A few years ago, there was an exciting rule in the Indian Premier League. As per this edict, sides had to choose a certain number of players from their respective catchment areas outside the auction. Of course, not all regions in the country belonged to the ‘catchment areas’ of the eight franchises, and hence, these ‘neutral’ sections were equally divided among the teams as their ‘catchment areas’. However, this rule ran into many controversies, and soon, the entire concept was done away with.
Nevertheless, despite being a franchise-based competition, having home-grown players in your rooster is very relevant. Firstly, this would help appease the local fanbase that has a massive impact on the non-cricket side of things. Secondly, since seven games of your campaign happen in one stadium, it is beneficial to have cricketers who understand these tracks very well. Of course, the latter point doesn’t stand now as the tournament is currently being held in UAE.
In this article, we talk about the presence of home-grown players in each franchise. We list out these players, and the impact they could have for their ‘home-franchises’.
Chennai Super Kings – 3
Murali Vijay, R Sai Kishore and N Jagadeesan
There is probably no other team in the tournament that has a better local- connect than CSK. It is incredible how the franchise has aligned with the sentiments in this way. Talking about the current home-grown players, CSK has a decent lot. While Murali Vijay leads the ‘Tamil’ group, CSK boasts of potential prospects in N Jagadeesan and Sai Kishore. Jagadeesan is a talented wicket-keeper and Sai Kishore is one of the best finger-spinners in the domestic circuit. With Raina and Bhajji not part of IPL 2020, both these TN youngsters could get a go in the middle.
Delhi Capitals – 4
Shikhar Dhawan, Rishabh Pant, Ishant Sharma and Lalit Yadav
Delhi Capitals has influential players who represent the city. Shikhar Dhawan and Pant will both play a crucial role for the team, while Ishant Sharma is the best Indian pacer in the squad. Lalit Yadav, a budding all-rounder, could get a chance at No. 6 or No. 7 in the line-up.
Kings XI Punjab – 4
Mandeep Singh, Arshdeep Singh, Simran Singh and Harpreet Brar
Kings XI Punjab has associated very well with its local fans. While the chunk of the Indian contingent belongs to Karnataka, there are a few interesting Punjabis in the team too. Mandeep Singh leads the queue, while youngsters Arshdeep Singh, Simran Singh, and Harpreet follow the veteran. Out of the four, only Mandeep looks likely of playing a game this season.
Kolkata Knight Riders – 0
It is surprising to note that Kolkata Knight Riders does not have a single representation from the home-state. A city and state that takes pride in its culture and nativity, KKR missed out on a home-grown talent for this edition. Nevertheless, with the state-team slowly improving, we could soon witness a shift in tradition in the coming years.
Mumbai Indians – 5
Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Dhawal Kulkarni, Aditya Tare and Digvijay Deshmukh (Maharashtra)
Digvijay Deshmukh represents Maharashtra but since we don’t have a Pune-based franchise, we consider him as a home-grown addition. He sure is in good company as the other four cricketers are veterans in the Mumbai cricket circles. Rohit is obviously the best home-grown player for any franchise in the competition, while SKY, Tare, and Dhawal also have plenty to offer to the Indians.
Rajasthan Royals – 2
Mahipal Lomror and Akash Singh
Rajasthan Royals boasts of two promising players from their state. Mahipal Lomror is a talented all-rounder and Akash is considered as an India prospect in the fast-bowling department. It will not be a surprise if both play a decent amount of games this season.
Royal Challengers Bangalore – 2
Devdutt Padikkal and Pavan Deshpande
RCB fans have always craved for home-grown talents, and this time around, they have plenty of scope to get excited. Devdutt Padikkal is a fine talent, and his performance will be keenly observed. On the other hand, there is Pavan Deshpande, who might as well get an opportunity if any of Gurkeerat Singh or Shivam Dube step out of form.
Sunrisers Hyderabad – 1
Sandeep Bavanaka
Sunrisers Hyderabad do not seem to have done much to improve this aspect. They have got hold of Sandeep Bavanaca, a decent cricketer who plays for Hyderabad. Considering SRH is short of batting reserves, Sandeep could fancy an opportunity this edition. However, it is unlikely since he might have to go past the likes of Priyam Garg, Virat Singh, and Abdul Samad to land his chance.
