Over the years, the Indian Premier League (IPL) has produced great talents for Indian cricket as well as other international teams. Every year, the tournament gives away an ‘Emerging Player Award’ to an outstanding performer.
The current requirement to be eligible for this category includes four stipulations – a player should have been born after 1st April 1997, a player should not have played over 25 IPL matches prior to that edition, a player should not have represented the national side in more than five Tests and 20 ODIs and a player should not have won the award previously.
While some of the past winners went on to represent the national team and excel, there were some that faded from the limelight. Here’s a look at what past winners of the ‘Emerging Player Award’ have been up to these days.
2008 – Shreevats Goswami (RCB)
Shreevats Goswami was part of the 2008 India U19 World Cup-winning team led by Virat Kohli, gaining attention for his glove work. That year, he would be picked alongside Kohli by the RCB, ultimately earning him the inaugural Emerging Player Award. However, his career in the tournament has only spanned 31 matches and across three other teams (KKR, RR, and SRH). He represented Sunrisers Hyderabad till 2020. Currently, Goswami is active in first-class cricket and plays for Mizoram.
2009 – Rohit Sharma (Deccan Chargers)
Rohit Sharma was key to the Deccan Chargers winning the 2009 IPL title, even claiming a hat-trick against the Mumbai Indians. He was bought by MI in 2011 and has since been a part of the franchise. He has won five titles with them, all while captaining the side. Although Sharma’s MI have witnessed a shake in the balance, they continue to remain one of the feared teams. Sharma, of course, is also Indian team’s all format captain.
2010 – Saurabh Tiwary (MI)
Saurabh Tiwary, like Goswami, was a member of the 2008 U19 World Cup-winning team. In his third year for MI, Tiwary slammed 419 runs in 16 games. His impact in the tournament got him included in the national team’s ODI squad wherein he played three matches. Tiwary currently plays first-class matches for Jharkhand.
2011 – Iqbal Abdulla (KKR)
Iqbal Abdulla was in prime form in 2011 IPL, claiming 16 wickets. His economy rate of 6.1 was the best in the tournament and helped his side reach the playoffs. In total, he has played 49 matches, even representing franchises RR and RCB. Abdulla continues playing first-class cricket for Mizoram.
2012 – Mandeep Singh (Kings XI Punjab)
Mandeep Singh was the vice-captain of the Indian U19 team at the 2010 World Cup, which made the quarter-finals. A hard-hitting batter, Mandeep was bought by KXIP in 2011, but made his impact felt in 2012, smashing 432 runs in 16 games. In the 2023 IPL Auction, Mandeep was bought by KKR, and has played three matches in this edition. He has also represented teams like RCB and DC in his long career.
2013 – Sanju Samson (RR)
Sanju Samson is one of the players in this list who became a bigger sensation with each season. He is currently the captain of the Rajasthan Royals and also their highest run-scorer. In his debut IPL edition in 2013, Samson scored 206 runs in 11 matches. Samson has represented India in ODIs and T20Is, but has not managed to cement his place. Through his fiery performances in the IPL, the wicket-keeper-batter continues to grow his personal fan base.
2014 – Axar Patel (Kings XI Punjab)
Axar Patel is one of the few bowlers to win the Emerging Player Award, when he picked up 17 wickets in the 2014 season. He also scored a handful of runs (62) batting lower down the order for KXIP. Currently, Patel is the vice-captain of the Delhi Capitals. The all-rounder is also a regular member of the Indian national team, showing up in all three formats.
2015 – Shreyas Iyer (Delhi Daredevils)
Like Patel, Iyer was not exactly a household name in 2015, but that quickly changed, when he amassed 439 runs in 14 games. He smashed four fifties at the strike rate of 128. Iyer is the current captain of Delhi Capitals, but has been ruled out of the tournament due to injury. He is also a regular member of Team India in all formats.
2016 – Mustafizur Rahman (SRH)
To date, Mustafizur Rahman is the only non-Indian cricketer to win the accolade. The Bangladesh seamer displayed his best performance in 2016, claiming 17 wickets in 16 matches for Sunrisers. His contribution played a vital role in his team, led by David Warner, winning the title. Rahman currently plays for Delhi Capitals and is also an integral part of the Bangladesh national team.
2017 – Basil Thampi (Gujarat Lions)
Basil Thampi came as a bargain buy for Gujarat Lions at the 2017 IPL auction, as his performance deserved all the honours. In 11 matches, Thampi picked up 12 scalps, including the likes of Kohli, Dhoni and Gayle. Unfortunately, that season is where his heroics ended, as he was later bought by SRH and MI, where he played his last game. He continues to represent Kerala in first-class cricket.
2018 – Rishabh Pant (DC)
Rishabh Pant collected 684 runs in the 2018 IPL, a performance that contained five fifties and one hundred, and ended the season as the second-highest run-getter. He is the current captain of Delhi Capitals and the first-choice wicket-keeper of the Indian men’s team, but has been side-lined from the sport since December 2022 due to a road accident.
2019 – Shubman Gill (KKR)
Shubman Gill grabbed the eyeballs of the cricketing world in 2019 through his IPL performances with the bat, wherein he scored 276 runs in 14 matches for KKR. He was an important part of the team till his release in 2022. During the 2022 IPL auction, he was bought by Gujarat Titans, where he played a key role in them winning the title in their debut season. Gill continues to shine at the international stage, scoring runs at will across all formats.
2020 – Devdutt Padikkal (RCB)
To shine in a batting line-up that includes Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers is commendable. Devdutt Padikkal did just that for RCB in 2020, scoring 473 runs in 15 games at an average of 31. His achievements earned him a T20I spot with the Indian team in 2021 wherein he scored 38 runs in 2 matches. Though he has not featured in national colours of late, he continues to play for Rajasthan Royals as well as first-class matches for Karnataka.
2021 – Ruturaj Gaikwad (CSK)
Like Pant, Gaikwad crossed the 600-run barrier for CSK. His performances comprised four fifties and a hundred, which came at a strike-rate of 136. Gaikwad’s efforts earned him a spot in India’s T20 and ODI teams where he played 10 matches in total. His last performance in the blue kit came in an ODI against South Africa in October 2022. Gaikwad continues to impress the ‘Yellow Brigade’ with consistent batting at the top of the order. He also plays for Maharashtra in first-class cricket.
2022 – Umran Malik (SRH)
With his sheer pace, Umran Malik set IPL 2022 on fire, claiming 22 wickets in 14 games for SRH. Although it was not a great outing for his team, Malik’s personal accomplishments saw him debut for India in international colours the same year. Today, he is a part of India’s limited-overs teams.