The 15th edition of the Indian Premier League begins on March 31 with defending champions Gujarat Titans facing Chennai Super Kings at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Titans, under the captaincy of Hardik Pandya, had beaten Rajasthan Royals to lift the 2022 title. Over the years, the IPL has given Indian cricket a plethora of talent, with many becoming an integral member of the national team. In the last edition, the likes of Umran Malik, Mohsin Khan, Tilak Varma, and Rahul Tripathi made a significant impact with their performances, with Umran and Tripathi also making their international debuts following the season.
Recently, former India skipper Sourav Ganguly, who has worked with Delhi Capitals in the past, was asked to name players who can become big names in the competition. He named two players from his own franchise, and further selected three other cricketers who can make a mark in the league.
“The best in the business is Suryakumar Yadav. Obviously, you don’t consider him a youngster anymore, but having said that, among the young players, Prithvi Shaw has a lot of talent in the T20 format, and I think Rishabh Pant. He is only 23 (25). He has got the world at his feet; Rishabh Pant is the No. 2,” Ganguly said on Star Sports.
“I would keep a look at Ruturaj Gaikwad, how he keeps playing. I think these are the three batsmen. Umran Malik is one who will probably, if he stays fit, will continue to keep the fans interested in the game because of his genuine pace.”
{{/usCountry}}“I would keep a look at Ruturaj Gaikwad, how he keeps playing. I think these are the three batsmen. Umran Malik is one who will probably, if he stays fit, will continue to keep the fans interested in the game because of his genuine pace.”
{{/usCountry}}Former India spinner Harbhajan Singh, who was also part of the panel on Star Sports' show, pointed out to Ganguly that he might have missed one name. “Dada, how about Shubman Gill?” asked Harbhajam.
Ganguly, then, added him to the list and said, “Yes exactly, that’s the name which slipped my mind. But I think my fifth player would be Shubman Gill. So, it’s Prithvi Shaw, Rishabh Pant, Surya probably heads the list, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Umran Malik and Shubman Gill.”