IPL 2022: One player from each team who can make comeback to Team India

The Indian Premier League has revolutionized world cricket over the years. It has created many stories of young, up and coming, and even nondescript cricketers doing well in the tournament. The competitiveness of the league is ever increasing with the best T20 stars in action, and the ones excelling for their respective teams are rewarded for their strong showing in the tournament.

In terms of Indian talents, the likes of Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya, and Deepak Chahar made it big after superlative performances in the IPL. The tournament has also paved the way for the comeback to the national team for players like Shikhar Dhawan and Ashish Nehra in the past. Certainly, the T20 extravaganza has proved to be the right kind of stage for players to showcase their talent.

One player from each IPL team who can make a comeback to Team India

1. Chennai Super Kings – Shivam Dube

The defending champions Chennai Super Kings have not been able to get off the mark this season and have lost three consecutive matches. But one player who has stood out in the initial matches is Shivam Dube, the leading run-scorer of the CSK team with 109 runs in three innings.

In the first league match against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), Dube was dismissed for three. However, the southpaw roared back to form with a 49 against Lucknow Super Giants, and followed it up with a quickfire 57 against Punjab Kings (PBKS).

Dube last featured for the Indian team in February 2020 against New Zealand. In 13 T20I appearances, he has 105 runs and five wickets to his name. As the national team is in dire need of a pace-bowling all-rounder, Dube will compete with Hardik Pandya and Venkatesh Iyer for the spot.

2. Delhi Capitals – Khaleel Ahmed

After Zaheer Khan and Irfan Pathan, Khaleel Ahmed turned out to be an exciting prospect as a left-arm fast bowler for the Indian white-ball team. In 2018, he made his international debut in the ODI and T20I teams and was fairly successful in his limited-overs appearances.

In 11 ODIs, he has 15 scalps and picked up 13 wickets in 14 T20Is. He last featured in the Blue jersey in November 2019 against Bangladesh, while giving away 27 runs off four overs.

In IPL 2022, he is featuring for Delhi Capitals (DC) and has been impressive, taking four wickets by giving away 61 runs in eight overs. While still young, he will look to make a comeback to Team India ahead of T20 World Cup 2022.

3. Gujarat Titans –  Rahul Tewatia

Rahul Tewatia shot to fame in IPL 2020 after hitting five sixes in a single over off Sheldon Cottrell against PBKS, while playing for Rajasthan Royals at Sharjah. Soon, he was named in the Indian T20I squad for the series against England in the following year.

However, Tewatia could not make his debut due to not being able to pass the mandatory fitness tests conducted by the team management. He was then dropped from the Indian squad, without being able to showcase his talent on the big stage.

In the ongoing IPL 2022, Tewatia has started on a strong note by slamming 40* off 24 balls and helping Gujarat Titans (GT) to secure their first victory in the tournament. He can be handy with the ball as well to contain the opposition.

4. Kolkata Knight Riders – Varun Chakaravarthy

Often called a mystery spinner, Varun Chakaravarthy has been a find of the IPL. The 2020 edition of the tournament saw him picking 17 wickets in 13 appearances, while he scalped 18 wickets in 17 matches in the following edition. In 2021, he was named in India’s squad for the bilateral T20I series against Sri Lanka and later in the T20 World Cup squad as well.

The performances at the international level couldn’t keep Chakaravarthy in the squad for a longer duration, as he managed to pick up only two wickets in six T20I appearances. He last played for India against Scotland, which was the last fixture of the Indian team in the T20 World Cup 2021, and returned with figures of 0/15 off three overs.

Varun has not been a permanent member of his state team Tamil Nadu and will bank on the IPL for getting recalled to the Indian team. In IPL 2022, he has scalped three wickets at an impressive economy of 6.38.

5. Lucknow Super Giants – Krunal Pandya

One of the finest all-rounders in Indian cricket, Krunal Pandya has been a consistent contributor in the limited-overs format. He made his IPL debut in the 2016 edition but came into prominence after playing a key role in Mumbai Indians’ title victory in the following season, with contributions in both departments.

The performances in the 2017 edition helped Krunal in making his debut in a T20I fixture against West Indies in 2018. He had a dream debut, scoring 21 off nine deliveries and 1/15 off four overs. In March 2021, he played his first ODI match against England. He again performed very well with 58 off 31 balls, and thereby helping the team to win the match.

In five ODIs, Krunal has garnered 130 runs, and in 19 T20Is  he has 124 runs and 15 scalps. In IPL 2022, he has garnered 27 runs and picked three wickets and can make a comeback due to his track record and current form.

6. Mumbai Indians – Mayank Markande

The leg-spinner Mayank Markande has been forgotten by many due to the lack of opportunities given to him in the last few editions of the IPL. But his first appearance in the 2018 edition was terrific where he finished with a spell of 3/23 off four overs in a match against CSK, scalping MS Dhoni, Amabati Rayudu, and Deepak Chahar. He picked up a total of 15 wickets in 14 matches for MI.

Looking at his performances in the 2018 edition, he was named in the Indian squad and featured in a single T20I against Australia, and gave away 31 runs off four overs. This turned out to be the only appearance for the leg-spinner in the Indian jersey.

In the 2021 edition, he got an opportunity to feature in only one game for RR. In this season, he has been playing for MI, where his abilities are known and can be given an opportunity to help the team in winning matches and thereby making a case for selection to the Indian team as well.

7. Punjab Kings – Rahul Chahar

The talented leg-spinner played a vital role in MI’s title victory in the 2019 edition, where he bagged 13 wickets in 13 matches, and made his T20I debut in the same year as well. The 2020 edition saw him taking 15 wickets in 15 matches, and he followed it up with 13 wickets in 11 matches in the following edition.

In July 2021, Rahul made his only ODI appearance against Sri Lanka and finished with figures of 3/54. He has last featured for India in a T20I fixture against Namibia in November 2021. Since then he has been dropped from the Indian side after the comeback of Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, and the emergence of Ravi Bishnoi.

In the ongoing Indian Premier League 2022, Rahul has been terrific, picking up six wickets in three appearances for PBKS. With this kind of form, he will certainly be in the national selectors’ radar for a spot on the Indian team.

8. Rajasthan Royals – Navdeep Saini

In the 2019 edition, Navdeep Saini returned with 11 wickets in 13 matches and was touted as a bright prospect for the Indian team with his pace and accuracy. In the same year, he made his India debut in T20I and ODI formats. In 2021, he played his only Test series against Australia, and has played two Test matches so far.

In July 2021, Saini last appeared in the Indian shirt across the ODI and T20I formats. In eight matches, Saini has scalped six wickets and scored 107 runs at a terrific average of 53.50. He has 13 wickets in 11 T20I matches and has done fairly well.

In the IPL 2022 season, Saini is playing for RR and has picked up three wickets in two matches so far, which includes a strong performance against hard-hitter Kieron Pollard. Hence, he can turn out to be another potential candidate for the pace bowling department of the Indian team.

9. Royal Challengers Bangalore- Dinesh Karthik

The experienced wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthik has been a consistent run-scorer across all the formats for the Indian team since 2004. It was certainly the wrong era for him, as the legendary MS Dhoni remained as the permanent member, and captain, until 2020.

It was in the Nidahas Trophy final in March 2018, where Karthik smashed 29 runs off eight balls to help the Indian team in lifting the trophy. But, Karthik last featured for India in an ODI fixture against New Zealand in the 2019 World Cup semifinal, where he scored just six off 25 balls.

Nevertheless, Karthik has been in terrific form for the Tamil Nadu side and was one of the key performers in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2021/22 victory title. In IPL 2022, Karthik scored 32* off 14 against PBKS, and followed it up with 14* off seven balls to play a finishing role to hand RCB their first win in the season. Moreover, he played a match-winning knock for RCB with his 44* off 23 against RR to give his side another win. Looking at his current performances, he will be a key candidate for a wicketkeeper/batter slot.

10. Sunrisers Hyderabad – T. Natarajan

Another story of hard work and dedication unfolded in IPL 2020 when the left-arm pacer T. Natarajan scalped 16 wickets in 16 appearances and was one of the key reasons for SRH reaching the playoffs. Later, in the same year, he was given the opportunity to represent the Indian team.

Natarajan has featured in four T20Is, two ODIs, and one Test. His last appearance for India came against England in March 2021. He was ruled out of the entire IPL 2021 season due to a knee injury and also could not take part in the T20 World Cup 2021, where he could play a key role for the national team.

In the 2022 edition of the IPL, Natarajan has returned to the field and has picked four wickets in two matches. Although the team has lost both their matches, his execution at the death overs with his lethal yorkers has certainly brought him in the picture for selection.