The Indian league is nothing like any other international tournament in the world. What makes it unique is its celebration of young talents. Every season, the Indian league brings a fresh pool of budding cricketers from all over the world. This season, too, all eyes are on the young lads ready to take center stage. These youngsters get to share the field with the star cricketers of the world. The Indian league is indeed a perfect place to learn and shine. While it is challenging enough to pick out a few names from such a diverse talent pool, after extensive research, we are here with the top 10 young cricketers to watch out for this season.
Players to watch out for this season
So, who will you root for this season? Let’s have a look at the list:
Team Mumbai
The City Of Dreams creates a team with some of the season’s best players. So, why not check them out?
- Minz
Minz’s journey into the Indian league is every bit as inspiring. The twenty-two-year-old hails from Jharkhand, a state that has given us a cricket legend like M.S Dhoni. Minz grew up watching the Indian league and dreamt of playing in it one day. He started training young and soon made waves in local cricket tournaments. He is a left-hander and is best known for his aggressive batting style. Due to a motorcycle accident, he couldn’t enter the league last year. But, this year, Mumbai signed him for INR 65 lakh. People call him the next Dhoni, not just because of his incredible batting speed, but his ability to even play the famous helicopter shot!
- Rickelton
Rickelton hails from South Africa and is a wicketkeeper and batter. During the 2019-2020 title-winning campaigns, Mumbai wanted to get Q.D. Kock, but the Kolkata team picked Kock for a higher value. So, Mumbai signed Rickelton instead. At a young age, Rickelton has already proven his worth in T20 leagues. He had consistently been at the top of the chart with a 177.41 strike rate. He has a record of a century in just 63 balls in the Major Cricket League in the United States.
- Bosch
Bosch was not picked initially at the league’s mega audition in November last year. But as they say, fate had other plans for him. Mumbai needed a replacement for L. Williams after his injury. That is when the team turned to Bosch to replace Williams. The talented South African all-rounder debuted at 30. Since then, he has impressed in franchise leagues. He has previously shown his batting prowess in the Caribbean League. He thrives in the middle and death overs as a bowler.
Team Punjab
You’ve all the more reason to go for a Bhangra. After all, Punjab is offering the best talents of this season. Are you ready to know their names? Here they are for you:
- Shedge
Shedge was welcomed by the Punjab team at his base price of INR 30 lakh. He has a 252 strike rate and scored 131 runs, the highest for anyone playing 20 or more balls. The 22-year-old is from Mumbai, and his records include an unbeaten 36 runs off 15 balls against Madhya Pradesh. He also has the record of bagging eight wickets in nine innings. Shedge had previously been a late replacement for J. Unadkat of Lucknow in 2023. He has yet to play his first tournament. But that does not stop this young all-rounder from making a promising entry this year.
- Arya
This 24-year-old became an overnight sensation after he smashed six consecutive sixes for a Delhi league march. Arya finished his extraordinary innings at 120 runs off just 50 balls. Incredible, right? Although just the beginning of his professional career, his performance has already put him in the spotlight as a top-order batsman. The Punjab team secured him for a massive INR 3.4 cr in this Indian League auction. His stats are simply out of the world. With 608 runs in 10 innings in the Delhi league, this young lad has proved his consistency in every match he has played.
Suryavanshi—Team Rajasthan
At just 14, Suryavanshi is the youngest Indian player in the league’s history to have bagged a signing amount of a whooping INR 1.1 cr. He is a left-handed top-order batsman who impressed the Rajasthan team with his record-breaking century in just 58 balls. It is the fastest century by an Indian in the youth tests. Seeing his stellar performance, the Rajasthan team, known for welcoming young talents, signed him. Suryavanshi also has a record of scoring two half-centuries in the U-19 Asia Cup.
Malinga—Team Hyderabad
His name might remind you of the legendary L. Malinga, and E. Malinga is well on his way into the fast bowling arena. He has built a reputation for being a dependable bowler in death overs. Malinga began his journey with the Indian league in 2019 after he won a fast-bowling contest for Sri Lanka. He has been on the radar of Sri Lanka since clocking bowling speeds of 141 Kmph. He aced swinging the new ball and delivering pinpoint Yorkers. His talent was displayed when he struck down Pakistan’s M. Harris with his almost perfect yorker in the Asian Cup semifinals. Malinga was signed by the Hyderabad team for INR 1.2 Cr. by outbidding the Rajasthan Team.
Nigam—Team Delhi
Nigam, at just the age of 20, became one of the most promising leg spinners in Indian cricket. He deceives batters with his sharp variations in bowling and turns at high speed. His bowling style was compared with R. Khan. Now, Nigam is making headlines in different tournaments nationwide. During a T20 league in UP, he took 20 wickets in just 11 innings while playing for the Lucknow team. He is best known for breaking partnerships at climax moments and has an impressive 11.15 strike rate. His strong domestic performances did not go unnoticed by the Delhi team, and they signed him for the league this season.
Rasheed—Team Chennai
Rasheed has secured a place in the Chennai team for INR 30 lakh. However, he has not had a proper shot at showcasing his abilities. Rasheed had his breakout moments during the Andhra League in 2024. He finished as the third-highest run-scorer in the tournament and had an impressive strike rate of 140.75. Rasheed, the vice-captain for the Indian U-19 World Cup squad, and under his leadership, the team grabbed the victory title in 2022.
Kushagra—Team Gujarat
Kushagra is from Jharkhand, and he entered the Indian league scene with quite a buzz. At the 2024 mega auctions, he stole the spotlight in a fierce bidding battle between the Gujarat, Chennai, and Delhi teams. The Delhi team won the bid and secured Kushagra at 65 Lakhs. The young wicketkeeper-batter has already displayed incredible domestic performances. He has also been the youngest Indian to score 250 runs in a domestic game. He is now playing for the Gujarat team, and hopefully, his performances will one day get him a place in the Indian team.
How Does The Indian League Nurture Talents Worldwide?
The Indian league has evolved into a global platform that shapes the careers of young players. While everyone gets a place in the Indian team, the league provides a platform for youngsters to taste international cricket. Many young talents who once dreamt of playing international tournaments with world-class cricketers can now compete with their star players.
What makes the league unique is its mix of experience and youth. Players from small towns share dressing rooms with international stars and play the game like a team. That’s what true sportsmanship means. This exposure is helping young cricketers learn nuances from the best in the world.
The Indian league acts as a bridge to global recognition, where a few standout performances can open doors to several T20 leagues and tournaments worldwide.
Fantasy Cricket is Attracting more youngsters to the game.
Fantasy cricket is changing how fans engage, especially the younger generation. Not everyone has the amenities to make it to the top teams, but thanks to fantasy sports platforms, youngsters can now build their teams, showcase their talents, and win exciting prizes.
Fantasy cricket is more than just a hobby for many. It’s a way to understand the game better. Previously, people used to follow only players with big names, but due to fantasy cricket, users can analyze the stats of every player, even the newcomers, and then choose the ones based on their form. Features like leagues with friends and live score tracking make fantasy cricket more interactive. But, more than anything, fantasy cricket offers a sense of ownership. Instead of just passively watching the game, you get to be a part of it. When users see their team win, it gives them a feeling of accomplishment.
For some, it is even a gateway into a career in sports, such as a cricket analyst or sports journalist. You become a pro at the game when you analyze the pitch conditions, player stats, and weather reports yourself. Fantasy cricket is turning casual viewers into passionate followers.
Conclusion
So, now that you’ve known the best players of this season, whom will you include in your Fantasy Cricket team?
