India just can't ever get enough of cricket! After the glorious victory of India in Cricket World Cup 2011, it's the IPL 2011 Cricket Matches which have glued Indians.
IPL is also a great platform for new players to prove their substance and come in limelight. In this article, know more about the young players from Vidarbha region of India who have gained a reputation in the cricketing world and are playing for different teams this IPL season :
Umesh Yadav
Less than two seasons after fast bowler Umesh Yadav first played with a leather ball, he was bowling against the likes of Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman in the Duleep Trophy. What makes his ascent even more remarkable is that he represents unglamorous Vidarbha in the Plate League of the Ranji Trophy.
He is the son of a coal-mine worker and was aiming to become a policeman. He only started considering a career in cricket as a 19-year-old, an age by which the best young Indian cricketers are in the running for a national cap. He bowls from wide of the crease, and his usual delivery is the one that angles into a right-hand batsman.
He is capable of touching the 140kmh mark, and also possesses an effective bouncer, qualities which helped him take 20 wickets at 14.60 in four games for Vidarbha in his debut season in 2008-09. While he made waves in the domestic scene, Umesh really caught the eye during IPL 2010, where he impressed a much wider audience with his pace for Delhi Daredevils.
He finally broke into the big league, when he was flown to the West Indies as a replacement for the injured Praveen Kumar during the World Twenty20 tournament in May 2010, and earned his first call-up to the India Test team for the tour of South Africa in November the same year.
Full name : Umesh Yadav
Birthdate : 25 October, 1987
Major teams : India, Delhi Daredevils, Vidarbha
Batting style : Right-handed
Bowling style : Right-arm fast-medium
Winning Bid : $ 750,000
Base Price : $ 50,000
Faiz Fazal
Faiz Fazal, full name Faiz Yakub Fazal, (b. September 7, 1985, Nagpur, Maharashtra) is an Indian cricketer who plays for the Vidarbha cricket team, having previously played for Central, India Red, India Under-19s, Railways, and Rajasthan Royals. He plays as a left-hand opening batsman.
Full name : Faiz Yakub Fazal
Birthdate : September 7, 1985, Nagpur, Maharashtra
Major teams : Central, India Red, India Under-19s, Railways, Rajasthan Royals, Vidarbha
Playing role : Opening batsman
Batting style : Left-handed
Shrikant Wagh
Shrikant Wagh, from Chikhli, Buldhana District, Maharashtra made his First Class Cricket debut against Kerela playing for the Vidarbha team in 2007 at an age of 18.He also made his Twenty20 Debut the same year playing for Vidarbha against Madhya Pradesh.Till date, he has taken 28 wickets inFirst Class Cricket with an amazing economy rate 2.66.
He is currently playing for Pune Warriors in the 2011 Edition of Indian Premier League.He has also scalped 15 wickets in his T20 carrer till date.In the previous edition of IPL , Wagh, played for the Rajasthan Royals.
Full name : Shrikant Bhaskar Wagh
Birthdate : 9 October, 1988, Chikhli
Major teams : Australian Institute of Sports, Pune Warriors, Rajasthan Royals, Vidarbha
Batting style : Left-handed
Bowling style : Left-arm medium-fast
Amit Paunikar
Amit Paunikar, born on April 18, 1988, Nagpur made his First Class Cricket debut against Services playing for the Vidarbha team in 2007 .He also made his Twenty20 Debut in 2009 playing for Vidarbha against Madhya Pradesh.
Till date, this right handed wicket keeper batsmans has made 447 runs from 10 matches in First Class Cricket with an average of 26.29. He has also scored 187 runs in T20 cricket with an amazing strike rate of 122.
He is currently playing for Rajasthan Royals in the 2011 Edition of Indian Premier League.
Full name : Amit Gajanan Paunikar
Birthdate : April 18, 1988, Nagpur, Maharashtra, India
Major teams : Rajasthan Royals, Vidarbha
Batting style : Right-handed
Fielding position: Wicketkeeper
