Rishabh Pant
The wicketkeeper-batter has battled against all odds to come back from a near fatal accident he suffered on December 30, 2022. From being in the situation of getting his leg amputated, Pant is now cleared to play in the IPL, his first big game. Pant is ready to start his second innings! The left-hander is extremely important for Delhi Capitals and if he passes this rigours of playing in such long tournament, he could be a big asset for Team India in the Twenty20 World Cup to be held in June-July this year.
Shubman Gill
Gill was considered a Test player, but the Gujarat opener showed the array of his full potential by winning the Orange Cap for leading run-scorer in last season. With the added responsibility of being given the captaincy, the 24-year-old will be eager to prove a point. Gill’s role has now changed with the Indian team as he is now playing in the No 3 spot. So it remains to be seen if Gill is going to be opening or get settled at No 3. Either way, he is the key to the team’s fortunes.
Virat Kohli
The star Indian batter has another reason to score this season. After the talk of him not going to be picked for the Twenty20 World Cup happening later this year, the leading IPL run-scorer has added motivation to prove his detractors wrong. Kohli loves challenges and the pressure should spur the 35-year-old to take his game a notch higher. When he was written off before the 2021 Twenty20 World Cup, he came back stronger. The former Royal Challengers Bengaluru skipper is still searching for his first IPL crown and will be more eager to win after the RCB franchise clinched the Women’s Premier League recently. Kohli, who scored 639 runs at an average of 53.25 last season, is not at his best, after having scored 973 in 2016. Still, write off Kohli at your own peril.
Rachin Ravindra
The young New Zealand opener showed that he loves the Indian wickets by scoring at will during the 50-over ICC World Cup last year. With fellow New Zealander Devon Conway missing this season, Ravindra is set to get a long run, which should help him settle and work on his game under the tutelage of Mahendra Singh Dhoni. His left-arm spin will come in handy in the Indian wickets. The 24-year-old recently became the youngest recipient of Sir Richard Hadlee Medal and with an impressive record in both formats, Ravindra will be keen to make his mark on the Twenty20 format as well.
Yashasvi Jaiswal
The left-handed opener has been making huge strides with every game since making his debut in Sharjah in 2020 against Chennai Super Kings. The 22-year-old is on top of his game with two double centuries against England in the recently concluded Test series. A wiser Jaiswal is a formidable threat to the rivals in this season and is expected to better his 2023 aggregate of 625 runs this season. It will be treat to watch Jaiswal batting with Jos Buttler at the top of Rajasthan batting. Not a pleasing sight for the opposition though, as the match could be lost in the first six overs.
Ruturaj Gaikwad
The Chennai Super Kings opener is another all-format player and has the penchant to play all three formats in similar fashion. The 27-year-old was getting to grips with the international standards when an untimely finger injury in the second One-Day International against South Africa in December left him on the sidelines after scoring 500 runs in just 19 T20 games. IPL has been his happy hunting ground for Gaikwad, who could clear the field with shear timing. In 2021 he has scored a whopping 635 and 590 last season. Incidentally, whenever he scores, Super Kings win the title.
Rinku Singh
The left-hander has been the impact player for Kolkata Knight Riders last season, guiding the two-champions to improbable wins. He scored five successive sixes off the last over against Gujarat Titans to shoot to instant stardom and finished the 2023 season in the top 10 for leading scorers with 474 runs. He is a dangerous finisher, a role he continued to perform even for Team India with ease. The 26-year-old middle order batter has an average of 89 in 15 Twenty20 matches for India and has a phenomenal strike rate. The international exposure and the experience should give him more confidence to go for the leather this season.
Shamar Joseph
The West Indian pace sensation has been making the headlines since his debut in the Test series against Australia. His seven-wicket haul in the final Test in Brisbane ended the Caribbean islanders’ barren run Down Under and his rise to fame has been nothing short of a movie script. The former security guard has been making the batters hop with incisive pace and his lucky break in the IPL came when England pacer Mark Wood pulled out of this season. Lucknow Super Giants didn’t waste any time to announce the 24-year-old as the replacement for a sum of Rs30 million giving the team the much-needed firepower.
