IPL history: 5 players who played for India in T20I after impressing for Delhi Capitals

Every youngster who steps inside the cricket field has a dream of representing his country at the international level. Every year in India, a lot of youngsters leave everything to focus on the game of cricket for the sole purpose of wearing the Indian jersey.

Earlier, it was really hard for a player to stand out but because of the Indian Premier League, upcoming players have a fantastic platform to showcase their skills.

The IPL franchises pick these young talents and nurture their potential. A lot of unknown faces have gone on to become the flagbearers of the Indian team only because of their performances in the IPL. However, not all young players have made it to the Indian team.

Talking of upcoming players, the Delhi Capitals (then Delhi Daredevils) have played a huge role in building future stars. In this article, we will have a look at the 5 players who received their national call-up after playing well for Delhi Capitals in the cash-rich league.

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#5 Amit Mishra

Amit Mishra is a veteran of the IPL

T20I debut - June, 2010

Performance in IPL 2010 - 17 wickets

Amit Mishra made his ODI debut for India way back in 2003 but the leg-spinner got lost in the mix because of poor form. Delhi Capitals picked him in the 2008 IPL auction and over the course of the next three seasons, he made his return to the Indian national team.

Mishra earned his maiden T20I cap in June 2010 because of his splendid performance with the ball in IPL 2010. In the 14 matches he played for Delhi that season, he scalped 14 wickets at a miserly economy rate of 6.84. His consistent performances in the league made sure he received his maiden T20I call up soon after.

#4 Umesh Yadav

Umesh Yadav played for Delhi Capitals from 2009-2013

T20I debut - August 2012

Performance in IPL 2012 - 19 wickets

Umesh Yadav joined the Delhi Daredevils ahead of the 2009 IPL season. However, he earned his maiden first cap in 2010. In the limited opportunities he received, Yadav tried his best to win matches for his team with his raw pace.

He had a silent 2011 season where he scalped only 2 wickets in 7 matches. The fast bowler, however, bounced back in style next season as he picked up 19 wickets in the 17 matches he played for Delhi. His best figures in that season were 3/19 and he conceded runs at an economy rate of just 7.42.

Due to his commendable performance in IPL 2012, he made his T20I debut for India in a game against Sri Lanka in August later that year.

#3 Rishabh Pant

Rishabh Pant won the Emerging Player of the season award last year

T20I debut - February, 2017

Performance in IPL 2016 - 198 runs, Highest Score - 69

Rishabh Pant made headlines for his performances in the U-19 World Cup two years ago. He even impressed in the domestic circuit for his home side, Delhi. This led to the Delhi Capitals signing him ahead of the 2016 season of IPL. Pant made his debut for the Delhi franchise in 2016 itself and the youngster aggregated 198 runs in 10 matches.

Though these statistics do not look great, they do not show the real picture. The aggressive manner in which Pant played won the hearts of fans as the then 19-year-old smashed the best bowlers of the world fearlessly. He received his maiden T20I cap for India ahead in 2017 against England at home.

#2 Shreyas Iyer

No one can deny the fact that it was Delhi Capitals who unearthed the talent in Shreyas Iyer

T20I debut - November 2017

Performance in IPL 2017 - 338 runs, Highest Score - 96

The right-handed batsman, Shreyas Iyer first played for Delhi Capitals in IPL 2015 and impressed everyone with his performances at the top of the order. He scored 439 runs that season at an average of 33.76. His 83-runs knock against Mumbai Indians led to the fans and critics showering a lot of praise on Iyer.

However, the next season he failed to get going as Iyer managed to score a meager 30 runs in the entire season. The Delhi franchise maintained their trust on Shreyas in spite of his poor performances. In the next season, Iyer starred for the franchise once again with a tally of 338 runs from just 12 matches. This led to Iyer receiving his maiden T20I cap in November 2017.

#1 Kedar Jadhav

Kedar Jadhav's fine performances in IPL 2015 helped him get his first T20I cap

T20I debut - July, 2015

Performance in IPL 2015 - 189 runs, Highest Score - 63*

The Maharashtra-born wicket-keeper batsman, Kedar Jadhav made his IPL debut for Delhi Capitals in IPL 2010. The Delhi franchise, however, released Jadhav ahead of the 2011 season. Kochi Tuskers Kerala bought him in the next auction and in the six matches he played for Kochi, he could score only 18 runs.

Due to the disbandment of Kochi Tuskers Kerala, Kedar Jadhav was once again in the auction. His former franchise, Delhi Capitals snapped him up by signing him ahead of the 2013 IPL season.

Jadhav performed decently in 2013 and 2014 but it was in IPL 2015 where he performed his best. Though his form in the domestic circuit played a huge role in his national call-up, it was his showing in IPL 2015 which earned him his maiden T20I cap.