10 uncapped Indian players who deserve a chance in 2022

Domestic tournaments like the Vijay Hazare Trophy (VHT), Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) and even the Indian Premier League (IPL), have managed to shed light upon the immense pool of young Indian talent, who have seized every opportunity to perform on the big stage.

While some have moved on from being stars of these leagues to donning the Indian colours, several emerging talents, despite their crucial contributions, have failed to make it into the probable 15 player list.

The current emphasis on workload management by the Indian coaching staff might just be the perfect opportunity for these uncapped players, who have been instrumental in the domestic circuit but have failed to earn that cap.

Let’s look at 10 Indian uncapped players who deserve a chance in 2022:

1. Abhimanyu Easwaran

The Test opening pair conundrum has been stuck on the Indian team’s tail for a long time now. The emergence of the Rohit-Rahul duo may have put this debate to rest, however, consistent injury concerns between the two has shed light on the other options India has on its bench. One of the strongest contenders, who surely deserves a chance in 2022, is the Bengal opener Abhimanyu Easwaran.

He might not be a name you are too familiar with. He may also not have an IPL contract against which players have been compared in recent times. However, what he has is the skill of grinding out loads of runs in the domestic circuit.

Easwaran is a batsman India may have long waited for. He is not a player who shies away from spending long hours at the crease and has an impressive conversion rate. Although he has put himself on the selector’s radar and been featured as one of the standby Test players against England and the WTC Final, he hasn’t been able to move ahead.

A big match player, Easwaran averages 43.57 in tests, having made 13 tons in 64 first-class matches to support his case. It’s just a matter of time before Easwaran makes his appearance in the international set-up and establishes a place for himself.

2. Shahrukh Khan

While there is one SRK who has created an empire in the world of films, the other SRK has started to create one for himself in the arena of cricket. Shah Rukh Khan is the freshest addition to the emerging Indian talent.

The hard hitter first put himself in the limelight with his explosive innings against CSK in the 14th edition of IPL. His score of 47 in 36 was enough to prove his worth on the big stage, post which there was no looking back. With an impressive strike rate of nearly 140 in the T20’s, Shahrukh might be the solution to India’s finisher position. Being handy with the ball and pitching in a couple of overs when needed, makes him an even more attractive.

The growth of domestic limited-over tournaments has given him a name in the international circuit. The recent six off the last ball to defend Tamil Nadu’s champion title further tops it up. Hopefully, a couple of more crucial performances will put his name in the selector’s minds as he will enter the mega auction 2022 as one of the hottest picks.

3. Abdul Samad

Having played a lone ODI and T20I, there hasn’t been a player from Jammu and Kashmir since Parvez Rasool who has made it to the big stage. However, this might change soon with the young dasher, Abdul Samad to make his case at the big level.

Already acclaimed as the future of Indian cricket, the 20-year-old may not have the best of averages but what makes him the X factor of any team is his stellar strike rate. With a 146.05 strike rate in IPL, he stood tall and fearlessly took on all bowlers. He also possesses the skills of a part-time bowler which might come in handy during different situations in a game.

Being retained by Sunrisers Hyderabad ahead of the IPL auction and being recently named vice-captain for J&K will surely help him mature as a player and come up as a better finisher. He may be a great prospect for a spinning allrounder.

4. Riyan Parag

With his unorthodox bowling action, hard-hitting powers, an excellent pair of hands in the outfield and unforgettable celebration styles, Riyan Parag is an exciting candidate for the Indian team.

Having entered the IPL set up only a couple of seasons ago, Parag has already left an indelible mark with his performance. A calm and composed middle-order allrounder, he has achieved quite a bit in the initial phase of his career. Being the top run-getter for Assam in the 2018-19 edition of Vijay Hazare Trophy and the youngest cricketer to score a fifty while picking a wicket in the IPL, he might as well be India’s next superstar in the making.

It will be interesting to see if Parag gets a chance in the playing XI next year with many others fighting for a similar role in the national setup. He is a player who, if groomed well, can be a crucial asset to Indian cricket. Furthermore, he could be a great solution for the No.4 spot that has often been a position of debate.

5. Avesh Khan

Racing towards every batsman at 140+ clicks, the Indore Express, Avesh Khan, has undoubtedly been one of the greatest finds in the recently concluded IPL. Already having stepped into the Indian side as a net bowler for the T20 World Cup, there are surely bigger things in store for the young fast bowler.

Avesh has proven to be one of the emerging talents in the Indian bowling setup. His impressive speed, accuracy as well as consistent performances in both domestic cricket and the IPL has placed him high up in the race to the Indian blue cap. With a tally of 100 wickets in First-Class cricket in just 47 innings, and an economy of under 6 in List-A, this speedster has tasted success in all formats of the domestic circuit.

A young bowler, who is productive in the powerplay, middle and the death, it wouldn’t be surprising to see the 25-year-old as an addition in future tours in 2022 and subsequently becoming India’s ace bowler in future.

6. Kartik Tyagi

Ever since the 21-year-old pacer, defended four off the final over versus Punjab in the IPL, there has been a heap-load of appreciation pouring in for him. All it took was six perfect deliveries for Kartik Tyagi to fall under the radar of the selection team.

An U-19 World Cup product, Tyagi has ticked off all the right boxes. Right from being a wicket-taker to hitting the perfect yorkers in the death, he is one of the bowlers to look out for in 2022. Although he has been in the IPL for a couple of seasons, he had to be sidelined due to his injuries. In the 14 matches he has played until now, Tyagi has successfully taken 13 wickets.

The 6’3” feet tall pacer may surely break into the international setup soon, having already toured Australia as a reserve bowler and is someone to look out for.

7. Ravi Bishnoi

There is a pool of exciting, young, uncapped spinners in the Indian circuit, and one of the first names to capture the eye every time is young Ravi Bishnoi.

Bishnoi was amongst the wickets almost every time he stepped out to bowl for Punjab this IPL. With a total of 12 wickets off his nine matches, the 21-year old showed great calibre. Achieving the feat at an economy of 6.34 makes it even more impressive. With the Indian team on the lookout to try out different players, Ravi Bishnoi isn’t far away from featuring in the list. His outstanding fielding skillset gives him an edge over the others.

With a temperament like his and a fighting contender of the sport, Bishnoi, if given the chance, can prove to be lethal in the spin attack that would help create tension in the opposition’s dugout.

8. Arshdeep Singh

There was a point in the Indian Cricket Team that borne the likes of Zaheer Khan, Irfan Pathan and Ashish Nehra, all three great left-handed, wicket-taking bowlers. It has been quite some time that India has been gifted a left-handed talent, and Arshdeep Singh might be the one to break this streak.

A jack of all trades, the speedster has several tricks under his sleeve – the wide one, the yorker, the occasional slower one as well as the expected bouncers. These variations made him the go-to man for PBKS this IPL season. With 18 wickets in just 12 matches and an economy of a little over 8, Arshdeep can expect to receive a call up in 2022. His domestic record numbers are pretty impressive too.

With coach Rahul Dravid having mentored him in the U19 days, the deserving pacer will surely be in the back of his mind and is one of the talents to look out for in future.

9. R Sai Kishore

It shouldn’t come as a surprise if someone says that the Tamil Nadu left-handed spinner is currently the best spinner in the domestic circuit.

R Sai Kishore tasted early success in the TNPL and was also bought by CSK in no time. One of the most economical spinners in domestic cricket, Kishore is also a handy batsman. In his four-year long first-class career, he has a total of 48 wickets at an economy of just 2.68. Furthermore, he has a wicket tally of 52 in List A and the highest score of 42 across these two formats.

Being Tamil Nadu’s marquee spinner and the architect behind their recent success, not only is Kishore going to be one of the in-demand players next year during the IPL auction, but he might be a handy alternative spinner at home conditions.

10. Ishan Porel

Following the footsteps of his idols Dale Steyn and Brett Lee, the uncapped bowler from Bengal may be in contention for the fast bowler’s slot in the India pace attack and surely deserves a chance in 2022.

One of the leaders of the Bengal domestic team’s bowling unit, Ishan Porel has come a long way since his U19 days. Even though ongoing injuries have hindered his progress to the international stage, the situation might turn around for him after some valuable contributions with the Indian A team.

The young bowler has been a regular in India A squads and has been instrumental in the domestic circuit. He has been a wicket-taking bowler with 53 wickets to his name in 20 first-class matches. The stint with Punjab Kings and sharing the dressing room with Mohammed Shami would have helped the youngster gain essential insights for his career forward.

While Porel is still in an early stage of his cricketing career, the emphasis placed on workload management might just be a blessing in disguise for him as he will not only look to seize the opportunity but also aim at being a regular in the setup.