IPL 2021: Journey begins – Cricketers who will be making their IPL debut

The second leg of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 is just around the corner and all eight teams must be gearing up to make a mark. The gala T20 tournament will resume on September 19 with all the matches taking place in the United Arab Emirates. With 29 of the 56 scheduled games already done and dusted, the competition won’t be the same for all the teams.

While some sides are on the verge of securing a berth in the playoffs, a few will fight for survival. For the unversed, this year’s IPL was scheduled to take place in April-May in India. However, the second wave of the COVID-19 virus forced the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to suspend the competition midway. Nevertheless, IPL 2021 will resume in days time and hence, fans must mark their calendars.

Notably, many franchises suffered major blows ahead of the UAE leg with the players being unavailable. While some pulled out of the competition due to different reasons, injury issues dented several players’ plans. In order to fill the void, the dented franchises signed some new names. Among the fresh recruits, many will make their maiden appearance in IPL.

Let’s look at players to feature in IPL for the first time

Wanindu Hasaranga

The Sri Lankan all-rounder has certainly made a name for himself in the last couple of years. Owing to the same, Royal Challengers Bangalore signed Hasaranga for the UAE leg.

Dushmantha Chameera

Hasaranga’s Sri Lanka teammate Dushmantha Chameera has also been signed by RCB. The right-arm pacer can clock speeds and also has several variations in his arsenal.

George Garton

Uncapped England pacer George Garton will also play for RCB in the gala competition. The left-arm pacer is known for his wicket-taking abilities alongside keeping the scoring rate down. He is also a handy batter lower down the order.

Akash Deep

Bengal pacer Akash Deep is also among the new faces in the RCB camp. The right-arm fast bowler has put up some brilliant performances in domestic cricket and would be raring to shine in IPL. Notably, he was a net bowler for RCB in the first leg.

Tim David

Tim David is set to become the first Singapore player to feature in the IPL. The dasher can score runs at a quick pace and his knack of staying at the crease for long makes him an even greater asset. David will also play for RCB.

Glenn Phillips

The Kiwi wicketkeeper-batter will represent Rajasthan Royals in the UAE leg. The dasher has emerged as a vital cog of New Zealand’s T20I team.

Nathan Ellis

During the recently concluded T20I series against Bangladesh, Australia’s Nathan Ellis became the first male player to claim a hat-trick on debut. The pacer subsequently signed a contract with Punjab Kings.

Adil Rashid

Veteran England leg-spinner Adil Rashid will also play for Punjab Kings in UAE. The leggie has a plethora of experience and the side would have high expectations from him.