IPL 2018: 5 Indian players who might get an international call-up due to the IPL

The nation is abuzz with the thought of the Indian Premier League(IPL) being one month away. After a successful first decade, the IPL is setting its foot in the second decade. As the IPL enters into its 11th year the action, thrill and the drama is expected to double up. With the changes in the team combinations, many players might get a chance to feature for their franchise.

The IPL is considered to be a shortcut to the national side for players. A few known stars such as Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, Shreyas Iyer have made it through to the national side on the back of their impressive performances in the IPL. Every youngster enters the IPL with a thought to perform and earn a national call-up.

The Indian team are slated to face Afghanistan in their debut test after the end of the IPL. The Men in Blue will then take on Ireland in a two-match T20 series before leaving for the England tour. In this scenario of facing Afghanistan and Ireland, a few players might earn a national call-up owing to their performances in domestic cricket and the IPL.

On this note, let us have a look at five players who might earn a national call-up after a successful IPL campaign.

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#5 Suryakumar Yadav

Former Kolkata Knight Riders vice-captain Suryakumar Yadav has performed wonderfully in domestic cricket in the last few years. The 27-year-old is the backbone of the Mumbai team in domestic cricket. The aggressive batsman was procured by his home-based franchise Mumbai Indians in this year's auction.

Yadav usually batted in the lower middle order during his stint with the Knight Riders. His batting position did not allow him to take enough time to prove himself. The unorthodox batsman is expected to bat at number four or number five in the upcoming IPL. Surya will have enough time to score big runs.

He scored 364 runs in 7 innings in the Vijay Hazare Trophy at an average of 60.66. He will have an opportunity to prove his worth as he gets ready to start his second journey with the Mumbai Indians. Yadav can make it to the Indian T20 side on the back of his IPL performances and hence, will be a crucial edition of IPL for the Mumbai-based batsman.

#4 Kamlesh Nagarkoti

Nagarkoti was one of the pillars of India's bowling in the U19 World Cup

The recent pace sensation from Rajasthan grabbed the spotlight during the Under-19 World Cup in New Zealand earlier this year. Nagarkoti played an integral role in India's victorious triumphant in the World Cup. His speed and accuracy are excellent for a young 18-year-old boy.

Nagarkoti was procured by the Kolkata Knight Riders in this year's auction. The Knight Riders are relying on the youngsters to bring glory for them. The pacer will look to repay the faith of the KKR management with his performance in the upcoming IPL. The Indian selectors gave hints on the need of finding the backup fast bowlers for Bumrah and Bhuvneshwar.

The young Nagarkoti is a future asset for the Indian side if groomed properly. The 18-year-old will get plenty of chances in the IPL this year. On a pacer friendly Eden Gardens track, Nagarkoti will have the best chance of performing exceptionally. He'll try to make a name for himself in this edition and will look to target a place in the T20 team too.

#3 Ishan Kishan

Ishan Kishan will open the batting for the Mumbai Indians

Explosive wicketkeeper-batsman Ishan Kishan had an impressive domestic season. The southpaw rose to fame when he led the Under-19 side in the 2016 edition of the World Cup. Ishan is an aggressive batsman and his wicket-keeping ability give him an edge over other players.

He scored 313 runs in 5 innings in the recently concluded Vijay Hazare Trophy. His strike rate of 105 was something to glance upon. The 19-year-old played for the Gujarat Lions in the previous edition of the IPL. He usually batted at number six for them. The southpaw's game is well suited for the top order.

He'll be Mumbai's preferred opener alongside Evin Lewis. With India searching for a wicketkeeper after MS Dhoni, Ishan Kishan may be a perfect choice. The Jharkhand youngster may get an opportunity in the T20 side if he performs well in the IPL. MS Dhoni will look to groom him for future responsibilities.

#2 Mayank Agarwal

Agarwal will play for the Kings XI Punjab

Mayank Agarwal had a miraculous domestic season 2017-18. Agarwal scored 2141 runs which are the highest for any player in a single season. The batsman scored 723 in only 8 innings in the recently concluded Vijay Hazare Trophy. He scored at a strike rate of 107 with an average of 90.37. Despite his heroics, he failed to cement a spot in the Indian side for the Nidahas Trophy.

The 27-year-old has a chance of impressing the selectors once again in the IPL. Despite having a star-studded batting lineup, it will be tough for the Kings XI Punjab to leave Agarwal out. He may target the Test against Afghanistan to make an international debut. The selectors will have a close eye on him during the IPL.

#1 Krunal Pandya

Krunal Pandya was procured by the Mumbai Indians via RTM

Baroda all-rounder Krunal Pandya made a name for himself in the 2016 edition of the IPL. Krunal made a significant contribution in Mumbai's title run in 2017. He was the Man of the match in the final for his contribution of 45 odd runs. The left-arm spinner also bowled economically in that game.

The 26-year-old has shown his capability with both bat and ball. The all-rounder played decently in the domestic season. On most occasions, Baroda trusted him with the responsibility of batting in the top order and Pandya repaid their faith. In this year's edition of the IPL, the elder Pandya will be the premier spinner for Mumbai Indians.

He can use this as a platform to stamp his authority in Indian cricket. He will hope to make it to all the three formats starting from T20s against Ireland. Pandya can act as a crucial all-rounder in the Indian subcontinent in ODI cricket.