IPL 2022: 5 Indian Players Who Can Earn A National Call Up On The Basis Of IPL 2022 Performance

Team India think tank will ruminate the options for the ICC T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia later in the October-November period.

Indian head coach Rahul Dravid and the national selectors will surely have their eyes on the ongoing IPL 2022 to chalk out their roadmap for the next six months.

After India’s T20 World Cup exit in the group stage in UAE, the resilience under Rohit Sharma has been well with a whitewash against New Zealand, West Indies, and Sri Lanka on home soil.

However, India must not be complacent and prepare for their tough opponents like South Africa and England. India will play South Africa in the five-match T20I series in June.

Post-South Africa series, India will be visiting the United Kingdom (UK) to play a couple of T20I matches against Ireland followed by the multi-format series against England, which includes three T20 International fixtures.

The Indian team will want their best players on the flight to Australia. So they will explore as many options as they can before the showpiece event.

Let us look at some of the players who can make the cut in the Indian team based on their IPL 2022 performance.

IPL 2022: 5 Indian Players Who Can Earn A National Call Up On The Basis Of IPL 2022 Performance

1. Umran Malik

Malik has been consistent with his searing pace and that creates a terror in the batter’s mind. Bowling at the speed of 150kph has been a routine for the Jammu & Kashmir pace sensation.

In his last match against Gujarat Titans, Malik claimed his maiden fifer in T20 cricket with figures of 5/25.

Four of his five wickets involved the dismantling of the stumps including the one Wriddhiman Saha bowled at the speed of 152.8 kmph.

The 22-year-old is the joint-highest wicket-taker of Sunrisers Hyderabad with T Natarajan in the tournament. Both the fast bowlers have claimed 15 wickets in eight games, however, Malik has a better bowling average (15.93) than that of the left-arm pacer (17.40).

Malik became the fourth bowler to bowl a maiden in the 20th over of an innings. He joined Lasith Malinga, Irfan Pathan, and Jaydev Unadkat to achieve the milestone.

Reports have suggested that the Indian selectors have kept their eyes on the Indian youngster and it is likely for him to get roped in for South Africa T20I series in June.

2. Avesh Khan

Avesh was the second-most leading wicket-taker of the IPL 2021. The pace bowler was purchased for a whopping amount of INR 10 crore by LSG.

The 25-year-old is the leading wicket-taker of his team in the IPL 2022 so far. He snapped four wickets for 24 runs against SRH as LSG won 12 runs.

He was awarded player of the match for his stupendous bowling spell. Avesh missed the second leg against MI due to a niggle.

Avesh made his T20I debut for India in the West Indies T20I series in February. The Madhya Pradesh pacer leaked 42 runs on his debut and went wicketless. He played the final T20I match against Sri Lanka and picked twin wickets.

3. Dinesh Karthik

The 36-year-old has been phenomenal with his batting performance for RCB in the slog overs, he amassed 218 runs in 10 innings so far in IPL 2022, striking at 194.64.

Karthik has filled the void of former South African swashbuckling player AB de Villiers in the RCB batting order.

He has adjusted very well to the finisher’s role as he finished games against KKR and RR.

The Tamil Nadu player hit 66 in 34 balls against Delhi Capitals, he smashed 28 runs off Mustafizur Rahman’s bowling in an over to push RCB’s total to 189/5.

Karthik hasn’t played a game in the blue colors since India’s exit from the 2019 World Cup semi-final. After watching his stellar form in the initial stage of IPL 2022, many cricket pundits the likes of Sunil Gavaskar reckoned Karthik to play in the T20 World Cup Down Under.

4. Hardik Pandya

Since becoming the captain of Gujarat Titans, Pandya cemented his batting position at no.4 in the Gujarat Titans batting line-up.

The move definitely reaped fruits as the skipper amassed 305 runs in seven innings at the strike rate of 137.49.

Pandya is the fourth-highest run-scorer in the tournament behind Shikhar Dhawan, Rahul, and Buttler.

Pandya has also started bowling and chipped in with four wickets as he complements Mohammed Shami and Lockie Ferguson in the pace department. The Indian all-rounder is pushing his case for the T20 World Cup selection in Australia later this year.

Pandya hasn’t played any international game for India since the ICC T20 World Cup 2021 last year in November.

The Indian all-rounder could pip Venkatesh Iyer to push his case with his impressive IPL 2022 campaign.

5. Arshdeep Singh

Arshdeep is turning himself into a death overs specialist in the company of Kagiso Rabada. In the first eight IPL matches, Arshdeep has an economy rate of 5.66 while bowling in the slog overs (16-20).

The left-arm pacer has just claimed three wickets but has definitely been economical with the ball for his team.

Arshdeep is yet to make his international debut for India and he could be considered for the South Africa home T20Is in June.