IPL 2020: 5 Indian U-19 players to watch out for

Abdul Samad has been heavily backed by former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan

The Indian Premier League (IPL) is the biggest platform available in the country for young, upcoming talent to express themselves. The tournament, which was brought into being with this same idea in mind, has been largely successful in its objectives so far.

Various current Indian cricket team stars like Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya and Ravindra Jadeja shot into national reckoning as a result of their performances in the IPL.

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U-19 players to watch out for in the 2020 IPL

With most teams placing emphasis on youth, the 2020 edition of the IPL will see a whole host of talented youngsters attempting to make a name for themselves. The likes of Shubman Gill and Prithvi Shaw are already on the fringes of the Indian team, and will look to solidify their place using this IPL.

These 5 U-19 players are ones to watch out for in the 2020 IPL, and are likely to make a mark on the world's most prestigious T20 franchise league.

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#5 Riyan Parag

Riyan Parag is all set to play a key role for RR after being retained for the 2020 IPL season

The son of former Indian first-class cricketer Parag Das, Riyan Parag has long been heralded as the next great spin-bowling all-rounder in the country. Known for his ability to play the big shots and the wide selection of variations in his bowling arsenal, the 18-year-old is set to play a big role for the Rajasthan Royals.

In the 2019 IPL, he became the youngest player to score a fifty in the league when he scored a fighting half-century against the Delhi Capitals, and seems to be ready to be a regular feature in the XI of a team that is renowned for producing the next generation of Indian stars.

The 2018 U-19 World Cup star will partner Shreyas Gopal in the RR spin bowling attack, and is definitely one to watch out for in the 2020 IPL.

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#4 Kartik Tyagi

Kartik Tyagi has all the weapons in his fast bowling arsenal

Kartik Tyagi is another young player that RR have invested heavily in, and he seems to have all the right skills to succeed at the highest level. The star of the 2020 U-19 World Cup, the pacer has been likened to Jasprit Bumrah due to his ability to bowl pinpoint yorkers.

The 19-year-old consistently clocks over 140 kph and has the ability to swing the ball prodigiously, making him a shoo-in in any IPL team if he can be consistent enough. Tyagi will be partnered by experienced campaigners like Varun Aaron, Jaydev Unadkat and Andrew Tye, whose brains he can pick at any time.

RR are all but guaranteed to provide the youngster an opportunity to express himself, and he could take the IPL by storm in the coming months.

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#3 Abdul Samad

Abdul Samad became the fourth Jammu & Kashmir player to win an IPL contract

18-year-old all-rounder Abdul Samad has been making waves in the Indian domestic circuit due to his performances with Jammu & Kashmir. Samad, who has been labelled as an effortless six-hitter, was spotted by former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan.

The left-armer urged Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) to snap him up, and even said that his IPL franchise will ensure that he gets an extended run of games. Moreover, he has excelled in domestic tournaments like the Ranji Trophy and the Vijay Hazare trophy, dazzling one and all with his aggressive batting.

Blessed with a deceptive googly, Samad is more than handy with the ball in hand as well. With the likes of Rashid Khan, Mohammad Nabi and bowling coach Muttiah Muralitharan to mentor him, the leg-spinning all-rounder might truly break onto the scene in the 2020 IPL.

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#2 Ravi Bishnoi

Ravi Bishnoi nearly single-handedly won India the final of the 2020 U-19 World Cup

Ravi Bishnoi was perhaps the find of the 2020 U-19 World Cup, even ahead of Kartik Tyagi and the young man who is #1 on this list. Finishing as the leading wicket-taker in the competition with 17 scalps, the leg-spinner's game-changing spell in the final against Bangladesh caught the eye of every cricket fan in the country.

Bishnoi was soon snapped up by Kings XI Punjab (KXIP), and his speed through air coupled with an almost unreadable googly make him tailor-made for the T20 format. The 19-year-old is also an excellent fielder, and can prosper under the tutelage of his team's coach, the great Anil Kumble.

KL Rahul's side recently traded veteran spinner Ravichandran Ashwin to the Delhi Capitals, opening a slot for Bishnoi in the XI. He is expected to feature heavily for them in the spin-friendly UAE conditions, and could soon make the jump to the Indian senior team post the 2020 IPL.

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#1 Yashasvi Jaiswal

Yashasvi Jaiswal has been making waves in the Indian domestic circuit; [PC: BCCI]

The third RR player, as well as the third 2020 U-19 World Cup star, on this list, Yashasvi Jaiswal's consistency and tendency to rise up to the occasion have earned plaudits from all corners of the cricketing fraternity.

The opener is on the back of a splendid first class season in which he scored 564 runs in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. In the process, Jaiswal became the youngest List A double centurion ever when he scored a 154-ball 203 against Jharkhand.

The 18-year-old fetched a handsome price of 2.4 crores in the 2020 IPL auction and like the RR players on this list, he is in the right team. He is even handy with the ball in hand and is superb in the outfield, making him the complete package.

Jaiswal could feature in a stacked top order featuring the likes of Sanju Samson, Steve Smith and Jos Buttler, and if his recent performances are anything to go by, we are witnessing the rise of the next big thing in Indian cricket.

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