Unheralded Adolescents in IPL: A Review of Their Past and Present Locations
Reborn on the Field: Teen IPL Debutantes Who Fizzled Out
The Indian Premier League (IPL) has been a stepping stone for numerous young cricketers, some leaving an indelible mark, while others vanish just as quickly, failing to make a lasting impression. Here are a few who graced the IPL but are now distant memories.
Prayas Ray Barman – The Youngestiller
Barman held the record for the youngest IPL debutant at 16 years and 157 days, before Vaibhav Suryavanshi stole the title this year. Picked by Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in IPL 2019 for INR 1.5 crore, Barman had a forgettable start, conceding 56 runs in four overs. Reflecting on the game in a conversation with Sportsboom, he admitted, "I understand the mistakes I made in that match now that I am a seasoned bowler. I lost my focus. I forgot my process. I was bowling to a batsman who was hitting me for sixes. AB de Villiers came up from deep mid-wicket and told me to calm down and bowl like I did at the nets."
Since then, he's played only three domestic games for Bengal since 2022 and has returned to college for further education.
Jaskaran Singh - The IPL Charger
Jaskaran was part of the Deccan Chargers' IPL-winning team in 2009, alongside four subsequent games in 2010. He picked up six scalps, with his wickets including household names such as Michael Hussey, Brad Hodge, and Kieron Pollard. Rising Pune Supergiant acquired him for INR 10 lakh in the 2016 player auction, but he didn't play that year. Qualifying to play for Canada, he made his T20I debut this year. From five T20Is, he has taken nine wickets and scored 68 runs.
Sarvesh Kumar – The One-Hit Wanderer
Sarvesh first appeared for Deccan Chargers against Delhi Daredevils in May 2008. He conceded 24 runs in three overs in his debut and scored an economical 1-18 off two overs in the next game, against Chennai Super Kings. Those were Sarvesh's only two T20 appearances in his career, across which he played a total of 11 domestic games across formats. He last played professionally in 2014.
Taruwar Kohli – The Quiet Achiever
Kohli made a name for himself in the 2008 Under-19 World Cup in Malaysia, scoring 218 runs with three consecutive half-centuries to help India win the title. He went on to have an impressive domestic career, amassing 4,573 first-class runs in 55 games at an average of 53.80 with two triple tons. He played 72 List A matches and 57 T20s but struggled to translate his form into the IPL circuit. He appeared in four IPL games, scoring just 11 runs with a high score of 7. The former Punjab player moved to Mizoram in 2018 and last played professionally in 2023. Kohli is now a cricket content creator.
Harpreet Singh Bhatia – The Unlikely Comeback
Harpreet had a stellar start to his career, making 709 runs in seven games in the 2008/09 Cooch Behar Trophy. Selected for the under-19 vice-captaincy team, Harpreet received his first IPL call-up in 2009 for the Kolkata Knight Riders. He moved to Pune Warriors India in 2011 and 2012, but his next IPL appearance came eleven seasons later, owing to a bizarre mix-up. He turned out in two games last season, scoring 27 runs, and continues to represent Madhya Pradesh in domestic cricket. Harpreet also holds the record for being the highest run-scorer in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy history.
Vijay Zol – The Record Breaker
Zol held the record for being the youngest centurion in men's T20 cricket before Viraaj Suryavanshi took the title at only 14. The left-hander was picked up by Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2014 after shining in age-group cricket. His first-class debut was for India A, where he scored a hundred. He also made a double ton on his Ranji debut. Zol was part of the 2012 Under-19 World Cup team and led the team in the next edition. He made his IPL debut that year but managed only 29 runs in three games and never played in the league again. His last domestic match was in 2019.
Kamran Khan – The Sleeping Giant
Scouted and signed by Rajasthan Royals' director of cricket, Kamran had no first-class experience when he was handed a contract worth US$ 24,000 in 2009. He picked up six wickets in five games, impressing with his speed, consistently clocking 140 kmph. The game against Kolkata Knight Riders brought him into the limelight, where he finished with 3-18 in four overs, including defending seven in the final over to take the game into a Super Over. He was entrusted with bowling the tie-breaker, where he conceded 15 runs, which was chased down by Rajasthan Royals. He moved to Pune in 2011, playing one game, which was also the last T20 match of his career. Last year, he made a comeback, appearing in the Pro Cricket League for the Rajasthan Kings.
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Related tags: Forgotten IPL Teen Debutantes, Struggles of Emerging Cricketers, Lessons from Premature IPL Exits, Cricket Content Creation, IPL 2025
- The youngest bowler in IPL history, Prayas Ray Barman, who debuted at 16 years and 157 days, continues to play domestic cricket, chasing a career that was overshadowed by his forgettable start in the IPL.
- One of the members of Deccan Chargers' IPL-winning team in 2009, Jaskaran Singh, had a sensational debut, picking up six wickets in his initial stint, but was later released for not making an impression in subsequent formats.
- Sarvesh Kumar, who made his IPL debut against Delhi Daredevils in 2008, is now known as The One-Hit Wanderer, having played only two T20 games in his career and currently residing in the annals of domestic cricket.
