Cricket
Some were stars, others surprises, but all these players met big expectations and delivered for their teams when they were required.
While stars got the headlines, Prince Yadav quietly took 16 wickets at an 8.82 economy, becoming a key find for Lucknow.
While Vaibhav shone, Jurel quietly had his best IPL season, consistently scoring runs, finishing with 515 runs to his name and helping RR reach Qualifier 2.
The youngster impressed with disciplined bowling, breaking partnerships under pressure, and took 21 wickets to become the joint 4th highest wicket-taker alongside Rashid Khan.
While others got the spotlight, Rasikh quietly stood out as a top uncapped bowler, taking 19 wickets in 12 matches.
Angkrish Raghuvanshi played fearlessly, showing he belongs at the top level by scoring 422 runs in just 13 matches, helping KKR put up a solid fight in the process of qualifying for the playoffs.
Given a few chances initially, Sakib made the most of them for SRH, taking 15 wickets, and he helped SRH deliver those crucial overs and breakthroughs.
Prabhsimran's explosive starts gave PBKS momentum all season, making him a key batter with 510 runs.
Rahul had another great season with Delhi Capitals, scoring 593 runs, which included a record-breaking innings of 152 runs.
Siraj took 19 wickets throughout the season and delivered key new-ball breakthroughs, playing a big part in Gujarat reaching the final.
In a star-studded team that included names like Hardik, Suryakumar, and Rohit, Naman Dhir quietly became a key MI batter, scoring 318 crucial runs under pressure.
From Prince Yadav to Naman Dhir, these Indian players weren’t always in the spotlight, but they helped keep their teams competitive in IPL 2026.