IPL 2018: 5 players who are dark horses for Mumbai Indians this season

The gentleman's game can prove to be cruel at times despite the sacrifices and hard work put in. Players work extremely hard to prove their capabilities and perform well every time they are on the ground.

But sometimes, some players are overlooked owing to various reasons despite having the potential to make it big.

Like any other sport, in the world of cricket, players can't afford to miss out on opportunities. Every team consists of some key players of big-name values who always make the headlines and hence there are always some unsung heroes in every team. These underdogs are eager and hungry to prove their mettle.

Here, I talk about five such cricketers who are underrated and might turn out to be the dark horses for the Mumbai Indians. Let's take a look:

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#1 Rahul Chahar

Rahul Chahar in action against England U-19 team.

The 18-year-old leg spinner from Rajasthan had previously played for the Rising Pune Supergiant in the last season of IPL. He impressed, picking up crucial wickets of Hashim Amla and Brendon McCullum.

He has played for the India U-19 team, and had a good showing with the ball for the U-19 squad against their England U-19 team. He picked up 10 wickets in England and proved that he can perform well in difficult conditions as well. He was also in good form in the Syed Mushtaq Ali trophy, scalping 6 wickets in 4 matches. He

Chahar has bowled on 6 occasions in the T20 format and picked up 8 wickets with an impressive economy rate of 6.95. He was disappointed after missing out on being a part of the U-19 World Cup team this year and will be ready to showcase his skills as a capable spinner for Mumbai Indians.

#2 Saurabh Tiwary

Tiwary scored 52 in his only match last IPL season for MI

The left-handed batsman plays a vital role of being a dependable middle-order batsman on the domestic circuit for Jharkhand. He was one of the key batsmen in the Indian U-19 team that won the ICC U-19 World Cup in 2008. His consistent performances in the U-19 team and Ranji led him to the Mumbai Indians camp from IPL seasons 1-3.

He won the Under-23 player of the tournament at IPL 2010 after a fairly successful tournament, scoring 419 runs in 16 matches, at an average over 29 and a good strike rate of 135.59.

He continued his role as a crucial middle-order batsman for RCB, DD, and RPS later on. He didn't perform quite as well but did contribute some important innings. In 2016, he scored two vital half-centuries for RPS. Last year, he was signed again by MI, and played only one match, scoring a half-century.

The 28-year old has plenty of experience as far as IPL is concerned. He can score quick runs and given the talent and skill he possesses, he can surely be a breakout star for MI whenever given a chance.

#3 Akila Dananjaya

Akila celebrating after dismissing KL Rahul in an ODI match.

Sri Lankan cricket has introduced some terrific mystery spinners to the world of cricket. Akila Dananjaya is one of them. The most interesting aspect of his career is that he made it to the Sri Lankan squad without having any first-class, List A, T20I or U-19 cricket experience.

Mahela Jayawardene and Graham Ford were very impressed with him after his net session with the Sri Lankan team in 2011, after which he was given a chance to make his limited-overs debut in 2012. He got injured in the very first match, fell out of the selectors' radar but made his comeback to the senior side after a gap of five years.

His excellent performance against India, scalping 6 wickets for 54 runs put him on the cricket map once more. Dananjaya record-breaking figures of 8/44 on his Test debut is regarded as one of the most economical bowling figures by a bowler on Test debut. He is also a handy batsman down the order.

The young off-spinner has plenty of variations in his arsenal, which is very important in the shortest format of the game.

#4 Anukul Roy

Anukul Roy - the unsung hero of the 2018 U-19 World Cup

There are a number of states in India where cricket struggles for survival - Bihar is one of them. But that hasn’t deterred some determined youngsters like Anukul Roy to stop working hard for their dreams.

He is reaping the rewards of his immense hard work as he is a part of the Mumbai Indians team this IPL season, after delivering a tremendous performance in the 2018 ICC U-19 World Cup, where he was the joint highest wicket-taker of the tournament.

Roy secured a spot in the U-19 World Cup squad by impressing the management and securing a vote of confidence from the coach Rahul Dravid. The left-arm spinner was the unsung hero for India in the U-19 World Cup this year.

With a terrific average of 9.07, an economy of 3.84, the best strike rate in the tournament, and capturing 14 wickets in 6 matches, he was a crucial component of the Indian team. He proved his worth with the bat too by scoring 33 quick runs against Pakistan and 28 runs against South Africa.

Roy has been compared to Ravindra Jadeja for his ability to bowl accurately and being a strong hand down the batting order. This year, he has a golden opportunity with the Mumbai Indians to cement his place in the playing XI, whenever given a chance.

#5 Tajinder Singh

Tajinder Singh shined in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy this year

Being a part of the MI team is an opportunity of a lifetime for the 25-year-old all-rounder from Rajasthan. He is the first player to make it directly to the Ranji side without playing U-19 and U-23 cricket. Singh made his Ranji debut last year and scored an impressive century the very next day.

He has proven his worth in the recently concluded Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy when he smashed 43 off 17 balls to help his side to make it to the final. By scoring 198 runs and scalping 8 wickets in the tournament, with a splendid batting strike rate of over 150, and terrific economy rate of just 6.69, he has proved his talent in crucial T20 matches, and under pressure.

With a good batting technique and variations in his off-break style of bowling, he looks quite a promising player for Mumbai.