Mayank Markande and Prithvi Shaw.
The Indian Premier League has always provided lesser-known and uncapped players a platform to prove their mettle while facing the best of world cricketers. The eleventh edition of the IPL that has completed one month has given the cricket fans a lot of moments to cherish and some genuinely good players, who didn't disappoint when they got a chance.
Thanks to their formidable bowling line-up, Kane Williamson-led Sunrisers Hyderabad are currently leading the IPL 2018 Points Table. Among others, uncapped fast bowlers Basil Thampi and Siddarth Kaul deserve fair credit for their success.
With the league currently in full swing, we present a list of uncapped players who astonished with their skills and emerged as the find of the IPL 2018.
Suryakumar Yadav
After playing promising cricket for two-time IPL champions Kolkata Knight Riders, Suryakumar Yadav returned to Mumbai Indians in the 11th season of the IPL. Mumbai, which bought him for 3.2 crore, gave him opening slot to bat, unconventional to his KKR stint where he batted at middle-order.
The 27-year-old Maharashtra batsman didn't disappoint MI captain Rohit Sharma, who offered his own batting slot. Suryakumar has showed tremendous grit and scored 399 runs in 10 matches for Mumbai. He has struck four IPL half-centuries in the season do far and scored maximum number of fours (45) to be on top of the boundary-scorers' list.
Prithvi Shaw
Delhi Daredevils' 18-year-old sensation Prithvi Shaw charmed everyone with his techniques in a short span of time. Having played just five matches in the season so far, Prithvi has accumulated 205 runs with two-fifty-plus knocks.
Watching Prithvi's spellbinding stroke making, legendary Australian batsman Mark Waugh didn't hesitate to compare him with 'God of cricket' Sachin Tendulkar, claiming that the technique of young batsman is similar to that of the batting icon. "The first thing you notice is his technique, it's very similar to Sachin Tendulkar's," Waugh said.
Mayank Markande
After losing three matches on the trot, Mumbai Indians started their IPL 2018 campaign like a roller coaster ride to place themselves up on the fifth position of the points table. No matter they won or lost the matches, leg-spinner Mayank Markande remained their most consistent bowler.
Having snared former India captain MS Dhoni as his first wicket in IPL, Markande made a promising start. He has claimed 13 wickets in 10 matches, just one wicket short of highest wicket-taker in the IPL 2018 so far - fellow teammate Hardik Pandya.
Nitish Rana
KKR all-rounder Nitish Rana has been a match-winner for his side and amazed everyone with his fearless batting. His most impressive performance in the IPL 2018 came against his home team Delhi Daredevils on April 16 in Kolkata. Rana scored a knock of 95 runs to guide KKR to an emphatic 71-run win.
So far in nine matches of this season, he has made 219 runs and claimed four wickets with his right-arm off-break bowling. Rana missed one match for KKR due to back issues, which also forced him to retire during the contest against Royal Challengers Bangalore. However, he is fit again and was included in the playing XI for the match against Mumbai on Sunday.
Siddarth Kaul
Siddarth Kaul has been one of the most consistent bowlers and driving force for table-toppers Sunrisers Hyderabad. Currently placed seventh in the most wicket-taking bowlers' chart, Kaul has claimed 13 wickets in ten matches.
Kaul was the part of the India U-19 team that won the World Cup in 2008. He played alongside Virat Kohli, who tasted success a long ago and now leads the Indian cricket team. The 27-year-old fast bowler, on the other hand, earned an India ODI team call-up recently but still due to make his debut in international cricket.
