IPL 2022 Playoffs: Best XI of uncapped players from the tournament's league stage
The IPL 2022 league stage culminated on the night of May 22 in Mumbai with a game between the SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) and Punjab Kings (PBKS). The Mohali-based franchise ended their campaign on a high by defeating the Orange Army in a dead rubber at the Wankhede Stadium.
Ten IPL teams battled across four venues in Maharashtra for two months during the league stage. Gujarat Titans (GT), Rajasthan Royals (RR), Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) have now reached Kolkata for the final round of the tournament.
Quite a few uncapped players wowed the fans with their performances in the league stage of IPL 2022. On that note, we will form the best playing XI comprising the top performers among the players who are yet to play international cricket at the senior level.
Openers - Abhishek Sharma (SRH) and Rahul Tripathi (SRH)
Abhishek Sharma and Rahul Tripathi were the backbone of the SunRisers Hyderabad batting lineup in IPL 2022. The two batters have scored more than 400 runs each this season.
While Sharma had the best season of his IPL career, scoring 426 runs in 14 matches, Tripathi maintained his consistency with 413 runs in 14 games. Unfortunately, both players will not feature in the IPL 2022 playoffs.
Middle Order - Dewald Brevis (MI), Rajat Patidar (RCB) and Tilak Varma (MI)
South Africa's U-19 star Dewald Brevis has scored 161 runs in seven matches for the Mumbai Indians (MI) this season. Playing in his debut season, Brevis showed no nerves at all as he batted at a strike rate of 142.48.
His teammate Tilak Varma was one of the finds of the season for the Mumbai Indians. Varma aggregated 397 runs in 14 matches, registering two 50s in his debut season. The rising star maintained a decent batting average of 36.09.
Rajat Patidar completes the middle-order of this team. The Royal Challengers Bangalore star scored 163 runs in six matches, including one half-century. His batting average has been 32.60 this season.
Finishers - Jitesh Sharma (PBKS) and Rahul Tewatia (GT)
Rahul Tewatia and Jitesh Sharma will be the two finishers in this line-up. Tewatia justified his ₹9 crore price tag by winning multiple matches for Gujarat Titans. Not a single fan will forget how he smashed two sixes off the last two balls when GT needed 12 runs to win against Punjab Kings.
PBKS' Jitesh Sharma was also quite impressive in the finisher's role. Playing in his first season, the wicket-keeper batter amassed 234 runs in 12 innings at a magnificent strike rate of 163.64.
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Bowlers - R Sai Kishore (GT), Yash Dayal (GT), Arshdeep Singh (PBKS) and Umran Malik (SRH)
Gujarat Titans handed Yash Dayal and R Sai Kishore their maiden IPL caps this season. Both bowlers impressed straightaway. Dayal scalped nine wickets in seven matches, including a three-wicket haul, while Kishore has accounted for three wickets in three games.
Retained players Arshdeep Singh and Umran Malik complete the playing XI. Both players have earned their maiden national call-ups after a stupendous showing in IPL 2022. Malik was the highest wicket-taker for SunRisers Hyderabad with 22 wickets, while PBKS' Arshdeep bagged 10 wickets in 14 matches at an economy rate of 7.70.
Best Uncapped XI from IPL 2022 league stage
Abhishek Sharma, Rahul Tripathi, Dewald Brevis, Rajat Patidar, Tilak Verma, Jitesh Sharma (WK), Rahul Tewatia, Umran Malik, Arshdeep Singh, Yash Dayal, Sai Kishore. (12th Man - Hrithik Shokeen)