Jammu & Kashmir is slowly becoming the hotspot for scouts to unearth raw and unknown talents. The emergence of Umran Malik has already put the J&K cricket team in highlight. Until a few years ago, let alone the Indian Premier League, even from the perspective of domestic cricket, J&K was backward. Now, though, the team is performing well and at the same time, a few cricketers from the state are impressing all in the Indian T20 league. On that note, in this article, we take a look at six players who have represented Jammu and Kashmir and also played in IPL.
1) Irfan Pathan (Gujarat Lions, Delhi Capitals, Punjab Kings, Sunrisers Hyderabad, and Rising Pune Supergiant)
A chunk of credit for the emergence of J&K cricketers must go to Irfan Pathan. After his stint with Baroda, Irfan joined J&K in a player-cum-coaching role. He has also mentored the squad since then.
One of the premier all-rounders when IPL was started, Irfan has played for multiple franchises. He has been at the centre of attention on various occasions due to his performances in the competition. In all, he played 103 games in IPL.
2) Mithun Manhas (Chennai Super Kings, Delhi Capitals, and Pune Warriors)
A Delhi legend, Mithun Manhas was part of the J&K cricket team from the 2015 season for a few editions. He also captained the team. He was one of the first big names to join the team that had remained outside the limelight.
In IPL, the batter played 55 games and scored 514 runs. His last stint was with Chennai Super Kings back in 2014. Hence, he is also part of this list.
3) Parvez Rasool (Royal Challengers Bangalore, Pune Warriors, and Sunrisers Hyderabad)
Parvez Rasool is one of the players who have represented Jammu and Kashmir and also played in IPL. When it comes to cricketers born in Jammu & Kashmir and then going on to wonders, the first name on the list is definitely Parvez Rasool.
While his role in Jammu & Kashmir cricket is well-known, it needs to be noted that he also played for Team India. Now, he may not have an IPL contract but back then, he was followed by a few franchises and also got some games.
4) Abdul Samad (Sunrisers Hyderabad)
The latest revolution in J&K cricket was kickstarted after Samad made his debut for SRH. Although he has not made any notable contribution to the franchise so far, he is in contention to return to form strongly.
In domestic cricket, though, Samad is still in top touch and is helping his team win many games. Ahead of IPL 2022 Auctions, he was retained by SRH.
5) Umran Malik (Sunrisers Hyderabad)
Umran Malik is the talk of the town now. With the consistency with which he is bowling at a top pace right now, many are already predicting him to be the future of Indian bowling.
While Samad came through the ranks performing well in domestic cricket, Umran was more of a raw talent. Hence, he has now forced the scouts to go looking for more such young cricketers in the northern state.
6) Rasikh Salam (Mumbai Indians and Kolkata Knight Riders)
Rasikh Salam is also one of the players who have represented Jammu and Kashmir and also played in IPL. Similar to Samad and Umran, Rasikh is also part of the latest generation of J&K cricketers to do well.
He is yet to take IPL by storm but he has got the talent to do well in the future. He was recently ruled out of IPL due to an injury.
