IPL 2024: Here are Indian batters to watch out for
The 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL) season will begin on March 22, with defending champions Chennai Super Kings and Royal Challengers Bangalore clashing in the opener. Every season, the cash-rich league witnesses several Indian batters shine. Shubman Gill broke a plethora of records by scoring 890 runs last season. Here are five Indian batters who could impress in the upcoming IPL edition.
Shahrukh Khan - Gujarat Titans
Gujarat Titans bought uncapped Indian batter Shahrukh Khan for a whopping Rs. 7.40 crore. The big hitter was released by Punjab Kings ahead of the 2024 auction. In the IPL 2022 auction, PBKS bought Shahrukh for Rs. 9 crore. It remains the joint third-highest bid for an uncapped player. In 83 T20 matches to date, Shahrukh has scored 928 runs at 18.93.
Sameer Rizvi - Chennai Super Kings
Uttar Pradesh's Sameer Rizvi proved his mettle in the 2023/24 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. He was their highest run-getter and averaged an incredible 69.25. Based on his exploits, CSK bought him for Rs. 8.40 crore in the IPL 2024 auction. He is among the costliest Indian buys (uncapped) in IPL auction history. It remains to be seen if skipper MS Dhoni unearths his spark.
Tilak Varma - Mumbai Indians
Tilak Varma made a decent start to his international career as he has raced to 336 runs across 16 T20Is with his average and strike rate being 33.60 and 139.41, respectively. He also slammed three tons in the Ranji Trophy this year. Tilak is pivotal for the MI batting line-up, which includes veterans Rohit Sharma, Ishan Kishan, and Suryakumar Yadav, among others.
Yashasvi Jaiswal - Rajasthan Royals
Youngster Yashasvi Jaiswal was among six players to have scored over 600 runs in IPL 2023. He finished as Rajasthan Royals' highest run-scorer. Jaiswal continues to enjoy his purple patch, having broken records aplenty in the recently-concluded India-England Test series. Jaiswal became the second Indian to slam 700 runs in a bilateral Test series. He would want to continue his exploits in IPL 2024.
Shikhar Dhawan - Punjab Kings
Shikhar Dhawan, one of India's greatest white-ball openers, has not played competitive cricket in nearly a year. Dhawan played in the 2023 IPL season, as Punjab Kings finished eighth under him. He would vie to change their fortunes this season. Dhawan was in decent touch in IPL 2023, having struck at 142.91. It will be interesting to see how his season pans out.
Other notable batters who can shine
Delhi Capitals' Prithvi Shaw has had a topsy-turvy career graph due to fitness issues. However, his talent and form make him a batter to watch out for. The dashing Devdutt Padikkal was traded in by Lucknow Super Giants from RR. Padikkal, who recently made his international debut, is in terrific touch. Rajat Patidar, who couldn't cash in during the England series, eyes a comeback.
