With the business end of IPL-10 nearing, a group of young stars, as usual, have lit up the sky with their sterling show. Be it Nitish Rana, Mohammad Siraj, Rishabh Pant, Siddarth Kaul to name a few. That the youngsters have to a large extent been able to outshine their more famous colleagues isn’t new to the IPL.
In the seasons gone by it has been a trend. However, there have been some who sparkled and then lost themselves in the black hole of anonymity. Here is a look at a few of those players.
Swapnil Asnodkar: This Goa batsman was a crucial cog in the wheel of the most-underrated team of 2008. Led by Shane Warne (Did Australia miss a trick by not using his services as captain?), Rajasthan Royals won the inaugural edition banking mostly on lesser-known players. Asnodkar, batting at the top, amassed 311 runs in nine innings at a strike rate of 133.47. In an yet-to-be-evolved T20s Asnodkar hit 43 boundaries to give the team a robust start. Come 2009, Asnodkar could only manage 98 runs in eight innings. His stint with Goa in the Ranjis too didn’t exactly set things on fire.
Manpreet Gony: The tall Punjab bowler made quite an impact with Chennai Super Kings in 2008. His 17 wickets and an economy rate of 7.38 put him in the fifth position of bowlers’ list that season. Bowling both in the PowerPlays and at ‘death’ he proved to be a match-winner. His strong performances gave him the ticket to the Indian ODI side. His subsequent stints with CSK or other teams haven’t quite matched the standards he set for himself.
Saurabh Tiwary: From the land of M.S. Dhoni, this hard-hitting left-handed batsman, showed glimpses of his raw power and talent. Playing for Mumbai Indians in 2010 edition, he blasted 18 sixes and 29 fours in the season which saw him collect 419 runs at a strike rate of 135.59. He has won the under-23 Player of the Tournament award. Picked by Royal Challengers Bangalore for the next season, he could only manage 187 runs 13 innings at not-so-attractive average of 99.46. He has been around with different teams, but the performances have been nowhere close to his 2010 mark.
Paul Valthaty: One of the major stars of the 2011 edition, Paul Valthaty had a dream run starting with a first 100 of the season. His 120 not out off 62 balls chasing 189 set up Kings XI victory against CSK. Opening the innings for Kings, Valthaty with a strike rate of 136.98 totalled 463 runs from 14 innings. He overshadowed Adam Gilchrist and was the second highest scorer after Shaun Marsh for Kings XI. He also turned his arm around for the team picking up seven wickets at an economy rate of 7.82 which included the best figures of four for 29 against Deccan Chargers. The next season for this belligerent batsman was eminently forgettable. And sadly so was his career.
Shadab Jakati: Playing for Chennai Super Kings, this left-arm spinner from Goa made quite a mark. In the 2009 season he was one of the leading wicket-takers, next only to Muttiah Muralitharan. Picking up 13 wickets in eight innings with an economy rate of 7.48, he was one of the bowlers who fitted in perfectly with captain M.S. Dhoni’s plans. His skills were put to good use even in the 2010 season where he once again picked up 13 wickets (ER: 7.65). The next season, however, saw his wicket-taking abilities go down and the economy rate too shot up (9 wickets, EC 8.17).
This is by no means an exhaustive list. It just reminds us of the fickle nature of the IPL. And as the Ranas, the Kauls, and the Pants light up our imagination one hopes, for the good of the game in the country, that they shine brighter and more importantly shine longer in the cricketing firmament.
