Harry Brook. (Photo Source: Twitter)
Over the years, Indian Premier League (IPL) has been a talent fest where young cricketers have been given the opportunity to showcase their skills against the top-drawer players from around the world. To promote the budding cricketers to come up and strive to be the best of the best, IPL has presented the ‘Emerging Player of the Season’ award to the most promising upcoming star.
With the IPL 2023 schedule announced and the marquee tournament set to kick-start on March 31, one shall witness many youngsters bid to grab the ‘Emerging Player of the Season award’. Let us look at the players who could grab the coveted prize.
Here are five players who can win the Emerging Player award in IPL 2023
5. Ayush Badoni
Ayush Badoni is an upcoming talent from Delhi’s cricketing circles who has created a lot of buzz with his exploits on the cricket field. The 23-year-old has featured in 26 matches in the shortest format and scored 294 runs at a strike rate of 130.08. Lucknow Super Giants liked what they saw in Badoni and signed him at the 2022 mega auction.
The right-handed batter featured in 13 IPL matches and smashed 161 runs at a strike rate of 123.85, which includes a brilliant half-century against Gujarat Titans in the fourth match of the marquee tournament. Also, he was handy with his off-spin and chipped in with two wickets in those outings.
As Badoni showed glimpses of brilliance in the 15th IPL edition, the team management retained him for the coming season. He has been in top form of late and notched up 231 runs in three games in the 2022-23 season of the Ranji Trophy. Thus, the Delhi-born could light up IPL 2023 with his performances and present a strong case to win the illustrious award.
4. Tilak Varma
Tilak Varma has been a run-bank in the Indian domestic circuit. He has featured in 25 List-A matches and amassed 1236 runs at an incredible average of 56.18. Coming to the shortest format, the 20-year-old has piled on 1075 runs in 36 games at a strike rate of 136.76.
Tilak was quite magnificent in the 15th edition of the Indian Premier League. He held the innings together and shepherded the innings beautifully. Also, the Hyderabad-born swiftly switched gears to put the opposition bowlers under the pump with his glorious stroke play.
Tilak featured in 14 games for Mumbai Indians and aggregated 397 runs at a strike rate of 131.02. Due to his stellar performances, the Mumbai franchise retained him for the 2023 season of the cash-rich league. The youngster would look to bring his A-game into play in the forthcoming edition and make the marquee event his own.
3. Rinku Singh
Rinku Singh has been a prominent figure in the Indian domestic circuit. He has featured in 75 T20 matches and notched up 1294 runs at a strike rate of 137.95. Coming to the List-A format, the 25-year-old has accumulated 1749 runs in 50 games at an average of 53.00.
Rinku was simply sensational in the 2022 season of the lucrative T20 tournament. He took the attack to the opposition from the get-go and helped change the course of the match in the favour of his side. The ace batter featured in seven games for Kolkata Knight Riders and hammered 174 runs at a strike rate of 148.72.
He also showed his batting might in the 2022-23 Ranji Trophy and amassed 442 runs in seven games for Uttar Pradesh at an average of 63.14. The Aligarh-born is in a rich vein and could set the 16th IPL edition on fire with his batting displays.
2. Dewald Brevis
Dewald Brevis is one of the most exciting prospects in South Africa’s cricketing circles. He has put up an exhibition of his flamboyant stroke play and knocked the wind out of top-quality bowling attacks. The 19-year-old has smashed 1055 runs in 44 T20 matches at a strike rate of 141.80.
When Brevis’ turn arrived at IPL 2022 auction, Mumbai Indians left no stone unturned to draft him into their side and eventually, signed the youngster for INR 3 crore. The Johannesburg-born featured in seven games for the five-time IPL champions and smashed 161 runs at a strike rate of 142.48.
Brevis also did a decent job in the inaugural season of SA20 and piled on 235 runs in 10 games at a strike rate of 117.50. When on song, the ace batter has shown his ability to take down even the best of bowling attacks. Thus, it would not be a surprise if he puts up a show with the bat in the upcoming season of the IPL.
1. Harry Brook
Harry Brook is a courageous stroke maker and has set the T20 circuit ablaze with his breathtaking knocks. The 24-year-old has featured in 99 matches in the shortest format and plundered 2432 runs at a superb strike rate of 148.38, which includes one century and nine half-centuries.
Brook has been simply stunning in the international arena as well. He has played an aggressive brand of cricket and destroyed bowling attacks for fun. The England batter has featured in 20 T20Is and smashed 372 runs at a strike rate of 137.77. Witnessing his batting exploits, Sunrisers Hyderabad signed the youngster at the IPL 2023 auction for a whopping sum of INR 13.25 crore.
In the recently culminated Test series against New Zealand, Brook was at his best and hammered 329 runs in two matches at a strike rate of 110.40. The Keighley-born is in pristine touch and could establish his supremacy in the forthcoming season of the cash-rich league.