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The Indian Premier League serves as the perfect platform for Indian players to prove their pedigree against some of the best local and international talent from around the globe.
The IPL has also acted as a springboard for selection into the national team. It serves as the best opportunity for budding talents to showcase their mettle and for out-of-favour Indian players to show the selectors and fans that they can get back into the Indian team.
The eleventh edition of the IPL has produced riveting encounters and fabulous individual performances from local Indian players, which has kept fans glued to their seats.
The Indian team management are likely to rest a few of the star players for the upcoming test match against Afghanistan and the T20Is in Ireland after the IPL.
This would provide some of the fringe players with opportunities to don the India jersey. Here, we take a look at those Indian players who have performed the best in the first month of action and would stand a chance of getting a call-up in the Indian team.
#7 Prithvi Shaw (Delhi Daredevils)
Matches:5 Runs:205 Average:41 Strike Rate:170.83 Fifties:2 Fours:23, Sixes:9
Prithvi Shaw was highly rated in the cricketing circles after a fantastic start to his first-class career.
The U-19 World Cup winning captain was picked up by Delhi Daredevils at the auction this year. The presence of Gautam Gambhir meant that Shaw was rooted to the dug-out for the first five matches.
A poor run of form which saw Gambhir step down presented Shaw with a chance to open the batting.
Shaw has impressed one and all right from his first match in the tournament. The Mumbai-lad has been in good form for the Daredevils ever since making his IPL debut against Kings XI Punjab. Two fifties in his first five matches and his spectacular stroke-play have illustrated the self-confidence that this 18-year old possesses.
Many who felt that Shaw would be more ideally suited to the longer versions of the game and that he might struggle to adapt to the fast-paced nature of T20 cricket have already been proved wrong.
If the senior Indian players are rested for the historic test match against Afghanistan, Shaw's impressive first-class numbers and the maturity shown by him in his short IPL career might earn him a maiden call-up to the senior team.
#6 Suryakumar Yadav (Mumbai Indians)
Matches:10, Runs:399, Average:44.33, Strike Rate:132.55, Fifties:4, Fours:45, Sixes:12
Suryakumar Yadav had a successful stint at Kolkata Knight Riders where he was used as the floater in their batting line-up.
Yadav usually batted in the lower middle order and his batting position did not afford him too many opportunities and when he did get opportunities, he usually had to attack from ball one. The Mumbai-lad's move back home to Mumbai Indians has worked wonders for him this season.
Skipper Rohit Sharma has promoted him to the opening slot and has given him the license to make full use of the field restrictions and Yadav has responded perfectly.
He has attacked the bowling during the powerplay overs and once the field is pushed back, he buckles down to play the long innings.
He has crossed the 25-run mark in eight of the 10 innings that he has played, by converting four of those into half-centuries and this is a hallmark of his remarkable consistency.
He's second in the race for the Orange Cap too but he might miss out on that as MI is unlikely to progress into the playoff stages.
Yadav will be hoping to continue on the good form to keep Mumbai in the race for the playoff spots and that might earn him a spot in the Indian team for the T20Is against Ireland.
#5 Krunal Pandya (Mumbai Indians)
Matches:10, Runs:167, Average:27.83, Strike Rate:150.45, Fours:19, Sixes:6, Wickets:9, Strike Rate:18.0, Economy Rate:7.44
Krunal Pandya has been one of Mumbai Indians' most valuable players ever since he made it into the eleven in 2016.
He made a significant contribution in Mumbai's title win last year as he was named the Man of the Match in the final for a decisive all-round performance in a low scoring game.
MI were worried that Pandya came into the tournament with a lack of runs and wickets under his belt, but he has stepped up once again at critical moments.
He has contributed invaluable runs in the lower middle-order by giving the team the final push in the slog overs. He has chipped in with handy overs at a miserly economy rate.
The 26-year-old has shown his capability with both bat and ball, and he is a pretty decent fielder too.
The elder Pandya had outperformed his younger brother the past two seasons and hence it's a surprise that he hasn't been called up to play for India in the shortest format of the game.
Axar Patel and Washington Sundar's failures in this IPL might just open the door for a maiden call-up to the national team against Ireland.
#4 Siddarth Kaul (Sunrisers Hyderabad)
Matches:9, Wickets:12, Economy Rate:7.13, Strike Rate:18
Siddarth Kaul, a member of India's victorious 2008 U-19 World Cup team has had to take the long route to become a prominent member of an IPL team.
It was in 2017 that Kaul caught everyone's attention with his performances in a strong Sunrisers pace-bowling attack.
The Punjab pacer has taken his bowling to another level this season. He has added an extra yard of pace to his accuracy and he's been brought on to bowl at all the difficult phases of the match.
Yet he has maintained an impressive economy rate of just above seven. Kaul has evolved into an effective T20 bowler and as a mainstay of the Sunrisers bowling unit, under the guidance of Bhuvneshwar Kumar.
The best aspect of his performances so far was seen when he assumed the role of leader of the attack in Bhuvi's absence.
He played a key role in helping Sunrisers defend three low targets in Bhuvi's absence. He's also put himself in contention for the Purple Cap with 12 wickets so far.
Kaul has been the most Indian impressive fast-bowler this season, Umesh Yadav. The selectors would have surely taken note of his performances and he must be next pacer in line to make his debut for India.
#3 Sanju Samson (Rajasthan Royals)
Matches:9, Runs:310, Average:38.75, Strike Rate:142.85, Fifties:2, Fours:19, Sixes:14
Sanju Samson first came into limelight as a teenage sensation when he became the youngest to score an IPL fifty at the age of 18 in 2013.
Consistent performances at the junior level and the IPL enabled him to get a look in to receive his maiden India cap in a T20I against Zimbabwe in 2015. However, he has quite surprisingly not got another opportunity to dawn Indian colours till date.
His current IPL performances though inspire confidence as he looks in exquisite touch with the bat.
He was bought back by his old side Rajasthan Royals for a massive sum of ₹8 crore this year and the move back to familiar surroundings has done him a world of good.
His strokeplay has been pleasing on the eye and he's the major reason for Rajasthan Royals' three wins so far.
His 92* against Royal Challengers Bangalore was a special innings in which he showcased all the talents he possesses.
If he can continue his rich vein of form for the rest of the tournament, the Kerala wicket-keeper batsman might surely be next in line to replace MS Dhoni, once the great man decides to call it a day.
#2 Rishabh Pant (Delhi Daredevils)
Matches:10, Runs:393, Average:39.3, Strike Rate:173.12, Fifties:3, Fours:41, Sixes:20
Rishabh Pant has taken the IPL by storm this season by combining his ball-striking ability with consistency and maturity.
The Delhi lad is one of the most exciting prospects to have emerged over the past few seasons.
He was retained by Delhi Daredevils ahead of the auction this year and he's repaid the trust placed on him by his owners.
The 20-year old has been one of the shining lights in yet another poor season for Delhi. Pant played a crucial hand in two of their three victories.
He scored a spectacular 69 off 29 balls in a Man of the Match display in a narrow victory over Rajasthan Royals.
He also provided the momentum with a 47 off 25 balls in a win against Mumbai Indians. Pant also scored a blistering 85 off just 48 balls against Royal Challengers Bangalore but ended up on the wrong side of the result.
He's one of the fastest scoring players in the league, with a strike-rate in excess of 170, and he's done so by scoring almost 400 runs in just 10 innings.
The swashbuckling wicket-keeper's six-hitting abilities might bring back memories of a young Dhoni and fans will be hoping that Pant can evolve in the same way as the former Indian captain did over the years.
Pant made his T20I debut on the back of good performances in the IPL and domestic cricket but failed to come up with a substantial performance in the opportunities that he did get.
His exploits with the bat might put him back in the reckoning for a place in the Indian T20 team. The onus will be on Pant to make his chances count.
However, now that his exploits with the bat are back to haunt the bowlers, Pant has brought himself well into the reckoning for a return to the Indian team.
He will hope that this time he avails the opportunities, if and when they come his way.
#1 Ambati Rayudu (Chennai Super Kings)
Matches:10, Runs:423, Average:42.3, Strike Rate:151.61, Fifties:2, Fours:39, Sixes:22
Ambati Rayudu has had an absolutely phenomenal season so far and is one of the players of the tournament so far.
Mumbai Indians decided to not use the Right to Match card on him at the auction this season and Chennai Super Kings have benefited from his presence.
Rayudu is enjoying being given the responsibility of opening the batting and he has formed a good rapport with opening partner Shane Watson.
In just 10 matches this season, he has eclipsed his personal best run tally for a season and he is the holder of the Orange Cap currently.
Rayudu has shown different facets of his game, with more attacking strokeplay yielding him runs at a much more rapid pace.
He has taken advantage of the fielding restrictions by going over the top of the infield and he's been able to clear the field with ease.
There have been reports that Rayudu is likely to earn a recall to the Indian limited overs team, with the team still struggling to find a No.4 batsman.
In the 34 ODIs that Rayudu featured in, Rayudu scored over 1000 runs at an average in excess of 50, numbers that surely should have afforded him more opportunities.
Being one of those less glamorous players saw him left out of the team despite having good numbers behind him but Rayudu's flashy performances this season should surely earn him a call-up to the Indian team.
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