The Indian Premier League is often seen as a stepping stone to success for many young cricketers. These youngsters not only get to rub shoulders with the 'Men in Blue', they learn to handle the pressure during matches and master themselves to perform in front of a huge crowd. An admirable performance across the tournament not only attracts popularity from fans across the nation but also from Indian selectors.

WION takes a look at the top 5 players of IPL whose unerring innings will help them join the league of the big boys of Indian cricket.

1. Mayank Markande

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Mumbai's leg-spinner, Markande has impressed one and all with his brilliant haul of 4-23 including the prized wickets of MS Dhoni and Ambati Rayudu - only the third youngest to do so in IPL. This year's IPL was Markande's first, but he fearlessly bowled to world's greatest and aggressive cricketers and earned the Purple Cap just after two games.&nbsp;

2. Shubman Gill

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He was the leading run scorer in Under-19 World Cup and has played some impressive innings in his debut IPL. The young sensation scored 145 runs in 11 matches and his knocks impressed many including Jacques Kallis, the coach of Kolkata which had picked up Gill for Rs 1.8 crore at the auction.

3. Suryakumar Yadav

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Mumbai's highest run-getter in this season of IPL, Yadav played some impeccable innings. Picked up at a whopping price of Rs 3.2 crore, Yadav became the only player to contribute above 500 in Mumbai franchise. The defending champions did not have a good start and was prepared to exit early from the tournament, but Mumbai opener twisted the game with their three consecutive win out of four matches. Overall he knocked 512 runs in 14 matches, 72 being his highest.

4. Prithvi Shaw

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India's Under-19 World Cup winning captain, Shaw made his debut in the IPL 2018 with Delhi. People were already raving about his captaincy throughout the world cup, and now to add-on, Shaw cracked the record of being the youngest to knock a half-century in the ongoing league(IPL). He played a flawless inning of 245 runs in nine games and contributed two half-centuries. Though Delhi finished at the bottom of the league table, Shaw managed to set many eyes on himself.

5. Ishan Kishan

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Bought for a mammoth price of Rs 5.5 crore, Ishan Kishan turned out to be effective for Mumbai Indians in this season of IPL. By scoring 275 runs in 14 matches with 62 being his highest it won't be unfair to say that he posses the ability to strike the ball big and hard. Not just his performance, the youngster works on his fitness as well and is grooming himself to enter 'Men in Blue' whenever called upon.&nbsp;

Hardik Pandya, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ambati Rayudu and Yuzvendra Chahal are among the hit players of IPL, who got their big break by entering the squad after their eye-catching performances in IPL.

The final match of IPL 2018 will be played on May 27 at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai.

Next, Team India is all set to face Afghanistan in a test-series starting from 14th June at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore. 
&nbsp;

The final match of IPL 2018 will be played on May 27 at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai

The Indian Premier League is often seen as a stepping stone to success for many young cricketers. These youngsters not only get to rub shoulders with the 'Men in Blue', they learn to handle the pressure during matches and master themselves to perform in front of a huge crowd. An admirable performance across the tournament not only attracts popularity from fans across the nation but also from Indian selectors. WION takes a look at the top 5 players of IPL whose unerring innings will help them join the league of the big boys of Indian cricket. 1. Mayank Markande Mumbai's leg-spinner, Markande has impressed one and all with his brilliant haul of 4-23 including the prized wickets of MS Dhoni and Ambati Rayudu - only the third youngest to do so in IPL. This year's IPL was Markande's first, but he fearlessly bowled to world's greatest and aggressive cricketers and earned the Purple Cap just after two games. 2. Shubman Gill He was the leading run scorer in Under-19 World Cup and has played some impressive innings in his debut IPL. The young sensation scored 145 runs in 11 matches and his knocks impressed many including Jacques Kallis, the coach of Kolkata which had picked up Gill for Rs 1.8 crore at the auction. 3. Suryakumar Yadav Mumbai's highest run-getter in this season of IPL, Yadav played some impeccable innings. Picked up at a whopping price of Rs 3.2 crore, Yadav became the only player to contribute above 500 in Mumbai franchise. The defending champions did not have a good start and was prepared to exit early from the tournament, but Mumbai opener twisted the game with their three consecutive win out of four matches. Overall he knocked 512 runs in 14 matches, 72 being his highest. 4. Prithvi Shaw India's Under-19 World Cup winning captain, Shaw made his debut in the IPL 2018 with Delhi. People were already raving about his captaincy throughout the world cup, and now to add-on, Shaw cracked the record of being the youngest to knock a half-century in the ongoing league(IPL). He played a flawless inning of 245 runs in nine games and contributed two half-centuries. Though Delhi finished at the bottom of the league table, Shaw managed to set many eyes on himself. 5. Ishan Kishan Bought for a mammoth price of Rs 5.5 crore, Ishan Kishan turned out to be effective for Mumbai Indians in this season of IPL. By scoring 275 runs in 14 matches with 62 being his highest it won't be unfair to say that he posses the ability to strike the ball big and hard. Not just his performance, the youngster works on his fitness as well and is grooming himself to enter 'Men in Blue' whenever called upon. Hardik Pandya, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ambati Rayudu and Yuzvendra Chahal are among the hit players of IPL, who got their big break by entering the squad after their eye-catching performances in IPL. The final match of IPL 2018 will be played on May 27 at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai. Next, Team India is all set to face Afghanistan in a test-series starting from 14th June at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore.

After proving their mettle in IPL, star players await big break

Ajinkya Rahane won the toss and opted to bowl against Kolkata in the Eliminator match of Indian Premier League 2018 at &nbspEden Gardens stadium on Wednesday.

After winning the toss, Rahane mentioned the characteristics of Eden's pitch which is a bit damp and the team which bats in the second innings has been successful in most of the occasions.

On the other hand, Kolkata's skipper Dinesh Karthik said there is no scope of errors in tonight's match.&nbsp

Both the teams have entered with the same squad and there is no change in the playing XI.&nbsp

Playing XI:

Kolkata: Chris Lynn, Sunil Narine, Robin Uthappa, Dinesh Karthik(w/c), Nitish Rana, Andre Russell, Shubman Gill, Javon Searles, Piyush Chawla, Prasidh Krishna, Kuldeep Yadav

Rajasthan: Rahul Tripathi, Ajinkya Rahane(c), Sanju Samson, Heinrich Klaasen(w), Krishnappa Gowtham, Stuart Binny, Jofra Archer, Ish Sodhi, Jaydev Unadkat, Shreyas Gopal, Ben Laughlin

Eden's pitch which is a bit damp and the team which bats in the second innings has been successful in most of the occasions

Ajinkya Rahane won the toss and opted to bowl against Kolkata in the Eliminator match of Indian Premier League 2018 at &nbspEden Gardens stadium on Wednesday. After winning the toss, Rahane mentioned the characteristics of Eden's pitch which is a bit damp and the team which bats in the second innings has been successful in most of the occasions. On the other hand, Kolkata's skipper Dinesh Karthik said there is no scope of errors in tonight's match. Both the teams have entered with the same squad and there is no change in the playing XI. Playing XI: Kolkata: Chris Lynn, Sunil Narine, Robin Uthappa, Dinesh Karthik(w/c), Nitish Rana, Andre Russell, Shubman Gill, Javon Searles, Piyush Chawla, Prasidh Krishna, Kuldeep Yadav Rajasthan: Rahul Tripathi, Ajinkya Rahane(c), Sanju Samson, Heinrich Klaasen(w), Krishnappa Gowtham, Stuart Binny, Jofra Archer, Ish Sodhi, Jaydev Unadkat, Shreyas Gopal, Ben Laughlin

IPL 2018: Ajinkya Rahane opts to bowl against Kolkata in Eliminator match

The latest edition of the ICC Under-19 ODI World Cup has begun in New Zealand from the 13th of January amidst a lot of anticipation. After all, this is the one tournament where we get to witness the stars of tomorrow in action and it is always fascinating to observe the young plethora of talent from the world over.

While the tournament is underway, there are a lot of players who are likely to leave a mark. Here is a look at five exciting young talents who will certainly be worth keeping an eye out for in the ICC U-19 World Cup 2018.

Shubman Gill (India)

Although Indian captain Prithwi Shaw is at the centre of all attention in this tournament, another young lad from the team who is likely to leave a mark is Shubman Gill from Punjab. The stylish middle-order batsman first made news when he slammed a majestic 351 off 271 balls in the Punjab Inter-District Under-16 tournament. Carrying his form from there, Gill also scored a double hundred on his Under-16 state debut for Punjab in the Vijay Merchant Trophy soon after. Blessed with a good technique and having a great attacking game, Gill currently averages an astounding 97.76 in Under-19 ODIs. Certainly, there is something about this batsman.

Kamindu Mendis (Sri Lanka)

The Sri Lankan captain is playing his second straight U-19 ODI World Cup and is now well-renowned for his ambidextrous spin bowling skills. Kamindu Mendis can bowl both left and right arm spin and is equally proficient with both. Ever since he first displayed this rare skill in the last World Cup, Mendis has been hot property in Sri Lankan cricket and is being looked as the future bowling star for the country. Mendis is also a solid middle-order batsman and already has four half-centuries in Under-19 ODIs. It will be interesting to see how this ambidextrous spin bowler displays his unique craft in the upcoming tournament.&nbsp;

Baheer Shah (Afghanistan)

If there is one U-19 cricketer this year who has created sensation the world over, it is Afghanistan&rsquo;s Baheer Shah. The 18-year-old commenced his career by slamming a record 256 in his maiden first-class match - the second highest debut score in the format. If one thought this was a fluke, Baheer proved it otherwise by striking a spectacular triple hundred five innings later and, thus, became the second youngest first-class triple centurion. Baheer&rsquo;s first-class average at present is a Bradmanesue 121.77 after 7 matches. With those glittering feats he has already achieved, the young Afghani batsman will surely be under a lot of focus this World Cup.

Shaheen Afridi (Pakistan)

Pakistan&rsquo;s ability to churn fast bowling sensations literally out of nowhere is remarkable. Shaheen Afridi seems to be another one in that burgeoning list. In his very first match in the Quaid-e-Azam trophy, (Pakistan&rsquo;s first-class domestic tournament) Shaheen grabbed a stunning 8-39 &ndash; the best figures by a Pakistani bowler on first-class debut &ndash; that destroyed the opposition. A fan of Pakistani legend Wasim Akram, this left-arm pacer is clearly inspired by his hero and has modeled his action on him and Australian speedster Mitchell Starc. With an ability to bring the ball into the right-handers and getting good pace and bounce, Shaheen Afridi will definitely be a major threat to batsmen this World Cup.&nbsp;

Jason Sangha (Australia)

The Australian team captain in this tournament is a confident young batsman and is the first Indian-origin cricketer to be leading an Australian side. Sangha caught the eye of the selectors with his performance against England in the pre-Ashes tour game in 2016 where he struck a superb hundred and at 18 years and 71 days became the youngest cricketer since Sachin Tendulkar to score a first-class century against England. Sangha&rsquo;s performances throughout the 2015 season were exceptional in youth cricket and he amassed runs in whatever tournament he played in during that phase. His strokeplay is suited for all formats and he has even got a BBL contract from Sydney Thunder. How he leads the Australian side in this World Cup while focusing on his own batting will be intriguing to watch.

The ICC U-19 World Cup has produced real stars of today like Virat Kohli, Yuvraj Singh, Kane Williamson, and Hashim Amla, to name a few. With the tournament having gone bigger and attracting more attention now, the pressure to perform on the young stars in the event would be that much more.&nbsp; But the modern game having evolved so much, young cricketers today are truly fearless. The ICC U-19 World Cup 2018 will hence surely be one exhilarating tournament to watch. &nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL).

The ICC U-19 World Cup has produced real stars of today like Virat Kohli, Yuvraj Singh, Kane Williamson, and Hashim Amla, to name a few.

The latest edition of the ICC Under-19 ODI World Cup has begun in New Zealand from the 13th of January amidst a lot of anticipation. After all, this is the one tournament where we get to witness the stars of tomorrow in action and it is always fascinating to observe the young plethora of talent from the world over. While the tournament is underway, there are a lot of players who are likely to leave a mark. Here is a look at five exciting young talents who will certainly be worth keeping an eye out for in the ICC U-19 World Cup 2018. Shubman Gill (India) Although Indian captain Prithwi Shaw is at the centre of all attention in this tournament, another young lad from the team who is likely to leave a mark is Shubman Gill from Punjab. The stylish middle-order batsman first made news when he slammed a majestic 351 off 271 balls in the Punjab Inter-District Under-16 tournament. Carrying his form from there, Gill also scored a double hundred on his Under-16 state debut for Punjab in the Vijay Merchant Trophy soon after. Blessed with a good technique and having a great attacking game, Gill currently averages an astounding 97.76 in Under-19 ODIs. Certainly, there is something about this batsman. Kamindu Mendis (Sri Lanka) The Sri Lankan captain is playing his second straight U-19 ODI World Cup and is now well-renowned for his ambidextrous spin bowling skills. Kamindu Mendis can bowl both left and right arm spin and is equally proficient with both. Ever since he first displayed this rare skill in the last World Cup, Mendis has been hot property in Sri Lankan cricket and is being looked as the future bowling star for the country. Mendis is also a solid middle-order batsman and already has four half-centuries in Under-19 ODIs. It will be interesting to see how this ambidextrous spin bowler displays his unique craft in the upcoming tournament. Baheer Shah (Afghanistan) If there is one U-19 cricketer this year who has created sensation the world over, it is Afghanistan’s Baheer Shah. The 18-year-old commenced his career by slamming a record 256 in his maiden first-class match - the second highest debut score in the format. If one thought this was a fluke, Baheer proved it otherwise by striking a spectacular triple hundred five innings later and, thus, became the second youngest first-class triple centurion. Baheer’s first-class average at present is a Bradmanesue 121.77 after 7 matches. With those glittering feats he has already achieved, the young Afghani batsman will surely be under a lot of focus this World Cup. Shaheen Afridi (Pakistan) Pakistan’s ability to churn fast bowling sensations literally out of nowhere is remarkable. Shaheen Afridi seems to be another one in that burgeoning list. In his very first match in the Quaid-e-Azam trophy, (Pakistan’s first-class domestic tournament) Shaheen grabbed a stunning 8-39 – the best figures by a Pakistani bowler on first-class debut – that destroyed the opposition. A fan of Pakistani legend Wasim Akram, this left-arm pacer is clearly inspired by his hero and has modeled his action on him and Australian speedster Mitchell Starc. With an ability to bring the ball into the right-handers and getting good pace and bounce, Shaheen Afridi will definitely be a major threat to batsmen this World Cup. Jason Sangha (Australia) The Australian team captain in this tournament is a confident young batsman and is the first Indian-origin cricketer to be leading an Australian side. Sangha caught the eye of the selectors with his performance against England in the pre-Ashes tour game in 2016 where he struck a superb hundred and at 18 years and 71 days became the youngest cricketer since Sachin Tendulkar to score a first-class century against England. Sangha’s performances throughout the 2015 season were exceptional in youth cricket and he amassed runs in whatever tournament he played in during that phase. His strokeplay is suited for all formats and he has even got a BBL contract from Sydney Thunder. How he leads the Australian side in this World Cup while focusing on his own batting will be intriguing to watch. The ICC U-19 World Cup has produced real stars of today like Virat Kohli, Yuvraj Singh, Kane Williamson, and Hashim Amla, to name a few. With the tournament having gone bigger and attracting more attention now, the pressure to perform on the young stars in the event would be that much more. But the modern game having evolved so much, young cricketers today are truly fearless. The ICC U-19 World Cup 2018 will hence surely be one exhilarating tournament to watch. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL).

Opinion: Why these 5 cricket stars will shine in ICC U-19 World Cup

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After proving their mettle in IPL, star players await big break

IPL 2018: Ajinkya Rahane opts to bowl against Kolkata in Eliminator match

Opinion: Why these 5 cricket stars will shine in ICC U-19 World Cup