Talent meets opportunity – IPL finds who made it big in international cricket
Ever since its inception, the Indian Premier League has paved its way to becoming the premier domestic competition across the globe. Indian as well as overseas stars look forward to dazzling in the cash-rich league. The IPL certainly offers a grand stage to youngsters to showcase their talent. In its rich history, the IPL has hunted several youngsters who made full use of the opportunity and eventually made it big in international cricket too.
1. Kuldeep Yadav
Kuldeep Yadav’s journey started with Mumbai Indians but he didn’t feature for them even once. Kuldeep’s career notched up after he was snapped up by Kolkata Knight Riders in 2014. He had to wait two seasons to make his KKR debut but he didn’t look back after that.
With his variations, the chinaman bowler made an instant impact as he scalped 6 wickets playing in 3 matches in the season. Kuldeep dazzled on his Test debut as well, picking 4 wickets against Australia at Dharamsala. He eventually was picked in the limited-overs squad too and is now an integral part of India’s spin bowling set-up.
2. Jasprit Bumrah
Express pace, unorthodox action and toe-crushing yorkers define Jasprit Bumrah’s bowling brilliance. The pacer from Gujarat was signed by Mumbai Indians in 2013 and he hogged the limelight by clinching three wickets on his IPL debut. Bumrah was all over the news as his first IPL wicket was none other than Virat Kohli.
Combining with Lasith Malinga, Bumrah became a vital part of Mumbai Indians’ bowling force and he was bought by the franchise in the following IPL auction for a staggering INR 1.2 crore. After breaking into the national side, he proved his mettle by delivering in all three formats. He currently is one of the most prominent death-overs bowlers in international cricket.
3. Yuvzendra Chahal
Like Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal also made an impact in the IPL and fixed his place in India’s spin department in the limited-overs format. Chahal was first picked by Mumbai Indians in 2011 but he didn’t get many chances to prove his worth.
The leg-spinner’s fortunes changed when he was picked by Virat Kohli-led Royal Challengers Bangalore in the 2014 edition of the tournament. He took 12 wickets in 14 games that season and followed it up by scalping 23 in the next edition. He soon received India call-up and the Haryana leg-spinner is currently Kohli’s go-to man in the national side.
4. Manish Pandey
Manish Pandey hasn’t cemented his place yet in the Indian squad but no one can argue about the potential he possesses. Pandey represented Royal Challengers Bangalore in the first three seasons of the IPL before moving to Pune Warriors India.
The Karnataka batsman’s big break was in 2014 when he donned the Kolkata Knight Riders jersey. He scored 401 runs in 16 innings, playing a vital role in KKR’s title triumph. Pandey eventually earned his India call-up in 2015 against Zimbabwe.
5. Hardik Pandya
Team India, since decades, always have been in dire need of all-rounders and the side got one such brilliant player in the form of Hardik Pandya. Hardik’s talent was spotted by Mumbai Indians in 2015 when they picked him for his base price of INR 10 lakh.
Hardik’s first notable performance came against Chennai Super Kings when he smashed 21 off just eight deliveries to steer his side to the triumph. With time, he established himself as an inseparable part of the Mumbai Indians squad. In the process, he was also drafted into the Indian side due to his all-round abilities. In the last few years, he has emerged as one of the top all-rounders in international cricket.
