IPL 2022: Five players who could replace established India names for T20 WC

Here's a list of the top five contenders whose IPL 2022 performance is helping them knock on the doors of India's T20 World Cup 2022 squad

Umran Malik, Arshdeep Singh, N Tilak Varma, Dinesh Karthik, and Deepak Hooda are a few names that are making rounds in the Indian cricket fraternity post the Indian Premier League 2022. These players have done really well and are pushing for a place in the Indian team for the upcoming T20 World Cup which will be held in Australia in October and November 2022. 

The Indian team announced for the upcoming T20 series against South Africa starting June 08, 2022, has most of these names in it. If the big guns continue to disappoint, they might be in for a surprise as selectors would have a lot on their plate to think about. 

Here’s a list of the top five contenders based on their IPL 2022 performance that can take the place of settled Indian players in India’s T20 World Cup 2022 squad. 

Umran Malik

The speed merchant from Jammu made headlines in the 2021 edition of the IPL. He regularly clocked over 140 and was picked as a net bowler for the T20 World Cup 2021 by the Indian team. But in the domestic season that followed, he could not translate his potential into performance. 

However, in the 2022 edition of the IPL, he was something totally different as he picked up 22 wickets in just 14 games. His performance also included a five-wicket haul, which is a rare commodity to get hold of for the bowlers in the shortest format. With the pace that he has, even if he could acquire a bit of control, it would lead him to becoming a truly dangerous prospect for India in the T20 World Cup. 

The selectors have given him a chance by putting him in the India squad for the upcoming South Africa series and have thus provided him with an excellent opportunity to make a permanent place for himself in the Indian side for the T20 World Cup 2022. Malik could very well play in place of Mohammed Shami. 

Arshdeep Singh

Another bowler who has impressed all in the last two seasons is Punjab’s, Arshdeep Singh. He is known for his accuracy in the death overs and this year he was just on another level when it came to executing yorkers. 

Though Arshdeep didn’t pick many wickets this season (just 10 scalps in 14 games), it was his ability to choke the flow of runs in the death overs that made him a great contender for a place in team India. 

India have been in a search of a left-arm pacer to provide variety to their limited-overs attack which is filled with right arm fast bowlers and Arshdeep seems to be the best fit going forward to fill that space. Arshdeep can take Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s place in the Indian team because of the control that he possesses with the ball. 

Dinesh Karthik

If there is one person who has benefited greatly from this IPL, it would have to be Dinesh Karthik. Thought to be done and dusted with, Dinesh Karthik has really bounced back well. 

He always maintained that he wanted to represent India in the 2022 T20 World Cup and that’s why he was playing in the IPL. To make his case stronger, Karthik scored at an outstanding strike rate of 183.3 (down from 200 only in the last few games). In total, the 37-year-old scored 330 runs and played a huge role in his side Royal Challengers Bangalore reaching the playoffs as he won them many lost games. 

Karthik could very well be the first-choice wicketkeeper in the shortest format because Rishabh Pant didn't have the best of IPLs.

Deepak Hooda

Deepak Hooda was promoted this season as he changed his franchise from Punjab Kings to Lucknow Super Giants. He batted at number three throughout the season and showed the range and depth of his batting by not only playing the role of an innings maker and damage controller when openers got out early but also of a dasher and a finisher when the openers set up a stage to go all guns blazing.

Balancing all that, Hooda scored a blazing 451 runs in 14 innings at an average of 32 with four fifties to his name. It is his consistency at number three that has got him a place in Team India for the upcoming South Africa series. And if he performs there, he could very well be a threat to the likes of Shreyas Iyer and Virat Kohli in the side if KL Rahul starts opening the innings along with Rohit Sharma.   

Abhishek Sharma

Abhishek Sharma was a revelation in this IPL as he carried on his form from the domestic cricket (Vijay Hazare and Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy) into the IPL and even as Kane Williamson, his senior partner failed to make any impact, the Punjab lad was unaffected at the other end.  

The Sunrisers Hyderabad player scored 426 runs at an average of 30.43 and for the first time in his career played all the matches of the season, repaying the trust of the management in his potential by translating it into performance. 

Sharma, a left-handed opening batter with abilities to roll his arm over for decent right-arm off-spin, could be a bright prospect for all formats for India. But especially in T20s, he could very well take Venkatesh Iyer and Ishan Kishan’s place on the side. 

And a couple of honourable mentions: 

Rahul Tripathi and N Tilak Varma are the two other players who are in the reckoning and could be given a chance as soon as the selectors feel it right. While Varma scored 397, Tripathi scored 413 runs in 14 games. Varma does have age on his side as he is just 19, but Tripathi at 31, does not have much time to hold on to his brilliant form. He could pose a threat to Suryakumar Yadav, Shreyas Iyer and Virat Kohli’s place in the side as he is also a top-order batter.