The Indian Premier League (IPL) is a boon for young cricketers around the globe. Since 2008, the league has given a lot of opportunities to youngsters to showcase their talent and earn big bucks. Back in 2008, the 21-year-old Suresh Raina displayed his batting mettle for Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the inaugural IPL edition and made a comeback in the Indian team.
Similarly, in 2009, the 22-year-old Pragyan Ojha won a spot in India’s 2009 T20I World Cup team after his spectacular bowling display for Deccan Chargers. In recent times, Rashid Khan, Rishabh Pant, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Arshdeep Singh got recognition in cricketing circles after performing exceptionally in the cash-rich league.
In the upcoming tournament, eyes will be set on youngsters again as a few young players pulled off lucrative contracts in the 2024 IPL auction in Dubai. Uncapped players Sameer Rizvi and Kumar Kushagra were sold for INR 8.49 crore and INR 7.20 crore respectively at the business event. These two players will be closely watched in the upcoming league edition. Along with them, some other youngsters will also get a chance to exhibit their cricketing prowess and become big names in this sport. Discussing more, let’s know the youngest player from every team.
Here is the list of youngest players from each team in IPL 2024:
10. Gujarat Titans (GT)- Noor Ahmad
In the 2023 IPL, Afghanistan’s left-arm spinner Noor Ahmad made his IPL debut for Gujarat Titans (GT). The 18-year-old is the youngest player in the side but he bowled like a maestro in the competition. Appearing in 13 matches, he grabbed 16 wickets at an economy of 7.82.
Ahmad will be seen in the GT Team in 2024 as well and he will be expected to come heavily on batters. Along with his compatriot and senior colleague Rashid Khan, his duty will be to provide breakthroughs to the side in middle overs. The youngster has played a lot of league cricket in his brief cricketing career but he will look to do big in the cash-rich league.
9. Lucknow Super Giants (LSG)- Arshin Kulkarni
Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) signed up Maharashtra’s all-rounder Arshin Kulkarni for INR 20 lakh. Kulkarni, 18, will be the youngest stalwart in the LSG’s team and his role will be to assist Mark Wood, Mohsin Khan, and Shivam Mavi to bolster the team’s fast-bowling unit. While as a batter, he might given the task of reinforcing the middle order.
Kulkarni made his domestic debut in 2023 against Bengal in the 2023-24 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT). Playing the crucial T20 tournament, he exuded confidence with the bat, scoring 121 runs in five innings of six matches at a magnificent strike rate of 163.51. His decent batting display for Maharashtra caught LSG’s attention in the auction.
8. Punjab Kings (PBKS)- Atharva Taide
Punjab Kings’ (PBKS) retained Athrava Taide for the 2024 season and his endeavours will be to play attacking cricket for the team while batting in the upper order. In 2023, he got seven matches and scored 186 runs at an impressive strike rate of 144.19 and an average of 26.57.
PBKS will expect their youngest servant to produce some solid innings from his bat and become the future of the team. In the 2023-24 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT), the 23-year-old racked up 302 runs in seven games at a breathtaking strike rate of 169.66 and ended up as Vidarbha’s leading run-getter. Before the marquee tournament, Taide’s batting numbers are an auspicious indication for Punjab’s supporters.
7. Rajasthan Royals (RR)- Kunal Singh Rathore
Rajasthan Royals (RR) picked up Kunal Singh Rathore in the 2023 IPL auction, for his base amount of INR 20 lakh. However, he warmed the benches throughout the competition as the team management didn’t give him a single game in the tournament. Before the auction, the 21-year-old was featured in RR’s retained list and he will now look to make his debut in the cash-rich league.
Rathore, who is the youngest player in the RR team, played his first domestic game for Rajasthan in October 2022 in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) 2022-23. Since then, he has played 12 T20s for Rajasthan and scored 254 runs at a strike rate of 138.04. The youngster might get the responsibility to bat in the lower middle order for the Royals as his record is decent for his domestic side Rajasthan.
Also check: IPL 2024: Team-wise oldest player in the league
6. Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH)- Nitish Kumar Reddy
Andhra Pradesh all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy became a part of Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the 2023 IPL auction for INR 20 lakh. In the tournament, he got two games but couldn’t do much for the side. With the ball, he bowled five overs in two innings and splurged runs at an average of 10.80.
The 20-year-old is SRH’s youngest stalwart and noting his talent, the team management has shown faith in him for the 2024 IPL season. Reddy’s domestic T20 numbers aren’t great but he looked confident with the bat for Andhra Pradesh in the 2023-24 Vijay Hazare Trophy. Playing five contests, he smashed 110 runs in four innings at a strike rate of 100.91.
5. Chennai Super Kings (CSK)- Shaik Rasheed
Chennai Super Kings (CSK) showed interest in Andhra Pradesh’s young batter Shaik Rasheed in the 2023 IPL auction. They fetched the youngster for INR 20 lakh but didn’t take his services for the entire season. Chennai have retained the talented youngster for the next IPL season after noting his sensational batting performance in the 2023-24 Syed Mushtaq Trophy.
In Andhra colours, the 19-year-old hit 240 runs in six innings of seven matches at a fabulous strike rate of 145.45. Rasheed will be the youngest player in CSK’s IPL 2024 team so the CSK team management might look to give him a chance to prove himself in the upcoming IPL edition and get a fresh talent in the team for the future.
4. Delhi Capitals (DC)- Swastik Chikara
Delhi Capitals (DC) roped in Uttar Pradesh’s batter Swastik Chikara for the 2024 IPL season in the auction held in Dubai. Capitals acquired him for INR 20 lakh but the team management will want him to showcase his batting mettle and become a valuable asset for the side.
Chikara made his domestic debut just a few days before the 2024 IPL auction in Dubai. The right-handed batter has represented Uttar Pradesh in six List A matches and racked up 200 runs with a ton in six games at a strike rate of 109.28. The 18-year-old is the youngest player in DC’s camp and his endeavours will be to take his fine form to the 2024 IPL and grab the limelight.
3. Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB)- Saurav Chauhan
Gujarat’s top-order batter Saurav Chauhan will make his IPL debut in the RCB team in 2024. RCB reserved the youngster’s services for INR 20 lakh in the 2024 IPL auction held in Dubai. Chauhan has been active in the domestic circle since 2021 and in these two years, he has played 19 T20s for Gujarat.
Appearing in 19 games, he has piled up 464 runs at a strike rate of 152.13. He looked extraordinary with his bat in the 2023-24 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, amassing 251 runs at a stellar strike rate of 184.55. Chauhan, 23, will be the youngest player in the RCB squad for 2024. If Challengers show faith in him in the marquee tournament, he will look to grab the opportunity with both hands.
2. Kolkata Knight Rides (KKR)- Angkrish Raghuvanshi
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) bought 10 players in the 2024 IPL auction in which the 18-year-old Mumbai player Angkrit Ranghuvanshi’s name was also included. He became a part of KKR for INR 20 lakh in the auction. Raghuvanshi will strive to do wonders with his bat in the 2024 IPL.
In the previous season, Knight Riders tried Narayan Jagadessan as an opener but he couldn’t provide solid numbers to the side. The 18-year-old talented batter will also be the youngest member of the KKR and keeping the future in mind, the team management might give him the duty to kick off innings with Jason Roy in 2024. If he delivers effective numbers to the team in the tournament, Kolkata will get an opener who can serve them for a long time.
1. Mumbai Indians (MI)- Dewald Brevis
Dewald Brevis has been a part of Mumbai Indians (MI) since 2022 but in these two years, he has played only seven matches. Playing his debut season in the 15th IPL edition, he accumulated 161 runs in seven matches at a strike rate of 142.48, however, in 2023, he didn’t get a single match from the team management.
Brevis is the youngest player in the MI team when it comes to age but he can be impactful for the team while batting at the top order. Along with the veteran Rohit Sharma and Ishan Kishan, he has the potential to amass runs at a swift pace in the top order. The right-handed Protea has proven himself in South Africa’s domestic cricket. In October 2022, he played a scintillating 162-run knock off just 57 for his domestic side Titans against Knights in a T20 game played at Senwes Park.
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