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The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 has been a rollercoaster ride thus far, with plenty of ebbs and flows, unlikely finishes, and unpredictable results. The addition of the Impact Player rule has added a different dimension to the league this season, which has created excitement amongst fans.
Over the years, the IPL has been renowned for catapulting young and relatively unknown names to the forefront. The T20 league is considered the ultimate platform for promising stars to take the next step and become household names.
Some of India's biggest stars, Ravindra Jadeja, Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, and Suryakumar Yadav, among many others, shone brightly in the IPL before becoming prominent names in Indian cricket.
There have also been instances of promising youngsters crumbling under the spotlight for different reasons, be it the massive expectations created by the player's price tag or his reputation based on performances elsewhere.
This edition of the IPL has thus far seen some bright young prospects like Tilak Varma and Rinku Singh, to name a few, put on scintillating displays with the bat with their incredible strokeplay and versatility.
However, there have also been other promising young batters who have failed to meet expectations thus far with the bat this season.
Here, we look at three promising youngsters who haven't lived up to the hype thus far with the bat this season.
#1 Prithvi Shaw - Delhi Capitals
Mumbai-born Prithvi Shaw came into the IPL this season amid huge expectations, thanks to his imperious form in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) in October-November 2022.
In 10 SMAT matches, Shaw smashed 332 runs at an average of 36.89 and a strike rate of 181.42. His impressive showing was central to Mumbai winning the tournament, beating Himachal Pradesh in the final at Eden Gardens on November 5, 2022.
Shaw also performed decently in last year's IPL with 283 runs at an average of 28.30 and a strike rate of 153. The 2018 Under-19 World Cup winning captain has been part of the Delhi Capitals (DC) franchise since 2018 and has shown a tendency to be inconsistent despite producing several match-winning performances.
Following his displays in the 2022 SMAT and the absence of DC's regular captain Rishabh Pant due to injury, Shaw was touted as one of the batters to look out for in this IPL.
However, much to the dismay of the Capitals and their fans, the 23-year-old has been arguably the biggest disappointment thus far, scoring just 34 runs in five innings at a tepid average of 6.80 and a strike rate of 117.
The ongoing season was seen as another opportunity for Shaw to get back into Team India's scheme of things, but his performances thus far have left plenty to be desired.
With still over half the season remaining, Shaw will hope to turn around his form and propel the Delhi Capitals to a string of victories as they currently sit at the bottom of the table with five losses from five games.
#2 Deepak Hooda - Lucknow Super Giants
Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) all-rounder Deepak Hooda's baffling batting failures so far have been one of the biggest mysteries of the IPL 2023. The LSG No. 3 batter has scored just 37 runs in five innings at a paltry average of 7.40 and a sub-par strike rate of 82.22.
Hooda had a breakout season in 2022 for the Lucknow franchise, scoring 451 runs at an impressive average of 32.51 at a strike rate of 136.67.
He was also selected for India's squad for the 2022 ICC T20 World Cup due to his rich vein of form in the IPL and for Team India. Given Hooda's success over the last 12 months, there were high expectations for the 27-year-old to have another impressive season for LSG.
However, given it is still early in the season, LSG will hope that the tall right-handed batter finds his form in the upcoming games.
#3 Yash Dhull - Delhi Capitals
Yash Dhull is one of the upcoming players in the country, thanks to his heroics of leading India to the 2022 Under-19 World Cup title.
Dhull had already been picked by the Delhi Capitals ahead of the 2022 IPL season on the back of his impressive 2021-22 Ranji Trophy campaign, where he topped the run-scoring charts.
The 20-year-old later went on to showcase his prowess in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy late last year by scoring 363 runs at a magnificent average of 72.6 and a strike rate of 131.52. He finished the tournament as the leading run-scorer.
On the back of a sensational 2022, much was expected out of Dhull in the IPL this season. However, the talented right-handed batter has flattered to deceive thus far, scoring just three runs in his two innings.
Although it is way too early to judge the youngster, Dhull would be keen to set the record straight in the upcoming games for the Delhi Capitals.
