IPL started back in 2008 as the brain-child of Lalit Modi. All the teams packed their roster with the best available firepowers which included several international stars. However, the victorious Rajasthan Royals highlighted the importance of domestic talent in the side. It took a few seasons but all the franchises soon realized the significance of domestic players. The uncapped players consist of a large fraction of domestic players and often play the deciding factor in a team’s chance to win the coveted trophy. They provide solidity on the bench and often play deciding cameos in a game.
However, a few uncapped players have inscribed their names in the history of IPL. These players have played a major role in the success of their teams and are often remembered as much more than a squad player. Let us take a look at best XI made of uncapped players:
Manan Vohra
Manan Vohra has made a name for himself in the top order. A veteran IPL player, the Punjab batsman has represented Royal Challengers Bangalore and Kings XI Punjab in an extended IPL career of eight years. The current Rajasthan Royals player has scored 1012 runs in 49 IPL innings at a strike rate of 131.77.
Ishan Kishan
The explosive wicket-keeper batsman started his career with Gujarat Lions in 2016 before moving to Mumbai Indians. The Jharkhand batsman is a highly rated prospect in Indian cricket and is often looked as a true heir to MS Dhoni by many pundits. He has managed to score 695 runs in 37 innings at a strike rate of 130.88.
Nitish Rana
The Delhi batsman started his IPL career with Mumbai before becoming a mainstay at Kolkata Knight Riders. The left-hander has particularly impressed with his extravagant strokes and maturity in tough situations. Rana has a knack of breaking partnerships with his off-break bowling which makes him an added advantage for any skipper. He has 1085 runs and seven wickets in 46 matches.
Suryakumar Yadav
The Mumbai batsman is arguably unlucky to still not have received his international cap. The middle-order batsman is one of the most consistent domestic players in IPL. His capability to play unorthodox shots makes him a dangerous prospect for any side. He has 1548 runs in 85 matches.
Mandeep Singh
The ‘Rising Star’ of the 2012 edition of IPL, Mandeep Singh has played for three teams in his IPL career stretching for almost 10 years. Mandeep is another one of the uncapped players who can be termed as ‘unlucky’ to still not have made a place in the Indian side. The 28-year old has scored 1529 runs in 97 matches and has single-handedly won several games for his side.
Sherfane Rutherford
A large fraction of fans were surprised when Delhi Daredevils grabbed the relatively unknown Sherfane Rutherford in the 2019 IPL auction. The Caribbean all-rounder however displayed immense talent in the limited opportunities he received. Rutherford could prove to be nifty in any team’s arsenal. He managed to maintain a strike rate of 135.18 in the limited opportunities he got for the Delhi Capitals.
Krishnappa Gowtham
Krishnappa Gowtham is most fondly remembered for his death over antics with Rajasthan Royals. The lower-order batsman single-handedly won several games for the Royals. The 2018 season proved to be a career-defining period for him as he managed to score 126 runs at a stunning strike rate of 196.87 apart from taking 11 wickets in 15 games. Gowtham was traded to Kings XI Punjab and would look to replicate his performances from 2018 for the Punjab outfit.
Shreyas Gopal
In the current form, Gopal is arguably the best-limited overs spinner in India. He has a knack of taking constant wickets and can turn any game on its head. He has grabbed 38 wickets in 31 games. He can also slog the bowl in death overs and has managed to add 127 runs with the bat in the same number of games.
Kevon Cooper
Kevon Cooper was one of the pioneers of slow bowls in IPL. Though a lot of bowlers bowled the then-latest variation none could implement in a similar way as Cooper. The Caribbean pacer played a pivotal role for Rajasthan Royals in 2013 where he grabbed 19 wickets in 14 games. A death over specialist, Cooper grabbed 33 wickets in 25 games in an IPL career running for over the course of three years.
Ankit Rajpoot
The Kanpur born seamer has been a journeyman in the tournament. He started his career with CSK in 2013 before moving to KKR. However, his moment of fame came with KXIP, where he proved his worth. The lanky seamer is a true heir to the rich swing culture of Uttar Pradesh. He impressed with the Punjab side bagging 11 wickets in eight games including a five-wicket haul. He has 22 wickets in 23 games and will don the blue jersey of Rajasthan Royals in the upcoming season.
Ishwar Pandey
Another UP seamer, Ishwar Pandey excelled under the leadership of MS Dhoni. Pandey represented the Chennai side for three seasons bagging 18 wickets in the process.
