IPL 2022: The schedule of the T20 World Cup 2022, to be held in Australia, is out. India will face arch-rivals Pakistan in their opening Super 12 encounter followed by games against South Africa and Bangladesh, and two other teams that will come through the qualifiers prior to the Super 12.
The IPL 2022, the 15th edition of the league, will be very important for some players if they are to either strengthen their place or stake a claim for a spot in India’s T20 World Cup squad.
Here are 5 such Indian players who will be hoping to make a big splash in the IPL 2022:
Harshal Patel
Following his memorable purple cap winning campaign in IPL 2021 for RCB, Harshal Patel got his India cap, and now has 11 wickets in 8 T20Is, his economy being a decent 8.51 while operating as a specialist middle and death overs bowler.
However, with Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami, and possibly Deepak Chahar or Shardul Thakur being the likely pacers to be picked in the squad, Harshal Patel would need another big IPL season; he’s been bought by RCB again for 10.75 crore at the IPL 2022 auction.
Hardik Pandya
Hardik Pandya will hog all the limelight wherever he takes the field this season – as not only he will be making his IPL captaincy debut, leading the new franchise Gujarat Titans, but will also be needed to prove his form and fitness to make a return to the national side.
Hardik has been working on his back injury issues that have rendered him unable to bowl full tilt for the past few years, and he’s been away from the game since the T20 World Cup. With Venkatesh Iyer standing up impressively to the challenges of international cricket in his 9-T20I career so far, the pressure is on Hardik to make a comeback on merit and for that IPL 2022 is his best opportunity.
Venkatesh Iyer
While Hardik has been away from the national side, Venkatesh Iyer has made impactful performances – especially in the recent T20I matches against West Indies and Sri Lanka, coming to the fore with both bat and ball.
Even if Hardik has a terrific IPL 2022 and manages to return to the Indian team, should Venkatesh Iyer continue his fine all-round form, he is all but certain to be on the plane to Australia. The star KKR man who turned it around for the team last season has been retained; it would be interesting to see if KKR continue with Venkatesh as an opener or he asks to be shifted down as a finisher keeping in mind his position in the Indian team.
Sanju Samson
Skipper Rohit Sharma was gushing while speaking about Sanju Samson’s talent and potential ahead of the Sri Lanka T20I series, when the Rajasthan Royals captain had been recalled to the T20I side.
His 39-run knock off 25 balls, which included a mauling of Lanka’s fastest bowler, Lahiru Kumara, highlighted what Rohit had been talking about, but he then managed a scratchy 12-ball 18 in the next game.
A prolific IPL 2022 for Sanju Samson as a captain and a batsman may see him being retained for India’s next T20I series, however, Samson, at the moment, is more out than in when all the batters are available.
Ravi Bishnoi
While Chahal may be the first-choice leg-spinner, Ravi Bishnoi’s modus operandi is opposite to that of the senior leggie. Bishnoi was highly impressive in the T20I matches against West Indies and Sri Lanka, bamboozling batsman with his sharp googlies.
Having picked 24 wickets in the last two IPL seasons for Punjab, and now having made his India debut, Bishnoi will be a likely starter for the Lucknow Super Giants, his new franchise. A season where Bishnoi makes impactful displays on his own will see him close to India’s squad for the T20 World Cup. IPL 2022 is very crucial for the young Bishnoi.
