The introduction of two new teams in IPL is a big boost to the domestic cricketers. Over the years in IPL, a few players have been unable to make their presence felt due to a lack of opportunities. Hence, they have had to warm the bench for a long time. A few players had even gone out of the radar. Now that the demand has increased, these players are getting a chance to flourish. On that note, in this article, we take a look at three players who sat on the bench for a long time and finally made their debut in IPL 2022.
1) Jitesh Sharma (Punjab Kings)
Part of Mumbai Indians in IPL 2016
It was back in 2016 that Jitesh Sharma was on the Mumbai Indians roster. Since then, opportunities had dried up for the wicket-keeper batter.
However, IPL 2022 has worked wonders for him. Playing in the middle-order for Punjab Kings, Jitesh has scored at a strike rate of around 158. His contributions have been vital and he is set to become a prominent part of the franchise going forward.
2) R Sai Kishore (Gujarat Titans)
Part of Chennai Super Kings in IPL 2020 and IPL 2021
R Sai Kishore is one of the players who sat on the bench for a long time and finally made their debut in IPL 2022. Being on the bench for two years is actually not a big deal in IPL. However, when you take Sai’s case, you could call him unlucky in this regard.
Sai has been performing well in domestic cricket in the last few years and IPL cricket was the next step in his career. However, with players like R Jadeja and Mitchell Santner in CSK, a player with similar attributes like Sai did not get a game. The same was about to happen in Gujarat Titans. However, the management gave him a chance and the Tamil Nadu man has already become an important member of the XI.
3) Shashank Singh (Sunrisers Hyderabad)
Part of Delhi Capitals in IPL 2017 and Rajasthan Royals between IPL 2019 and 2021
Although Shashank Singh was known for his big-hitting abilities, he never got a chance in IPL. For the last half-a-decade, he had been on the bench.
However, fortunately, he got a chance in IPL 2022. The former Mumbai cricketer showed a glimpse of his skills when he took apart Lockie Ferguson. He was later dropped from the XI but Shashank now can focus on improving and coming back stronger next season.
