IPL 2021: Aakash Chopra picks the 6 most impressive uncapped Indian players
Aakash Chopra has picked the six uncapped Indian players who have impressed him the most in IPL 2021. He shared their names in a video shared on his YouTube channel.
Several uncapped Indian players have stood out with their exceptional performances in IPL 2021. This is especially the case in the bowling department, with a few players in the race for the Purple Cap.
Aakash Chopra named Avesh Khan as the most impressive uncapped Indian player of IPL 2021. The Delhi Capitals seamer has picked up 14 wickets in the tournament thus far.
"The first name I have written is Avesh Khan. He has impressed a lot this year because Nortje was not there and even Rabada was not there in the beginning. He bowled consistently well right from the first match where he struck Faf on the pads and MS Dhoni's stumps," said Chopra.
Current Purple Cap holder Harshal Patel is next on the former KKR player's list of uncapped Indian players who excelled in IPL 2021.
"At No.2, I have kept Harshal Patel. He has taken the most wickets. He has worked on his slower ones, he has the loopy slower ones similar to Bumrah. He is bowling good yorkers, the pace has also increased slightly and bowled very accurately, just forget those 37 and 22-run overs," observed Chopra.
Devdutt Padikkal is the only batsman in Aakash Chopra's picks of the uncapped Indian youngsters who shone in IPL 2021.
"At No.3, I have again kept Devdutt Padikkal. He played just the one destructive huge knock but it was fantastic. You can see a different quality in this player. How many uncapped Indian players can say that they have scored a century? It is very very difficult but he has done that," added Chopra.
Padikkal scored 195 runs in six encounters, including a majestic unbeaten 101 off just 52 deliveries against the Rajasthan Royals.
Aakash Chopra's other three picks of uncapped Indian players who impressed in IPL 2021
Harpreet Brar's outstanding spell against RCB, where he dismissed Virat Kohli, Glenn Maxwell and AB de Villiers, earned him the fourth spot on Aakash Chopra's list of uncapped Indians who made their mark in IPL 2021.
"At No.4, Harpreet Brar. We all appreciated his bowling. If you take three wickets in a spell - Kohli, Maxwell and AB, and the next day when he came he hit Prithvi Shaw's stumps. I liked his batting a lot. He hit a few shots which showed he has the ability to play the big shots down the order," said Chopra.
The 43-year-old picked Ravi Bishnoi as the other uncapped spinner who impressed him, both with the ball and in the field.
"At No.5, I should go with Ravi Bishnoi. He took a couple of Superman catches. When he bowled, he had the wet ball on a couple of occasions. He didn't play all the matches, wasn't magical but was impressive," added Chopra.
Rajasthan Royals' left-arm seamer Chetan Sakaria was Aakash Chopra's final pick of uncapped Indian players who impressed the most in IPL 2021.
"At No.6, the player's name is Chetan Sakaria. He took all of us by surprise. He is the real deal. How impressive he has been, he can make the ball go out and come in. He has both the back of the hand and normal slower one. If you talk about temperament and technique, there is a lot to like about him," concluded Chopra.
Sakaria scalped seven wickets in as many matches in IPL 2021. He was impressive both with the new ball and at the death and is seen as a future India prospect.