The Indian Premier League (IPL) is more than just a cricket tournament, which blends thrilling cricket, entertainment, and global talent on one platform. Since its inaugural season in 2008, the IPL has been promoting young talent and has provided fine talents to India and the world.
Over the years, the league has unearthed numerous prodigies, while players like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Jasprit Bumrah have been at the top of a generation in world cricket. Players like Jasprit Bumrah, Rishabh Pant, and Yashasvi Jaiswal have risen after the exquisite scouting done on every level by the franchise scouts and coaches.
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Here’s a list of the top 5 youngest players in IPL history:
1: Prayas Ray Barman (16 years and 157 days)
Right-arm leg spinner Prayas Ray Barman made history in 2019 when he became the youngest player to debut in the IPL at just 16 years and 157 days. He made his Indian Premier League (IPL) debut for the Royal Challengers Bangalore against the Sunrisers Hyderabad. His inclusion highlighted the IPL’s commitment to giving young domestic talent a platform to shine. Prayas only got one chance to play and scored 19 runs for the side without picking up a wicket.
2: Mujeeb ur Rahman (17 years and 11 days)
Afghanistan’s leg spinner, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, is the youngest overseas player to play in the IPL at 17 years and 11 days. Representing Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings) in 2018, the mystery spinner impressed all with his variations. Mujeeb’s control and variations helped him make an instant impact for the team, and ever since then, Mujeeb has been a star across global franchise leagues in the world.
3: Riyan Parag (17 years and 175 days)
Batting all-rounder Riyan Parag debuted for the Rajasthan Royals in 2019 at just 17 years and 152 days and was largely backed by the Royals management. He was scouted by the Rajasthan scouts from various domestic leagues, where he performed stunningly well. In the previous season of the IPL 2024, aged 22, Parag stunned all with 500+ runs in the IPL and went on to feature across both formats of limited-overs cricket for India.
4: Sarfaraz Khan (17 years and 177 days)
Wicketkeeper batter Sarfaraz Khan burst onto the IPL scene in 2015 as a 17-year-old playing for Royal Challengers Bangalore. At 17 years old, he quickly turned into a fan favourite with his fearless attitude and ability to innovate under pressure. Earlier, the batter was known for his audacious shot-making and fearless batting approach; however, in the later days of his career, the player slowly stepped out of the aggressive intent.
5: Abhishek Sharma (17 years and 251 days)
Left-handed batter Abhishek Sharma grabbed attention in the 2018 season when he debuted for Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals) as he announced himself in style, smashing an unbeaten 46 off just 19 balls on debut. Abhishek has been largely praised for his fearless attitude, and he has performed stunningly well ever since he starred in the 2023 and 2024 seasons, and since then his inclusion in the Indian T20 side has also brought immense glory.
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