IPL 2021: Five IPL debutants to watch out for
The IPL 2021 will provide opportunities for several fresh and upcoming stars to showcase their skills at arguably the biggest league in the world. This season, though, there are some debutants who are eagerly waiting to get on the field. Some of them have impressed franchises while playing in international cricket and some by performing in other T20 leagues. Here are 5 IPL debutants to watch out for:
5. Kyle Jamieson
With a height of 6 feet 8 inches, Kyle Jamieson is a threatening bowler on almost any surface. His height helps him extract bounce and he also has the ability to swing the ball. All these attributes made Jamieson a priced scalp during the IPL 2021 auction. Royal Challengers Bangalore eventually bagged him for INR 15 crores. The 26-year-old has played only 42 T20 matches in his career so far and picked up 55 wickets from them. Come the IPL 2021, it will be a test for the young speedster, who is likely to make his debut in RCB’s opening match.
4. Jhye Richardson
Jhye Richardson was the find of the Big Bash League 2020-21. Having made his debut for Australia, Richardson’s impressive start to the international career was halted due to injuries. However post-covid, the right-arm pacer made an outstanding comeback when he ended as the wicket-taker in the BBL. His performances earned him a comeback on the national side and also a big IPL contract with the Punjab Kings. The price tag of INR 14 crore will surely play on his mind, but there will be a lot of responsibility on him.
3. Mohammed Azharuddeen
Kerala wicketkeeper-batsman Mohammed Azharuddeen made a mark for himself when he scored a 37-ball century against Mumbai in the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 tournament earlier this year. That knock earned him a spot on the Royal Challengers Bangalore franchise for the IPL 2021. The young and exciting batsman will be making his debut this season and should there be scope for him, then he would be ready to cash on it, considering his recent form with the bat.
2. Shahrukh Khan
The hard-hitting all-rounder from Tamil Nadu has made an impression by being a finisher for his state team in the last two seasons of domestic cricket. Even though his T20 numbers might tell a different story, his strike rate in the 50 overs format, along with his ability to finish matches has landed him an opportunity with the Punjab Kings. The franchise bought him for INR 5.25 crores. Looking at the squad of Punjab, it seems inevitable that he would feature as one of their regulars this season.
1. Dawid Malan
The left-handed batsman from England will arrive with a big reputation of being the no. 1 T20I ranked batsman in the world. His average of 50 doubled up with a strike rate in excess of 145 makes him a solid top-order batsman. The fact that he has gotten a first look at Indian conditions recently, makes him quite ready and prepared to make this league of his own. He has shown some really solid performances with the bat in BBL and BPL before. He might also be seen as one of the important players for the Punjab Kings.
