. On that note, here's a look at three uncapped Indian fast bowlers who could make a mark in the UAE leg of IPL 2021:
Harshal Patel
Harshal Patel, who was traded to Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) from Delhi Capitals (DC), was a revelation in the first half of IPL 2021. He is the current Purple Cap holder in IPL 2021 with 17 scalps from seven matches, with best figures of 5/27.
Harshal was put to bowl during the death overs. Once the ball got old and started gripping the Chennai wicket, the 30-year-old was in his element. He was one of the reasons RCB are third in the IPL points table 2021.
With sluggish wickets on offer in the UAE, the Gujarat native stands to be a key component of the RCB lineup. The 30-year-old will also be a strong contender to finish with the most wickets in IPL 2021.
Read all you need to know about RCB owner here.
Avesh Khan
With Anrich Nortje missing and Kagiso Rabada seemingly off-color, Avesh Khan had a bigger role to play for DC during the first half. Despite lacking a good slower ball, he landed yorkers perfectly in the death overs.
By the time IPL 2021 was postponed, Avesh already had 14 wickets in his pocket — the second most after Harshal Patel — including big fish like MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli. The lanky fast bowler from Madhya Pradesh was economical too. Bowling mostly at the death, he shelled away runs at an economy rate of 7.70.
Avesh Khan's impressive stint was rewarded with a standby call for the Indian squad's tour of England. However, an untimely injury ahead of the first Test ruled him out.
As he slowly returns to full fitness, the 24-year-old will be one of the uncapped pacers to watch out for as the IPL schedule 2021 resumes.
Arshdeep Singh
22-year-old left-arm seamer Arshdeep Singh has come up the ranks very quickly. From persuading his father against sending him to Canada to getting picked as a standby for India's limited-overs series against Sri Lanka, it's been a rollercoaster ride for the Madhya Pradesh native.
The six-feet-tall pacer grabbed eyeballs in IPL 2021, picking up seven wickets and conceding 8.18 runs an over during his six matches.
With a calm and composed approach backed by excellent control and courage to experiment, his stock has only gone up since. As he knocks on the door of the national side, the spotlight will be on Arshdeep Singh during the business end of the tournament.