3 Indian cricketers who made their Test debuts after a breakthrough IPL season

Back in 2008 when IPL started its maiden journey various pundits considered the league as a roadblock to the classical form of cricket. A few of the former cricketers and experts criticized the glitter and glamour involved in it. But 12 years down the line, the T20 extravaganza has certainly proved its worth and it is a fact now that it has set the platform for the budding cricketers to showcase their skills.

Not only India, but even the other countries have been benefitted by the IPL. Shaun Marsh is one such player who got into the Australian side across all the formats after playing in the tournament and this is the reason why many foreign players prioritise IPL. India has been more blessed than anyone with this league as a lot of cricketers from the corners of the country played for different franchises and some of them are representing the country today.

The notion that the T20 cricket kills the Test format seems to be wrong if the progress of some of the players is highlighted. Jos Buttler is one such player who got back into the England Test team after a brilliant IPL season last year.

Here we bring you the three Indian cricketers who made their Test Debuts after a breakthrough season in IPL:

1. Virat Kohli

Indian cricket has been fortunate to get the services of some masters of the game and when Virat Kohli broke into the scene it was clear that he was destined for big things. In 2008, the same year when he won the U19 World Cup for India, Kohli was bagged by RCB at IPL auction. Although his contribution was just 165 runs in 13 matches, the attitude shown by the chubby teenager was praiseworthy.

IPL 2011 proved to be turning point in Kohli’s career as he went on to amass scored 557 runs which included 4 half centuries. He was on the selectors’ radar and a brilliant season paved the way for his place in the Test team soon after the IPL. However, it was a tough series for the current Indian captain as he could only muster 76 runs in five outings at an average of 15.20.

Fast forward to 2019, Kohli is the best batsman in the world in the format and is the leader of the Indian team. He has 25 centuries to his name including six double hundreds and will definitely end up as one of the great Test players the game has ever seen.

2. Jasprit Bumrah

Over the years, the Indian cricket has been dominated by the spinners. But now it has changed as India has got one of the potent fast bowling attacks in the world led by Jasprit Bumrah. Mumbai Indians were the first to notice him unleashed him in 2013. Though IPL 2017 was the breakthrough year for Bumrah as he and his mentor Malinga formed a new ball pair for MI and this time he outshone the master with his bag of tricks.

He had by then made his name in the limited-overs set-up for India and an exceptional show at the IPL against some of the best batsmen led to the selectors picking in the Test side for the South Africa tour. India used him in the first Test of the tour at Newlands and his first victim was none other than AB de Villiers. Bumrah’s spell of 5/54 at Wanderers was a match winning spell and by the end of that series, he had announced himself on the global stage.

In England when he played at Trent Bridge after a two-match lay off Bumrah picked up another five-wicket haul and the result was India’s only win in that series. He was the architect of India’s first Test series win in the Australian soil and by the end of 2018, the 25-year-old was the leader of the Indian pace attack which is looking the best ever.

3. Rishabh Pant

In India, MS Dhoni changed the notion of a wicketkeeper-batsman and after his Test retirement, Saha took over the duties and did justice to his role. During this time, a bloke named Rishabh Pant was playing the U19 World Cup as a keeper batsman in 2016 and impressed everybody with his hard-hitting abilities. Delhi seized him in the 2016 auction and in a couple of seasons he became the team’s batting mainstay. The IPL 2018 was a dream year for him as Pant amassed 684 runs in the season.

In the same season, Saha got injured and he was picked up in the Test team as a back-up wicketkeeper for Dinesh Karthik for England tour which followed the IPL. Pant made his debut in the third Test of the series and proved that he belongs at the highest level.

He struggled behind the wickets initially but as time passed, improved and was the second highest run-getter for India in the Australia tour. He is now an established wicketkeeper-batsman in the team and could be a long term prospect for India in the format.

It is a fact that now batsmen are adopting T20 tactics in red ball cricket and the numbers and results are also suggesting the same. Slam-bang cricket has taken away some sheen from the purest format of the game but one cannot deny the opportunities created by the IPL for the talents and it is the players who have to decide their batting approach in respective formats.

~Written by Kiran Kumar