Hyderabad: The Indian Premier League has done wonders with Indian cricket as the tournament has been successfully able to tap into the potential of budding cricketers from domestic cricket who get a chance to rub shoulders at the grandest stage. Some even get a chance to feature in the Indian cricket team. SRH's T Natarajan and Washington Sundar's heroics in Australia is the stuff of folklore. Now players such as Umran Malik, with lightening fast deliveries, has been included in the Indian squad.
This article covers the emerging players this season and if they are good enough to don the Indian jersey.
Read: IPL 2022: Five stats that will blow your mind
Emerging player awards
This award is given by BCCI to the player who has best demonstrated, through his performances during the season, his potential to be a future star of international cricket.
In order to be eligible for the Emerging Player Award, a player must meet all four of the following criteria:
1) Should be born after 1 April 1996;
2) Should have played 5 or less Test matches or 20 or less ODIs;
3) Should have played in 25 or less IPL matches (as of the start of the season); and
4) Should have not previously won the Emerging Player Award.
5) The winner will be selected by a combination of a public vote on www.iplt20.com and the choice of the television commentators.
The front runners of the Emerging Player Award in 2022 along with there vote share:
1. Umran Malik (SRH) - 22% vote: With 22 wickets in just 14 matches, Malik, the fastest bowler India ever had, stole the show with the fastest delivery -- touching 157 kmph -- of the tournament which was broken by Lockie Ferguson in the final match. Despite going for high economy, Umran generated pace, took wickets for his team that earned him applause from fans and criticis.
2. Tilak Varma (MI) - 20% vote: "Tilak Varma is a very promising cricketer. I got to interact with him in the first half of the tournament. We worked on his batting. He is a very positive player with, a very clear and simple mindset. When I saw him play the trial games for MI, I was very impressed" - the great Sachin Tendulkar said on the Mumbai Indian batsman having seen him on nets.
Tilak was picked as a replacement after Suryakumar Yadav suffered injuries only to finish the season as team's highest run-getter with 397 runs in 14 innings at a strike rate of 131.02.
3. Mukesh Choudhary (CSK) - 11% vote: Mukesh Choudhary had a big shoes to fill of a proven player - Deepak Chahar. Having failed initially in first few matches where he picked three wickets in four matches, the left-arm pacer soon sparkled with sensational performances eventually picking 16 wickets in 13 matches.
4. Ayush Badoni (LSG) - 4% vote: Having scored one half-century, Ayush did impress Lucknow Super Giant coach Gautam Gambhir. Despite scoring 161 runs at an average of 20, he still has a long way to go. Ayush's all range shots makes him favourite among critics and seems to have bright future as he progresses in the game.
5. Arshdeep Singh (PBKS): His yorkers at will and economy at the back end of the innings can tempt any team in the world to include him in the playing XI. In 14 matches, Arshdeep, who have now been selected into the Indian team in the T20I series against South Africa, picket 10 wicket at an economy of just 7.70.
Read: Analysis: Virat Kohli in 2016 vs Jos Buttler in 2022
Check out the emerging Player of seasons since IPL's inception
2008 - Shreevats Goswami - RCB
2009 - Rohit Sharma - Deccan Chargers
2010 - Saurabh Tiwary - Mumbai Indians
2011 - Iqbal Abdulla - KKR
2012 - Mandeep Singh - KXIP
2013 - Sanju Samson - RR
2014 - Axar Patel - KXIP
2015 - Shreyas Iyer - Delhi Daredevils
2016 - Mustafizur Rahman - SRH
2017 - Basil Thampi - Gujarat Lions
2018 - Rishabh Pant - Delhi
2019 - Shubman Gill - KKR
2020 - Devdutt Padikkal - RCB
2021 - Ruturaj Gaikwad - CSK
2022 - Umran Malik - SRH
