Kolkata: Following one of the most memorable IPL editions that saw debutants Gujarat Titans crown champions in front of a record crowd of 104,859 fans at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, the action now shifts to Team India.
The Men in Blue to host South Africa for a five-match Twenty20 International series that gets underway on June 9. The first match of the series will act as a platform for Team India to chase an all-time 13-0 T20I winning record and become an all-time great team in this format.
Eye-catching performances in the IPL 2022 have been richly rewarded as BCCI named an 18-member squad that will be led by KL Rahul. While the Indian squad looks ravishing, with talent aplenty, here are five Indian players to watch out for in the series.
Hardik Pandya dished out a fitting response to his naysayers when he delivered one of the most influential all-round displays in an IPL final. The Gujarat Titans skipper was surrounded with plenty of flak going into the season with concerns about his fitness, but ‘Kung-fu’ Pandya booted them out of the park as he steered his side to the title in front of his home crowd. Hardik wrapped up the season with 487 runs and 8 wickets and goes into the T20I series oozing with confidence.
There’s no denying that a lot of the spotlight will be on this mean all-rounder.
KL Rahul’s leadership together with his batting has earned him great plaudits – all that was on display during Lucknow Super Giants’ campaign in the IPL 2022. Although he would have wished to be on the winning side in the ‘Eliminator’ against Royal Challengers Bangalore, Rahul has had a stellar season. The opening batsman has scored 616 runs at an average of 51.33 and a strike rate of 135.38 and enters international duty beaming with momentum and form.
A comeback story like no other! Dinesh Karthik did not just knock at the selection doors but slammed it wide open with a scintillating performance in the IPL. DK, who won the IPL’s ‘Super Striker of the Season’ award with a jaw-dropping strike-rate of 183, proved his ‘finisher’ tag once again. With 330 runs at an average of 55, DK would like to replicate his performances with the Indian jersey and in his own words, “will want to do something special for his country.”
Speed has a new name in India! The Sunrisers Hyderabad pace machine from J&K has caught everyone’s attention with his bowling clocking an access of 150 kmph every match. Until the IPL final, Umran Malik had the award for bowling the fastest delivery of the season at 157 kmph, until Lockie Ferguson snatched it with a 157.3 kmph thunderbolt. In the 14 IPL matches he has featured in his debut season, Umran has scalped 22 wickets with his best performance of 5/25 – the best in the history of the league – against eventual champions Gujarat Titans. Legends of the game have all backed this gun bowler and it remains to be seen if he continues to beat the speed against South Africa.
Arshdeep Singh has been another pacer who has been most exciting in the IPL. The 23-year-old has been the go-to bowler for Punjab Kings in the death, his immaculate toe crushers, ability to bowl wide Yorkers, targeting the block hole has reaped great rewards for his side. Arshdeep finished the season with 10 wickets in 14 matches with his best being 3/37 and an economy rate of 7.70. He will be eager to continue this form in the series too. (UNI)