IPL 2021: 5 players who could win the Emerging Player Award

#3 Shivam Mavi (IPL 2021: KKR)

Shivam Mavi's pace and variations could be key for KKR this season.

Someone who made the headlines for his terrific pace at an Under-19 level, Shivam Mavi didn't quite have an ideal IPL introduction. He was infamously taken apart by Shreyas Iyer on the latter's captaincy debut back in 2018, but he did show glimpses of his pace and skill.

Mavi has the nip and aggression to trouble batsmen in the powerplay. He also has the ability to swing the ball and bowl variations, and can be a consistent threat this season.

Mavi is a handy batsman as well, and would look to add some runs for KKR in the limited batting opportunities he gets in a strong batting line-up.

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#2 Ravi Bishnoi (IPL 2021: PBKS)

Young leggie Bishnoi is set to have more responsibility this year.

Merely 20 years of age, Ravi Bishnoi entered the IPL straight out of the ICC Under-19 World Cup, which he finished as the highest wicket-taker. Playing all 14 group stage games for the team last season, Bishnoi did not always pick up wickets but consistently bowled economically in tandem with fellow leggie Murugan Ashwin.

A good debut season would encourage his captain KL Rahul to use him in more tricky situations, such as the powerplay and later in the innings. Should Bishnoi hold his own, he has a very good shot at the Emerging Player Award.

As India's chief wrist-spinners go through a dry patch, it would not harm Bishnoi to perform well enough to get noticed at that level either.

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#1 Abdul Samad (IPL 2021: SRH)

Abdul Samad struck the ball hard in his limited chances last season.

19-year-old Abdul Samad will once again take the field for the Sunrisers Hyderabad in IPL 2021 after making his debut in a shaky middle order last season.

With SRH having acquired some middle-order experience in the form of Kedar Jadhav, along with a settled top four of Warner, Bairstow/Saha, Pandey and Williamson, Samad might be able to express himself more freely this season.

A part-time leg-spinner as well, Samad was required with the ball in IPL 2020 - including in a final over. Though his bowling is a work in progress with him conceding at close to 14 runs an over, it does give David Warner an extra option in case a bowler has an off day.

Samad's sky-high strike rate of 171 last season holds a lot of promise, and he could walk away with the Emerging Player Award this year.