IPL stars Hardik Pandya, and Dinesh Karthik continue the IPL form into international cricket

The league has turned out to be a perfect stage for the youngsters to showcase their raw talent to the world. It has turned the fortunes of many aspiring young cricketers by giving them numerous opportunities at further levels. It is not just the youngsters who have succeeded but also the veteran players with the help of this cash-rich league. Many players made good use of the league, whereas some failed to derive benefit from it. 

Hardik Pandya's comeback from the challenging phase

Hardik Pandya has been a star in IPL for many years and has played a vital role in Mumbai Indians' success over the years. Hardik came from a very underprivileged background and turned into a star with the help of this league. Hardik established his dominance in the national team for many years; however, the past couple of years had been quite distressing for the all-rounder. He was also included in the controversy in the TV show 'Koffee with Karan, where he was scrutinised along with his teammate KL Rahul. Hardik left-back this incident however was further trapped with injuries. Due to his back injury, Hardik Pandya stayed away from the cricket field for a long time, which could have been the most challenging phase for the Indian all-rounder. 

After recovering from the injury, it was not easy for him to start again. Many doubted his all-rounder abilities, and the player failed to meet the selector's expectations. After being in and out constantly on the national side, the Indian Premier League turned out as a game-changer for him. He led Gujarat Titans to their maiden IPL trophy, and the skipper proved his worth and capabilities. In the fifteen matches he played, Hardik scored 487 runs with an astonishing average of 44.27 and also clinched eight wickets. Thus, this made everyone believe in the all-rounder and what a player he is. In the ongoing India vs South Africa series, Hardik has been named the vice-captain and has played his role brilliantly in both departments. For India vs Ireland series, Hardik Pandya will be seen leading the team. We can surely hope for a good captaincy from the all-rounder and expect him to emerge as a perfect candidate for India's captaincy.

Dinesh Karthik: is currently one of the best finishers for team India!

A few months ago, it was said that Dinesh Karthik is a part-time cricketer and a full-time commentator pointing to his exclusion from the national side. Karthik had been facing his poor form for a long time, which was also one of the reasons he was released by his former franchise Kolkata Knight Riders. Karthik was always an underrated player, and due to his dismal performance, he had been out of the Indian squad for almost two years. Consequently, many thought that his career had been wrapped up. While nobody believed in his comeback, this veteran wicketkeeper-batsman didn't stop his grind, and the faith inside him never faded. 

Among all these drawbacks, the IPL would be an excellent opportunity for him. Karthik also grabbed this opportunity with both hands as he emerged as one of the best finishers in this season of IPL. Karthik smashed 330 runs in 16 matches he played at an impressive strike rate of 183.33 and sealed many games for RCB. His furious performance in this league made the national selectors reconsider their decision, and he was further selected for the India vs South Africa series. This was the opportunity Dinesh Karthik had been waiting for two years! In the 4th T20 of the series, Karthik smashed a stunning half-century giving a valuable contribution to the team's win. With this, now many are considering him a critical player for India in the upcoming world cup. Looking at his current form, we can surely expect this wicketkeeper-batsman to be in the world cup squad.

Rishabh Pant's struggle persists.

Indian wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant is among the many players who made their career with the help of IPL. However, recent times have been quite difficult for the batter as he is seen struggling to score with his bat. The team management has backed Rishabh Pant for a long time; however, he has been failing to provide justice to this. Rishabh Pant had been inconsistent on the national side from before the IPL times. And thus, the IPL was being looked at as an opportunity for him. As DC's skipper, he was expected to show composure and execute some good knocks. However, he was disappointed as he constantly lost his wicket in the same fashion. 

In the 14 matches, Pant scored just 340 runs with an average of 30.9 without a single fifty-plus score. This had been a big concern for the team management, but the team backed Rishabh Pant, and he was further declared the captain for the India vs South Africa series. Although there were many expectations from the skipper, he disappointed everyone by not performing up to the mark with his bat. In the four matches till now, his performance has been significantly poor, making concerns for him and team management. Looking at his batting, it is seen that he lacks patience and a good flow and is unable to learn from his mistakes. Rishabh Pant needs to work on his batting and will need to overcome this failure to maintain his position in the squad.