StaffWith the 2022 IPL auction coming around, franchises will be looking for young Indian stars to strengthen their sides while adding some international stars as well. Several youngsters who got their opportunity in the 2021 IPL have made an impression on the cricketing world and have proven their worth to IPL team owners and coaches.
Keeping the auction and the 2022 IPL season in mind, for me, the following players are the best of the lot who made their breakthrough in the 2021 IPL season.
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Venkatesh Iyer
Venkatesh Iyer was one of the most notable new names during the 2021 IPL. The languid left-handed opening batter got his much-awaited opportunity to open the batting for his side. A consistent run of games saw him score multiple fifties during the 2021 IPL. Not too long after, he was called by the Indian national side to wear the blue of Team India in T20I cricket.
Iyer scored a mammoth 370 runs during IPL 2021 and was lethal in providing the KKR’s fast-paced starts. Iyer also proved to be quite handy with the ball, allowing the Knight Riders to utilise the medium-pacer as the sixth bowling option at times.
KS Bharat
A constant struggle for the RCB during the first phase of IPL 2021 was to find a No. 3. With Virat Kohli opening the batting, the position went to the wicket-keeper-batter KS Bharat. He showed his class and potential during the second phase of the IPL, making the No. 3 position his own.
Bharat scored a total of 191 runs, most of which came during the second half when he took nicely to the No. 3 spot. He also received his Indian call-up soon after the IPL, during which he was brought in to take the gloves for an injured Wriddhiman Saha in a Test match against New Zealand.
Avesh Khan
Avesh Khan has been around for some time now. The 25-year-old fast bowler made quite an impression during his run in the India U19 side. After the U19s, though, he didn’t make the impact he would have wished to make in the IPL. However, that changed during the 2021 IPL, which Avesh Khan concluded as one of the leading wicket-takers in the tournament.
The right-arm fast bowler picked up 24 wickets during the 2021 IPL season and was pivotal in closing out the bowling for the Delhi Capitals. Although his journey with the Capitals has ended, other teams will certainly be looking to bring the youngster in to bolster their bowling line-up.
Chetan Sakariya
India has barely seen left-arm fast bowlers come through and make it to the national side in the last decade. Thus, it was refreshing to see the canny left-arm pacer Sakariya bowl during the 2021 IPL. He proved his worth to the Rajasthan Royals by becoming their go-to bowler in the absence of Jofra Archer.
The youngster ended IPL 2021 only one wicket behind Chris Morris, the leading wicket-taker for the Royals. His performances in the IPL also earned him a spot in the Indian side that toured Sri Lanka in 2021. He will certainly be one to watch in IPL 2022.
Yashasvi Jaiswal
Jaiswal was spotted doing well at the U19 World Cup for India and was subsequently snapped up by the Rajasthan Royals to take up their opening batting spot. He came into his own in IPL 2021 and cemented his position as an opening batter. He was lethal when he opened the batting during both phases of the IPL.
For a breakthrough season in the IPL, many would consider scoring a total of nearly 250 runs not a bad start to a youngster’s career. Jaiswal has now been retained by the Royals for IPL 2022, and he looks to be their long-term option, just like Sanju Samson was a few years ago.
