Indian Premier League has served as a huge platform for the upcoming cricketers to make their mark over the past 14 editions and the trend is expected to continue when 2022 season kicks here on Saturday. We take a look at a few debutants, who are expected to make a difference in the T20 tournament.
Dewald Brevis
Nicknamed as "Baby ABD" for his stroke-making skills, South Africa's Dewald Brewis is a right-handed batter and a handy leg-break bowler. Known for playing wide range of shots, he was picked up by five-time IPL champions Mumbai Indians in the IPL auctions earlier this year.
The 18-year-old Brevis scored 506 runs in the ICC U-19 World Cup held earlier this year, the most in a single edition of the tournament, surpassing flamboyant India opener Shikhar Dhawan's record of 505 runs in 2004 and also picked up seven wickets with his part-time leg-spin. Brevis, who considers legendary Sachin Tendulkar as his inspiration, on his day can take any good attack to the cleaners.
Rajvardhan Hangargekar
A lanky all-rounder, Rajvardhan Hangargekar, who hails from Maharashtra's Osmanabad district, was grabbed by defending champions Chennai Super Kings. Hangargekar, who is a medium pacer and a right-handed batter, had impressed one and all with his six-hitting prowess in India's victorious U-19 World Cup campaign in the West Indies earlier this year. The 19-year-old can be an ideal replacement for injured pacer Deepak Chahar, who is set to miss the first part of the tournament with a right quadriceps injury. Hangargekar, who also played five List A matches for Maharashtra, could also perform the role of a 'finisher' for MI.
Yash Dhull
The 19-year-old Yash Dhull, who led India to fifth U-19 World Cup title, is a flamboyant right-handed batter and an off-break bowler. Picked up by Delhi Capitals, Dhull has also scored two hundreds on his Ranji Trophy debut, a feat which only two other cricketers have been able to achieve. A middle-order batter, Dhull who scored a hundred in the semifinal of the U-19 World Cup, has proved that he is a big match player. In his youth ODI career, he amassed 281 runs from eight ODIs.
Abhinav Manohar
Karnataka's Abhinav Manohar, 27, is a hard-hitting middle-order batter. He is known for his power game and can be used as a pinch hitter. The batter was picked up by Gujarat Titans for Rs 2.60 crore and has played crucial knocks for his home team Karnataka in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy last year. Besides, he also bowls leg-spin.
Rovman Powell
Jamaican Rovman Powell is a hard-hitting batter, who notched up his maiden T20 hundred against England in January earlier this year. Powell, whose base price was Rs 75 lakh, was eventually sold to Delhi Capitals for Rs 2.80 crore. Known to smash the balls for fun, Powell can play the finisher's role for his franchise. His medium pace also makes him a valuable asset in the shortest format of the game. He was earlier picked by Kolkata Knight Riders for the 2017 edition but didn't get a game in the entire season. He went unsold at the 2018 auctions.
