Prayas becomes youngest player to start IPL game

yderabad, March 31 (IANS) Teenage leg-spinner Prayas Ray Barman on Sunday became the youngest player to make a debut in the Indian Premier League (IPL) when he was named in the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) team playing against Sunrisers Hyderabad here.

Barman, all of 16 years and 157 days, replaced pacer Navdeep Saini in the side and became the not only IPL's youngest player but one of the youngest to play in any of the T20 leagues across the globe.

Barman replaced Afghanistan's Mujeeb-ur-Rehman as the youngest to start an IPL game (Mujeeb was 17 years and 11 days).

Barman, who made his T20 debut 38 days ago for Bengal against Mizoram in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, hogged the limelight last year at the Vijay Hazare Trophy where he scalped 11 wickets at an economy of 4.45.

Against Mizoram, Barman returned figures of 4/14 to further underline his potential.

"We've added a spinner. Prayas Ray Barman gets a game in place of Navdeep Saini," Kohli said during the toss.

RCB are looking to register their first win of the season after losing their first two matches.