IPL 2021 Special: The Pre-tournament Best Uncapped Players XI

Suryakumar Yadav to lead as we look at the pre-tournament best uncapped players 11 for IPL 2021. 

If there’s one category of players that bring the maximum excitement when it comes to IPL, it is the uncapped players. Year-on-year, we see so many young players making a mark in the Cricketing world through IPL. Not just Indian uncapped players, IPL also provides the platform for potential uncapped overseas players too.

As we move into 2021, there are innumerable uncapped players to watch out for. While some like Suryakumar Yadav have been knocking on the selectors’ doors for a few years with consistent performance, some like Devdutt Padikkal and Ruturaj Gaikwad made a fantastic start to their IPL career in their maiden year.

Every team is equipped with these talented youngsters, where a few of them like Padikkal, Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan, etc., are first-choice players in the playing 11, whereas a few like N Jagadeesan, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ishan Porel, etc., provide for valuable backups to their respective teams.

So, if we had to select a team of the best 11 uncapped players for IPL 2021, who would it be? Let’s find out in this article. Before that let’s quickly look at the methodology by which I derived the selection of players.

Methodology:

A team of 11 uncapped players is selected by focusing on 2 best openers, 3 strong middle-order players, 2 all-rounders, and 4 best available bowlers. Moreover, players are selected basis their performance rating ahead of IPL 2021. The performance rating is derived basis their performance in the last 3 years in IPL and/or Domestic performance.

Openers: 

#1: Devdutt Padikkal (RCB) 

Probably the most consistent batsman going around in the Domestic circuit. Not just in IPL 2020, Devdutt has hammered runs in Vijay Hazare Trophy and Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy consistently. In IPL 2020, Devdutt had scored 473 runs from 15 innings; that’s more than what Kohli and Abd scored.

It won’t be an understatement to say, but if Devdutt can sustain his form in IPL 2021, he would be knocking on the selectors’ door with both hands. However, the Indian team is filled with so many openers that even if selected, he would only be warming the benches unless a player or few suffer injuries.

#2: Rahul Tripathi (KKR) 

From Rising Pune Supergiant to Rajasthan Royals to Kolkata Knight Riders, Maharashtra born Rahul Tripathi has had an interesting IPL history. He was in fabulous form for RPS playing in the top-order. But in RR, he played in lower-order, and that resulted in poor performance. But then in KKR, he was once again back to his best.

Overall, Tripathi has played for 4 seasons now, and is one of the experienced Uncapped players in IPL. He has 988 runs to his name at an average of 25.3 and a strike rate of 134.8. Opening is the position where he has got maximum runs, and he is expected to open for KKR in IPL 2021 like last year.

Middle-order: 

#3: Suryakumar Yadav (C) (MI) 

As I write this article today, Suryakumar Yadav is an Uncapped player, but things may change during the T20I series vs England as he is expected to debut. Surya has given stellar performance in Domestic Cricket and IPL over the years, and that has earned him a maiden call-up to the Indian T20I team; the thing that was in demand for a long time.

Suryakumar is probably the best Uncapped player going around. He has scored tons of runs in IPL and playing for Mumbai in domestic cricket. The last IPL was his most productive one where he amassed 480 runs at an average of 40 and a strike rate of 145. The IPL 2021 should once again see MI rely on Suryakumar to provide the stability in the top-order.

#4: Nitish Rana (KKR) 

One of the most experienced Uncapped players present in the IPL, Nitish Rana has been more than a decent performer. He has more than 1400 runs to his name at an average of 28.2 and a strike rate of 135.6. If you look at his performance, he has only improved year on year with IPL 2020 being his best year yet.

#5: Ishan Kishan (WK) (MI) 

One of the 4 names to have got a maiden Indian team call-up, Ishan Kishan rose to ranks with a stellar performance in IPL 2020 and 2021 domestic season. Overall, Kishan has been a decent performer in IPL barring the 2020 season, which has been the best for him. MI would have high hopes from Kishan in 2021 as they defend their title for the second consecutive time. 

All-rounders: 

#6: Krishnappa Gowtham (CSK) 

The highest-paid Uncapped player in the history of IPL, Krishnappa Gowtham would be representing another new team this year. CSK, which mostly invests in the experienced players would see Gowtham playing as an attacking all-rounder in IPL 2021. However, given CSK’s quality of players, Gowtham may find it difficult to play all the matches.

#7: Rahul Tewatia (RR) 

Having playing IPL for a few years now, Rahul Tewatia’s performance in IPL 2020 was the major highlight of his career. Tewatia was probably the best all-rounder of the season having scored 255 runs and taking 10 wickets. His attacking knocks down the order in the otherwise struggling batting-order of RR was a major boost. Courtesy of this performance, Tewatia also got a maiden national team call-up for England T20Is. 

Bowlers: 

#8: Varun Chakravarthy (KKR) 

Just like Rahul Tewatia, IPL 2020 gave Varun Chakravarthy a maiden Indian team call-up. He was quite impressive last year playing for KKR, and also ended as the second-best Indian spinner in IPL 2020. However, Varun’s major issue is his fitness, which has been under the scanner ever since his name was announced in the Indian team list.

#9: Prasidh Krishna (KKR) 

The skiddy pacer from Karnataka representing Kolkata Knight Riders, Prasidh Krishna has been a consistent performer in domestic tournaments. He is the leading pacer for Karnataka, and has performed well in VHT and SMAT in the last few years. 

While his domestic performance has been good, his IPL performance in the last two years has been below-average, but that has also got to do with the number of opportunities he has got. Aside from Prasidh, Shivam Mavi too impressed playing for KKR, but his domestic performance hasn’t been much impressive. 

#10: Kartik Tyagi (RR) 

Kartik Tyagi is one of the pacers that came into the limelight in 2020. Having performed extremely well in the U19 World Cup 2020, Tyagi continued impressing in IPL 2020 playing for RR. In his debut IPL season, Kartik managed 9 wickets from 11 innings at an economy rate of 9.6.  

He may not have got wickets in bulk, but his pace and control on line and length impressed the Indian team management as he was one of the net bowlers during the Australia tour. RR would be hoping for another good season from Kartik as they seem to short on good pace bowling. 

#11: Arshdeep Singh (PBKS) 

In a line-up short of good and under-performing pace bowling, Arshdeep came as a breath of fresh air for Punjab Kings in IPL 2020. His ability to bowl in the death Overs was the most impressive aspect of his bowling.

Overall, Arshdeep managed 9 wickets at an economy rate of 8.8. He would once again play a key role for PBKS in IPL 2021, which is still lacking a good death-overs bowler. If he continues with similar or better performance, a national call-up won’t be far. 

So, that completes the pre-tournament team of the best 11 uncapped players for IPL 2021. Apart from the ones mentioned above, the likes of Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shivam Mavi, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Riyan Parag, Shreyas Gopal, Ravi Bishnoi, etc., would be the ones to watch out for. 

IPL 2021 Auction – The Pre-tournament Best Uncapped Players XI 

Devdutt Padikkal, Rahul Tripathi, Suryakumar Yadav (C), Nitish Rana, Ishan Kishan (WK), Krishnappa Gowtham, Rahul Tewatia, Varun Chakravarthy, Prasidh Krishna, Kartik Tyagi & Arshdeep Singh

Thanks for reading! What’s your best uncapped players 11 for IPL 2021? Please email your comments to business@cricalytics.com

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