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What does IPL 2024 tell us about India's T20 future? Given that this was an edition just preceding a T20 World Cup, the answer to this question would remain relevant for many months. Several sure-shot players in the main squad failed to perform as expected while some re-invented their games and got better.
But no matter what happens at the World Cup, India will stare at a big transitional phase after it. Many senior players might edge towards retirement while others would probably want to focus on a few formats only, making space for fresher and younger talent to come through and stake its claim for future World Cups.
Below are five uncapped players whose performances in IPL 2024 showed that they are perhaps the readiest yet for the jump to the final level:
#5 Yash Dayal
India have shown a tendency to not stick with left-arm seamers since Zaheer Khan's retirement. Many like Khaleel Ahmed and Jaydev Unadakat have just never gotten the chances they deserve. But after Yash Dayal's displays for Royal Challengers Bengaluru in IPL 2024, that could change pretty soon.
The 26-year-old was the third-highest wicket-taker among uncapped players with 15 scalps at an average of 30.60 in 14 games. He topped the charts for swinging the new ball and then further solidified his comeback with that excellent last over against MS Dhoni in the deciding group-stage clash versus CSK.
There's a lot of raw talent and determination in there. With a bit more experience and grooming, Dayal can be a proper all-format star.
#4 Riyan Parag
Speaking of probable all-format stars, Riyan Parag is right up there. He was a prospect before as well but wasn't able to convert the opportunities into a portfolio, which, with a bit of consistent backing and role clarity, he did in IPL 2024.
With 573 runs in 14 innings, he was the third in the Orange Cap chart, just two places behind his idol, Virat Kohli. It was also about the situations those runs came in - generally, after a collapse - that made it such a special season.
He was one of the forces behind Rajasthan Royals (RR)'s first-half winning run, showing excellent ability to finish games under pressure. After the World Cup ends, he'll likely be one of the first names to get a T20 call-up.
#3 Tushar Deshpande
Among uncapped Indians, Tushar Deshpande was the second-highest wicket-taker in IPL 2024, taking 17 scalps in 13 matches at an average of 24.94. The Chennai Super Kings (CSK) pacer was simply superb with the new ball, making it talk in the powerplay even on grounds not known for swing and early movement.
His best form came at CSK's home ground, the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chepauk where he took as many as nine wickets. CSK won all four matches in Chepauk in IPL 2024 where Deshpande took at least one wicket. In some games, he also followed the powerplay impact with crucial overs at the death.
The season and an improved economy rate of 8.83 was a sign of Deshpande's maturity and control in his game, making him an excellent prospect for the future.
#2 Harshit Rana
The best uncapped bowler of IPL 2024 was undoubtedly, Harshit Rana. The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) pacer was consistent in taking wickets in the middle and death overs from the first game of the season till the last. Nineteen wickets in just 11 innings at an average of 20.15 are mind-blowing numbers.
Rana's skills would be extremely attractive to any international team, not just India. He can swing the ball, hit the yorker, and bowl at any line while using the angle, while his slower ones are especially difficult to read and hit against because of how much he varies the pace (his quickest balls are around 145kph) from a daunting height.
The ability he showed under pressure was better than most uncapped players have shown in all these years of IPL. That in itself should soon get him some opportunities with the national side. Bonus point: he can also bat!
#1 Abhishek Sharma
SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH)'s biggest match-winner Abhishek Sharma doesn't need to show any runs or average to make it to this list. His ability lies in his strike rate - 204.21 - which is the highest among the top 28 run-scorers of IPL 2024. Scoring 484 runs with that in 16 innings is no mean feat.
In a way, Abhishek can be for India what his SRH partner Travis Head has been for Australia. He won't come good always and might need some luck to survive the top of off-stump bowling from the new-ball bowlers. However, when he does survive that phase, he'll set up wins and finish games within a few overs.
He's not only among the best young pace hitters in the country but also kills spin bowling better than most in India's 2024 T20 World Cup squad. The fact that he can also contribute important overs on turning tracks makes him a rare gem.
