Digvesh Singh
Credit: PTI Photo
Bengaluru: As the Indian Premier League embraces adulthood, few could have imagined the astronomical heights it would scale despite its share of setbacks along the way.
While the league's growing riches have made it the preferred franchise league for top cricketers from across the world, the league has been an exceptional platform for unpolished diamonds to shine and this season has been no different.
Vignesh Puthur, Priyansh Arya, Vipraj Nigam, Digvesh Rathi and Aniket Verma are a few names that have caught the eye in the first week.
Half a decade ago, predicting a young 24-year-old, with no first-class experience, making life difficult for Chennai Super Kings in his first outing would have been unthinkable, but Vignesh's dream debut (3/32 in four overs) at a sell-out Chepauk demonstrates how IPL has changed the mindset of such hidden gems.
Talking about the next generation coming of age, Arya gained recognition for hitting six sixes in an over during the Delhi Premier League and was bought by Punjab Kings for Rs 3.4 crore. He showed why PBKS splurged so much on him, smashing a fearless 47 off 23 balls against Gujarat Titans in his first IPL outing.
In Visakhapatnam, moments after Kevin Pietersen praised Vipraj for his batting abilities from the dugout, the 20-year-old, on his Delhi Capitals' debut, blasted 39 off 15 balls, stitching an important partnership with Ashutosh Sharma that eventually helped Delhi get over the line.
Rathi, a mystery spinner from Delhi, garnered attention with his DPL performances, taking 14 wickets in 10 games. Despite Lucknow Super Giants' loss, he picked up crucial wickets of Axar Patel and Vipraj to give his side a big hope in the contest.
Verma, the Jhansi all-rounder, who registered the fastest fifty and hundred in the Madhya Pradesh Premier League, has added fire to an already hot Sunrisers batting unit. He smashed 36 off just 15 deliveries, hitting five sixes against the Lucknow Super Giants after the departure of Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan.
Vaibhav Suryavanshi, who made waves scoring a 58-ball hundred, the fastest by an Indian in youth Tests against Australia U-19s, earned an IPL contract at just 13.
Two common factors among all these upcoming stars are approach and attitude. How these cricketers went about their business in their maiden IPL outings with no fear whatsoever shows these players know what it means to make immediate impact.
Last season, PBKS duo of Shashank Singh and Ashutosh Sharma (who is now with DC), a totally unknown names, announced their arrival in style with their uninhibited attacking style of batting. The two continued in the same vein this season as well.
“It is actually very heartening to see domestic cricketers playing fearless cricket," former Karnataka and RCB cricketer Balachandra Akhil told DH. "It is because they have some good role models, and a lot of youngsters follow Virat Kohli. We also have other heroes, but the Kohli brand has captured the hearts of a lot of young talents, and I think that’s how the fearless approach has taken over."
There was a time in Indian cricket where players were fazed, overawed by the occasion and at times lacked confidence. While they had the skills, many were let down for fortitude wasn't there forte. At least during the initial stages of their careers.
“I did not have the confidence to speak to foreign cricketers and I think I can speak for almost all Indian domestic cricketers who played the first two seasons of the IPL; however, it is not the same now,” noted Akhil who is a TV pundit on Star Sports Kannada.
“Once IPL grew, the strong hold of BCCI became more powerful and Indian cricket knew it had become a powerhouse. That probably got into the youngsters' minds. It also helped in making them think they were not inferior to anyone, and that has also played a good part in instilling confidence and courage into these upcoming stars."
It is not surprising that the young Indian cricketers are taking to the big occasions like fish to water. The fearless attitude with which they go about is also indicative of how IPL has transformed them into more confident athletes.
"There's great depth here (in Indian cricket). There always has been. And I think they're getting the chance to show their skills on a world stage," Australian all-rounder Marcus Stoinis, who is with Punjab Kings this season, said in a recent interview.
"They are super confident. They've had almost the advantage of growing up with IPL, being under pressure from early stages in their career. It's brilliant to see how fearless they are with their cricket and especially (while playing for) Indian cricket (team).
"Some of the youngsters in the Punjab Kings camp who have never really played the IPL are very impressive."
Just like how things have unravelled over the last decade, a young Indian cricketer getting starstruck or getting lost in a sea of glitzy talent from around the world is a thing of the past.
As a teenage IPL grows into a confident adult, so are the young and ambitious cricketers who don't flinch a second to take on the best.