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Ever since its inception in 2008, the Indian Premier League (IPL) has provided an opportunity for uncapped players, especially from India, to rub shoulders with experienced campaigners from around the world. That has often accelerated their development, helping them make a seamless transition to international cricket.
Over the years, a lot of youngsters in the IPL have hogged the limelight with amazing performances.
In 2009, Manish Pandey became the first Indian player to score a century in the IPL when he did so against the Deccan Chargers. Five years later, the former Royal Challengers Bangalore player scored a match-winning 94 to help Kolkata Knight Riders win their second IPL title in three years.
Krunal Pandya’s all-round show helped the Mumbai Indians win the IPL 2017 final, while Paul Valthaty and Shreyas Iyer had great seasons in 2011 and 2015, respectively.
Many uncapped batsmen have had prolific seasons in the IPL and have shown their ability to be match-winners.
There have been six instances of an uncapped player scoring over 450 runs in an IPL season. On that note, let's have a look at the five players with the most runs in an IPL campaign. Let's get started.
#5 Devdutt Padikkal (IPL 2020) - 473 runs
Team: RCB | Highest Score: 74 | Fifties: 5 | Average: 31.5 | Strike Rate: 125.8.
Devdutt Padikkal was signed up by the Royal Challengers Bangalore before the IPL 2019 campaign. However, the young Karnataka opener was confined to the reserves for the entire season, as Parthiv Patel was preferred over him.
Following his stupendous show in the Vijay Hazare Trophy (top scorer with 609 runs) and Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (top scorer with 580 runs) in Karnataka’s victorious campaigns in both competitions, Padikkal forced his way into the RCB playing XI in IPL 2020.
The left-hander started his IPL career with a bang, scoring a half-century against a strong Sunrisers Hyderabad bowling attack. The 20-year-old also notched up splendid half-centuries in two matches against eventual champions Mumbai Indians.
Padikkal piled on 473 runs in the season at an average of 31.53, which included five fifties. His run tally of 473 is a record for most runs in a debut IPL season by an Indian uncapped player, breaking the erstwhile record of Shreyas Iyer (439 runs in 2015). Due to his fabulous exploits, Devdutt Padikkal was awarded the ‘Emerging Player of the Season’ award.
Continuing his purple patch in the 2020-21 Vijay Hazare Trophy, Padikkal became the first Indian player to smash four consecutive hundreds in List A cricket.
#4 Suryakumar Yadav (IPL 2020) - 480 runs
Team: MI | Highest Score: 74 | Fifties: 4 | Average: 40 | Strike Rate: 145.1.
Suryakumar Yadav continued his good form for Mumbai Indians, scoring 480 runs in his team's victorious IPL 2020 campaign. He scored his runs at a healthy average of 40 and notched up four half-centuries in the tournament.
In the process, Yadav became the first uncapped player to score 400 runs in three consecutive IPL seasons.
The stylish batsman played a crucial role in Mumbai Indians winning their record-extending fifth IPL title, playing important knocks at the crucial no. 3 position.
Yadav scored his runs at a brisk strike rate of 145.01, which helped MI maintain a high run rate in the middle overs. Suryakumar’s twin knocks of 79* against Rajasthan Royals and Royal Challengers Bangalore earned him the Man of the Match award in both games.
Despite his heroics, Suryakumar Yadav was snubbed for the tour to Australia. But he didn't have to wait too long for his maiden international call-up.
Earning a place for the T20I series against England, the right-hander immediately made a mark, scoring a blazing half-century in his first international innings. When he made his debut, Yadav had made 101 IPL appearances, the most by an uncapped Indian player.
#3 Suryakumar Yadav (IPL 2018) - 512 runs
Team: MI | Highest Score: 72 | Fifties: 4 | Average: 36.6 | Strike Rate: 133.3.
In the 2018 IPL mega auction, Mumbai Indians snapped up the services of local boy Suryakumar Yadav for INR 3.2 crore.
Yadav had mostly played a finisher’s role for his previous team, Kolkata Knight Riders, but managed only in four seasons for the franchise. However, a chance to open the innings for MI worked wonders for the player.
The then 27-year-old shone in the opener’s role, scoring 512 runs at an average of 36.6 and a strike rate of 133.3. He registered nine 30+ scores in 14 innings, a tally which included four fifties. Yadav was the top run-getter for the franchise in an otherwise disappointing campaign for Mumbai Indians, who failed to make the playoffs.
Despite his stellar show in the tournament and good numbers in the domestic circuit, Yadav failed to find a place in the India-A squad for the England tour just after the IPL 2018 campaign.
#2 Ishan Kishan (IPL 2020) - 516 runs
Team: MI | Highest Score: 99 | Fifties: 4 | Average: 57.3 | Strike Rate: 145.8.
Ishan Kishan turned out to be a surprise package for the Mumbai Indians in IPL 2020.
After missing the first two games due to injury, Kishan made an immediate impact in his first match against Royal Challengers Bangalore. With MI chasing 202 for a victory, a blazing partnership between Ishan Kishan and Kieron Pollard almost pulled off the heist as the eventual champions plundered 89 runs in the last five overs to force a Super Over.
The Jharkhand keeper-batsman was unfortunate to miss out on a well-deserved century, as he holed out at the boundary for 99 while trying to go for a match-winning six, with five needed off two deliveries.
The aggressive left-hander was successful both in the middle order and as an opener (filling in for the injured Rohit Sharma), amassing 516 runs during the season at a very impressive average of 57.3 and a strike rate of 145.8.
In the process, Kishan broke his teammate Suryakumar Yadav's record for most runs in an IPL season by an uncapped Indian player. During the tournament, Kishan also hit the most sixes by any player, making 30 hits over the fence.
Like Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan was also rewarded for his stellar show with a place in the Indian T20I team against England. He commenced his international career with a bang, scoring 56 runs on debut to be adjudged the Man of the Match.
#1 Shaun Marsh (IPL 2008) - 616 runs
Team: KXIP | Highest Score: 115 | Hundreds: 1 | Fifties: 5 | Average: 68.4 | Strike Rate: 139.7.
Former Australian opener Shaun Marsh holds the record for most runs by an uncapped player in an IPL season; the left-hander amassed 616 runs in the very first edition of the competition while playing for Kings XI Punjab (now called Punjab Kings).
Marsh bagged an IPL contract after his impressive performances in the 2007-08 Australian domestic season for Western Australia. After missing the first four matches, the left-hander made a huge impact for KXIP in their march to the semi-finals, winning 10 of 14 league games.
Marsh amassed his runs at a superb average of 68.44, which included five fifties and a century. His knock of 115 off 69 balls helped KXIP post a massive 221/3 on the board against eventual champions Rajasthan Royals, which earned Marsh the Man of the Match award.
He was also the recipient of the IPL Orange Cap that season, marking the only instance of an uncapped player winning the prestigious award in competition history.
Marsh’s stupendous show in the tournament paved the way for his selection in the Australian team for the West Indies tour, where he made both his T20I and ODI debut.
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