They entered IPL 2020 as little-known Indian players among the bigger guns, but by the time the season ended, they had made a name of their own.

IPL commentators don’t mind regurgitating the tournament’s ‘where talent meets opportunity’ tagline on air, but it isn’t until you actually witness the rise of unheralded stars that you can appreciate the meaning of the phrase. As has been the case for years, IPL 2020 proved to be an ideal springboard for plenty of Indian uncapped players to showcase themselves, more so with the plethora of injuries that plagued teams and led to a number of forced changes.

Devdutt Padikkal ended with the Emerging Player award, but there were several other domestic players, both young and not-so-young, who were all impressive in their own ways.

T Natarajan [Sunrisers Hyderabad]

18 wickets @ 34.38, economy: 8.19

An inspiring story that continues to grow bigger and brighter. Natarajan made a handful of appearances in IPL 2017, and has stayed with Sunrisers Hyderabad since then, recovering from a spate of injuries. When a full opportunity did arise, he really came to the fore, showing immense control over his lengths and consistently landing accurate yorkers. There was an increased spotlight on him with Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s untimely exit from the competition, and Natarajan stepped up in style – the yorker that slayed AB de Villiers in the Eliminator was the icing on the cake in what turned out to be a breakthrough season. Things continue to fall in place – he’s deservedly found a place in India’s T20I squad.

Priyam Garg [Sunrisers Hyderabad]

133 runs @ 14.77, strike-rate: 119.81

The Indian U19 skipper might not have exactly taken the season by storm, but he gave enough evidence of his ability to seamlessly switch gears in the shorter format. Priyam was largely sedate in the U19 World Cup, and was relatively sluggish to start with in IPL 2020, but uncovered a different level in his quickfire 23-ball fifty against Chennai Super Kings. In subsequent knocks, he batted with instinctive freedom, unafraid to take on quicks bowling at 150kph, and showcasing a particular liking for unleashing his long levers against the spinners.

Varun Chakravarthy [Kolkata Knight Riders]

17 wickets @ 20.94, economy: 7.10

The Kolkata Knight Riders mystery spinner enjoyed a dream season this time, making amends for a disastrous debut outing last year. Burdened by the weight of a hefty price tag in 2019, Chakravarthy belatedly justified the hype, and managed to break into India’s T20I squad on the back of repeatedly good showings with the ball, including a five-wicket haul against eventual finalists Delhi Capitals, the best figures in the competition. At 29, it remains to be seen how what comes next in his remarkable journey.

Devdutt Padikkal [Royal Challengers Bangalore]

473 runs @ 31.53, strike-rate: 124.80

In a team packed with T20 powerhouses such as AB de Villiers, Virat Kohli and Aaron Finch, Padikkal, 20, stood out, giving Bangalore the brisk starts they have always longed for. Tall and wiry, Padikkal packed quite a punch at the top, unafraid to thump quicks over the infield while putting a price on his wicket – he batted beyond the powerplay on multiple occasions. By the time the season was done, Padikkal had racked up five fifties, making big-name opening partners Finch and Josh Philippe look like lesser batsmen.

Ravi Bishnoi [Kings XI Punjab]

12 wickets @ 31.33, economy: 7.37

Another product of the U19 circuit, Bishnoi was the pick of the young Indian spinners – unafraid to toss the ball up, and delivering wrong ‘uns at will, hardly bothered by the stature of the batsman at the other end. There was the odd slip-up here and there, but Bishnoi bowled commendable spells for a rookie, maintaining an overall economy of less than seven-and-a-half. And he did it all with a bright smile on his face.

Ruturaj Gaikwad [Chennai Super Kings]

204 runs @ 51.00, strike-rate: 120.71

Gaikwad might have stood out even more had Chennai Super Kings not had a torrid season. Elevated into the XI as a replacement for Suresh Raina, Gaikwad initially struggled after his rushed entry, soon after a positive Covid-19 test. When he was dropped and reinstated again, Gaikwad looked like a different batsman, posting three successive fifties, two of which were unbeaten. Faf du Plessis, his teammate, went on to draw comparisons with a young Virat Kohli – while he’s still got a long way to go, Gaikwad has shown that he certainly has spark.

Rahul Tewatia [Rajasthan Royals]

255 runs @ 42.50, strike-rate: 139.34; 10 wickets @ 32.60, economy: 7.13

Tewatia flew under the radar for years, but turned into an overnight sensation in this IPL, wowing everyone with his audacious stroke-play in two come-from-behind victories, and a string of other useful cameos. It wasn’t just the awe-inspiring batting; he also strung together neat spells with his leg-spin, relying on the surface to come up with economical figures, even as Rajasthan’s fortunes flickered. Unarguably the surprise package this year.

Kartik Tyagi [Rajasthan Royals]

9 wickets @ 40.77, economy: 9.61

Those who saw him steam in and hurl impressively quick yorkers in the U19 World Cup must have had an idea about his potential, but Kartik found a much bigger audience in the IPL with the Royals, known for promoting young talent. Tyagi looked unflustered on the big stage, frowning his baby face as he made even the most settled batsmen dance to his tune, unfurling an impressive mix of short balls and yorkers. While there’s still a lot he can work with, his first IPL impression has been a special one.

Abdul Samad [Sunrisers Hyderabad]

111 runs @ 22.20, strike-rate: 170.76

Ex-cricketers couldn’t stop gushing over his big-hitting potential. Although his participation was limited to cameos, Samad’s stint this time showed what the IPL is essentially all about, promoting young talent. The 18-year-old had been a bumper hit in the 2019/20 Ranji season, hitting 36 sixes in 17 innings in his debut year. In the IPL, Samad was slotted in the challenging middle order, but gave out gutsy performances. A crunching pull off Anrich Nortje particularly stood out.

Arshdeep Singh [Kings XI Punjab]

9 wickets @ 24.22, economy: 8.77

The polar opposite to Kartik Tyagi’s fiery demeanour, Arshdeep let the ball do the talking and found equally impressive results. KXIP consistently had troubles sorting their death bowling – in a team that had Chris Jordan and Sheldon Cottrell, Arshdeep ended up doing the most decent work at the back end, while also handling new-ball responsibilities. His ability to land yorkers at will particularly impressed skipper KL Rahul, but the judicious use of cutters and slower ones also kept the batsmen on their toes.

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