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Top emerging player of IPL 2023: Award criteria and predictions

The IPL Emerging Player Award is a highly coveted recognition that celebrates the young talents who make their mark in the IPL. The Emerging Player of the year award serves as a testament to the league's commitment to nurturing and promoting new talent, providing a platform for promising cricketers to showcase their skills on a grand stage.

In the dynamic and fiercely competitive landscape of the IPL, emerging players have consistently captured the imagination of fans with their exuberance, raw talent, and ability to rise to the occasion. These players embody the potential to become stars in their own right. The Emerging Player Award acknowledges their outstanding contributions and serves as a stepping stone towards greater recognition and opportunities in the cricketing world.

To be eligible for this prestigious accolade, certain criteria must be met. The four major criteria for the Emerging Player of IPL 2023 are as follows:

  • The player must have been born after 1st April 1997.
  • The player should not have more than 25 IPL appearances at the start of IPL 2023. 
  • The player should not have played more than 20 ODIs and 5 Test Matches. 
  • Past recipients do not stand a chance to win the award.

READ: Who will win the Orange Cap in IPL 2023?

IPL emerging player 2023
Photo by Icon Sports

Emerging player of IPL 2023: Top contenders for the award

Player Name  Team Runs/Wickets
Yashasvi Jaiswal Rajasthan Royals 625 Runs
Rinku Singh  Kolkata Knight Riders 474 Runs
Tilak Varma Mumbai Indians 274 Runs
Matheesha Pathirana Chennai Super Kings 15 Wickets
Nehal Wadhera Mumbai Indians 214 Runs
Suyash Sharma Kolkata Knight Riders 10 Wickets
Prabhsimram Singh Punjab Kings 358 Runs
Ayush Badoni Lucknow Super Giants 237 Runs
B Sai Sudharshan Gujarat Titans 223 Runs
Noor Ahmad Gujarat Titans 13 Wickets

READ: Purple cap in IPL 2023: Complete list of all the contenders

1. Yashasvi Jaiswal 

One of the hot prospects for the Emerging Player of IPL 2023 Award is the opening batter of Rajasthan Royals, Yashasvi Jaiswal. The left-handed batsman has taken the IPL by storm this season with his batting display this season. In the 14 matches he played, Yashasvi accumulated an impressive total of 625 runs. His average of 48.07. with an incredible strike rate of 163.61 reflected his consistency and his aggressive and impactful style of play.

Jaiswal’s impressive run this season puts him in the fourth position for the Aramco Orange Cap this season behind Faf du Plessis, Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli. Yashasvi has a total of 5 half centuries and 1 century to his name this season. Yashasvi’s batting displays have been a treat to watch, with his innings featuring a remarkable 82 fours and 26 sixes.

Jaiswal also broke multiple records in the IPL. The southpaw recorded the fastest fifty in the history of the IPL when he raced to the milestone off 13 balls against the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). In that same match at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata, he also scored a century. Jaiswal also broke a 15-year-old record of most runs by an uncapped batter in a single edition of the IPL.

Considering Yashasvi's consistent performances and impressive statistics in the IPL 2023, it is evident that he tops our Emerging player list. His strong performances in domestic cricket and his ability to excel on the grand stage of the IPL make him a deserving candidate for the Emerging Player of the year award.

2. Rinku Singh

The next in the IPL Emerging player list is Rinku Singh. In a season filled with inconsistent performances for Kolkata Knight Riders, the middle-order batter has been a ray of hope. Despite being associated with the IPL since 2018, Rinku Singh has had limited opportunities to exhibit his talent. However, he recently achieved a remarkable feat by becoming the fifth player in IPL history to hit five sixes in a single over. 

In IPL 2023, Rinku has showcased his skills by scoring 474 runs in 14 matches, boasting an impressive average of 59.25 and a strike rate of 149.52. His innings have been adorned with 31 fours and 29 sixes, further solidifying his impact on the game. The left-hand batter has impressed one and all with his contribution to KKR this season, including the superstar Shahrukh Khan. 

Even in KKR’s last home game against the Lucknow Super Giants when his team needed 19 runs off three balls, Rinku tried his heart out with a knock of 67 runs. He hit Yash Thakur for two sixes and a four, but it was not enough for the Knight Riders to win.

It was also the match that saw the Knights getting knocked out of the competition. However, Rinku Singh's name is likely to feature prominently in the discussions surrounding the Emerging Player Award in IPL 2023.

3. Suyash Sharma

The tag-line of IPL: “Where talent meets opportunity” is true in the case of Suyash Sharma. The leg spinner has been one of the shining stars of KKR’s season. Suyash Sharma has been able to make a mark for himself in the spin dominant attack of KKR alongside Sunil Narine and Varun Chakravarthy.

Suyash Sharma was picked by KKR despite him not having any previous record. But the leg-spinner got his opportunity and grabbed it with both hands. In the 11 matches, Suyash has picked a total of 10 wickets at an economy of 8.23 and a strike rate of 23.40. The 20-year old registered his best figures of 3/30 in his debut match against RCB. 

From having no record previously to competing against the best in the IPL, this has been one of the stories of the IPL so far. It is rare to witness an Indian spinner capturing such significant attention within a short span. Suyash, with his exceptional bowling performances, has managed to generate considerable interest. The mystery spinner makes our IPL Emerging player list.

4. Tilak Varma

In the thrilling 15th edition of the IPL, Tilak's brilliance on the field was nothing short of magnificent. With his exceptional batting skills, he played a crucial role in holding the innings together and expertly guiding the team towards success. The Hyderabad-born cricketer has displayed the same in this edition of the IPL. 

The MI batter has managed to score 274 runs from 9 matches in a somewhat injury-hit season. The left-hander played a stellar knock of 84* against RCB in the opening match for MI. Tilak Varma has visibly improved his stats from the debut season with an impressive average of 45.67 and a strike rate of 158.38 as compared to 36.09 and 131.02 respectively.

Earlier, former Indian all-rounder and head coach Ravi Shastri said that he would be surprised if Varma does not go on to play for India in the next few months.

With MI already through to the playoffs, Tilak Varma’s role in the run will be crucial if MI are to win another IPL title. With this impressive run in his second IPL season, Tilak Varma takes his place in the Emerging player list.

5. Matheesha Pathirana

The next in the Emerging player list is CSK’s Matheesha Pathirana. A Sri Lankan Fast bowler with a slingy arm action, have you heard this somewhere before? But this time it is not Lasith Malinga but Matheesha Pathirana. Matheesha Pathirana, referred to as ‘Baby Malinga’, made his way through the Under-19 World Cup in 2020. He was then picked up by the Chennai Super Kings in 2022. In the 2022 season, Pathirana played just 2 matches picking 2 wickets. But this season, he has become MS Dhoni’s go-to bowler.

Pathirana has taken the IPL 2023 by storm picking 15 wickets in 10 matches. He has become MS Dhoni’s most trusted bowler in the death overs. Pathirana has picked up 14 wickets in between overs 16-20, the most by any bowler. The most impressive stats about the 20-year-old are his strike-rate and economy. Although Pathirana bowls the death overs, he has conceded runs at an economy of 7.56 and strike-rate of 15.33. These numbers can make any bowler the captain’s favorite. 

Recently, Dhoni said that Pathirana should not be allowed to go anywhere near to Test cricket. However, Lasith Malinga reckoned that playing Test cricket will help the speedster sharpen his skills further.

In a season where it is raining runs, the extraordinary bowling of Matheesha Pathirana surely makes him one of the contenders for the IPL Emerging Player 2023.

READ: Where to watch IPL 2023? 

Emerging Player of the Year award
Photo by Icon Sports

IPL emerging player 2023: Predictions

Our prediction for the winner of IPL emerging player 2023 award is Yashasvi Jaiswal.

The left handed opener of Rajasthan Royals has left the spectators and cricket pundits in awe of his performances this season. Yashasvi has showcased an extraordinary display of skill and determination, establishing himself as a force to be reckoned with.

In the 13 matches thus far, Yashasvi has amassed an impressive tally of 625 runs putting him fourth in the race for the Aramco Orange Cap. His batting average of 48.07, combined with an astonishing strike rate of 163.61, reflects both his consistency and his aggressive style of play, captivating audiences with every stroke he plays. He has adorned an impressive 82 fours and 26 sixes, highlighting his ability to find boundaries with ease. The knocks of 124 and 99 against MI and KKR respectively, have been season defining ones.

Yashasvi has been the frontrunner for almost all the awards this season, with the Dream 11 Game-changer award, RuPay On-the-Go 4’s and the Upstox Most Valuable Asset. Considering Yashasvi's consistent and outstanding performances throughout the IPL 2023, there is little doubt that he is the Prime candidate for the Emerging Player of IPL 2023 Award.

IPL emerging player list: Past winners

Player Name Team Year
Shreevats Goswami Royal Challengers Bangalore 2008
Rohit Sharma Deccan Chargers 2009
Saurabh Tiwary Mumbai Indians 2010
Iqbal Abdulla Kolkata Knight Riders 2011
Mandeep Singh Kings XI Punjab 2012
Sanju Samson Rajasthan Royals 2013
Axar Patel Kings XI Punjab 2014
Shreyas Iyer Delhi Daredevils 2015
Mustafizur Rahman Sunrisers Hyderabad 2016
Basil Thampi Gujarat Lions 2017
Rishabh Pant Delhi Capitals 2018
Shubman Gill  Kolkata Knight Riders 2019
Devdutt Paddikal  Royal Challengers Bangalore 2020
Ruturaj Gaikwad Chennai Super Kings 2021
Umran Malik Sunrisers Hyderabad 2022

Can Yashasvi add his name to this prestigious list, or will another up and coming player snatch the award from him?

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