'The best in the business is Suryakumar Yadav' - Sourav Ganguly while naming five cricketers who can go big in IPL

Former India skipper Sourav Ganguly shared his opinion and named five youngsters who he believes will have successful careers in the cash-rich Indian Premier League (IPL) in the future. The 16th edition of the tournament will commence on March 31, 2023, when four time champions Chennai Super Kings will square off against defending champions Gujarat Titans.

The IPL, over the years, has proved beneficial for many young cricketers to fulfil their dream of representing India in the international arena. Several cricketers have proved themselves effective in the T20 league, and are currently big names in the white-ball format. Ahead of the IPL 2023, Ganguly shared his thoughts on five young cricketers who can emerge as stand out players in the tournament.

During a conversation with Star Sports, the former Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president was asked to pick players who could become huge names in the tournament. 

Responding to the question, he quickly reacted naming Prithvi Shaw, Delhi Capitals' wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant, Chennai Super Kings opener Ruturaj Gaikwad, Sunrisers Hyderabad speedster Umran Malik, and Gujarat Titans' Shubman Gill. In addition to these names, he also included Mumbai Indians’ star batter Suryakumar Yadav in his special mention calling the 32-year-old the best in the business.

The former India stalwart said, “The best in the business is Suryakumar Yadav. Obviously, you don’t consider him a youngster anymore, but having said that, among the young players, Prithvi Shaw has a lot of talent in the T20 format, and I think Rishabh Pant. He is only 23 (25). He has got the world at his feet; Rishabh Pant is the No. 2. I would keep a look at Ruturaj Gaikwad, how he keeps playing. I think these are the three batsmen. Umran Malik is one who will probably, if he stays fit, will continue to keep the fans interested in the game because of his genuine pace."

Surya probably heads the list: Ganguly

Along with Ganguly, his former teammate Harbhajan Singh was also a part of the show and the former India off-spinner asked him about Shubman Gill. Reacting to Harbhajan’s question, the 50-year-old added Gill as well to his list.

"Yes exactly, that's the name which slipped my mind. But I think my fifth player would be Shubman Gill. So, it's Prithvi Shaw, Rishabh Pant, Surya probably heads the list, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Umran Malik and Shubman Gill," Ganguly added.

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