IPL 2026 | Young talents in each team who could spring a surprise this season

Indian Premier League (IPL) is entering its 19th season on March 28. With the tagline "Where Talent Meets Opportunity", the tournament has surprised fans and experts alike year after year with new faces displaying their extraordinary talent.

Players like Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya and Varun Chakravarthy started as unknown players and now are indispensable part of the Indian team.

Last year, 14-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, 17-year-old Ayush Mhatre impressed with the bat, while bowlers like Digvesh Rathi and Vipraj Nigam helmed the limelight with the ball.

Here is a look at a player from each franchise who could impress fans and experts alike this season.

Prashant Veer (Chennai Super Kings):

Bagged for a massive amount of Rs 14.2 crore in the mini-auction, the left-arm all-rounder will play for Chennai Super Kings this year.

The 20-year-old has been roped in to fill in the big shoes of Ravindra Jadeja based on what the franchise saw in the trials.

In nine matches in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT), Veer has maintained an economy rate of 6.45 and a batting strike-rate of 167.

Auqib Nabi (Delhi Capitals):

Auqib Nabi had a stellar domestic season, leading Jammu and Kashmir to a stunning first Ranji Trophy title. The 29-year-old has eight years of domestic experience but will don the IPL jersey for the fist time.

He will represent DC and will be a part of a bowling attack that has Mitchell Starc, Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel.

In the 2025-26 Ranji season, Nabi grabbed close to 60 wickets wickets to singlehandedly get the trophy for Jammu and Kashmir,

Nicknamed the 'Baramullah Express', Nabi is known for his accuracy in line and length. He is also knocking the India doors.

He has played 34 T20 games for Jammu and Kashmir in SMAT and the economy rate of 7.74 is good for someone who mostly bowls in Powerplays.

Ashok Sharma (Gujarat Titans):

Ashok Sharma is one of the fastest bowlers going around in India. He clocked 150 kmph during SMAT. The 23-year-old was a part of Rajasthan Royals, while not getting many opportunities on field.

However, with GT's bowling consisting of Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna and Kagiso Rabada, Sharma might have to wait for his chances.

Tejasvi Dahiya (Kolkata Knight Riders):

Another player who has been mighty impressive in SMAT is the 23-year-old Tejasvi Dahiya.

The Delhi player has a strike rate of over 168 in the domestic league, including a quickfire half-century in the middle-order. With KKR not having Russell this season, Dahiya could prove to be a decent bet down the order.

Naman Tiwari (Lucknow Super Giants):

A left-arm pacer is rare in India. Tiwari had a decent Under-19 World Cup in 2024 and continued his form in the UP T20 league in the same year.

The 20-year-old consistently bowls over 140 kmph and could be a surprise element in case of injuries to frontline pacers. Tiwari has the ability to get deliveries straighten to right handers.

Allah Ghazanfar (Mumbai Indians)

MI is one franchise that invests and grooms youngsters extensively. The 20-year-old Afghan brings an element of mystery. Having missed the previous season, Ghazanfar would be eager to showcase his talent in the IPL after having impressed in global franchise cricket.

Mitchell Owen (Punjab Kings):

Last season, PBKS relied on uncapped players to reach their first final since 2014. This year, however, Micthell Owen from Australia could prove to be a game changer.

He has a reputation of a big hitter, having a strike rate of 187 in 36 Big Bash matches.

The 24-year-old has the ability use the long levers and can also bowl an over or two of medium pace.

Ravi Singh (Rajasthan Royals):

Singh was crucial for the Railways in SMAT last year. The 24-year-old maintained a strike rate of 173 while also smashing 218 runs in the season.

His best came in a successful chase when Singh hammered 68 runs off 38 balls against IPL bowlers like Yash Thakur, Harsh Dubey and Darshan Nalkande.

Jacob Bethell (Royal Challengers Benagluru):

Bethell became the youngest to captain England last year. The 22-year-old scored a half-century last season in one of the two games that he played in for RCB.

The left-hander impressed with a stunning century when he almost pulled off a run chase of over 250 in the semi-final of the T20 World Cup against India.

Bethell along with Jitesh Sharma, could become a nightmare for the opposition teams.

Ravichandran Smaran (Sunrisers Hyderabad):

Smaran had a stellar domestic season for Karnataka, smashing close to 1,000 runs in Ranji Trophy. The left-hander might get limited opportunities in a star-studded SRH batting line up but could prove his worth.

In domestic T20s, Smaran has a strike rate of 162 and an average of 48. He could be a decent back-up for any injuries.