Top 3 emerging players after the first half of IPL 2023
IPL 2023 has just tipped past the halfway mark with the first reverse fixture having concluded on Wednesday, April 26, between Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). It has been yet another fascinating tournament on display with very little separating the teams, both in terms of quality as well as the points table.
As is the norm every year, IPL 2023 has seen a number of young Indian players put their hands up and grab the opportunity that has come their way. While this has been a tournament where the veterans have shown that they're still here to stay, quite a few emerging talents have laid down a marker of their own.
Here, we look at the three best emerging young Indians after the first half of IPL 2023:
#3 B Sai Sudharsan - Gujarat Titans
Sai Sudharsan with a terrific knock 🤩
📸: JioCinema
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Tamil Nadu's B Sai Sudharsan has picked up from where he left off in the domestic season. Occupying the No. 3 spot for Gujarat Titans (GT), the left-handed batter has strung together consistent scores while showing immense maturity and technical skill in IPL 2023.
Sudharsan played a useful cameo as an impact substitute in the tournament opener against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) before backing it up with half-centuries against the Delhi Capitals (DC) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). What stood out against DC was the manner in which he calculated the chase, also showing no discomfort against the sheer pace of Anrich Nortje.
He hasn't played in the last couple of games and while it's unclear if he is nursing an injury, he has been a pivotal cog in the Titans' ranks this year, scoring 176 runs at an average of 44.00 and a strike rate of 123.94.
A talent for the future, he has emerged as one to keep an eye out for.
#2 Dhruv Jurel - Rajasthan Royals
Fan of the Dhruv Jurel scoop yet? 😍💗 https://t.co/oYZJgisZhU
Sanju Samson talked up fellow wicketkeeper-batter Dhruv Jurel at the toss when the Rajasthan Royals (RR) faced Punjab Kings (PBKS) in Guwahati. Having been substituted in for the chase, Jurel showed what the hype was all about.
Walking out to bat with the score reading 124/6 in 15 overs and the Royals needing 74 runs more for victory, he wasted no time in asserting himself in the middle. The six he lofted over extra cover in particular wowed fans and pundits alike and while RR fell short, his unbeaten 15-ball 32 nearly got the job done.
Jurel has shown the ability to hit sixes from the word go and has chipped in with invaluable cameos consistently, scoring a crucial 18 that saw the Royals pull off a thriller against GT before his unbeaten 34 almost got the job done against the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) but for a lack of support.
The 22-year-old cricketer from Uttar Pradesh has certainly cast himself as a bright young prospect in IPL 2023 and has been one of the finds of the tournament.
#1 Suyash Sharma - Kolkata Knight Riders
Su𝗬𝗔𝗦𝗦 Sharma for you! 😉
#SuyashSharma | #RCBvKKR | #AmiKKR | #TATAIPL https://t.co/5ge4vL9FaA
A rookie 19-year-old leg-spinner from Delhi, Suyash Sharma played no recognized cricket at the domestic level before being signed by KKR for IPL 2023. Yet, he has taken to the tournament like a duck to water and shown incredible maturity and control.
The fact that he has outbowled the seasoned Sunil Narine tells you a thing or two about the talent at his disposal. Possessing a highly deceptive googly, Suyash has bagged nine wickets in six matches at an economy rate of 8.12. What has stood out is that he hasn't shied away from doing the job in the powerplay either, a phase where wrist-spinners are seldom used.
Skipper Nitish Rana has been lavish in his praise for the young leg-spinner, whose ceiling is certainly massive. He has the makings of a cult star as well and it shouldn't come as a surprise should he become a household name in the years to come.
Who, according to you, has been the best young performer so far in IPL 2023? Have your say in the comments section below!
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