‘Emerging Player of the Year’ across the 10 seasons of the IPL

2012: Mandeep Singh (Kings XI Punjab)

Mandy is a talented young cricketer from Punjab

Kings XI Punjab were yet to win an IPL title and the management did not want to leave any stone unturned in their bid to glory in the 2012 season. The then 20-year-old Mandeep Singh was given a perfect platform to showcase his batting abilities as he featured in all the 16 matches Punjab played in that edition.

Opening the batting alongside captain and legend Adam Gilchrist, Mandeep ended the tournament with 432 runs scored at an average of 27 and a healthy strike rate of 126.31. His batting exploits included two scores in excess of fifty, both of which won him the Man of the Match awards.

The stylish opener had shown that he surely was a future prospect. After having a decent run with the Mohali franchise, Mandy was bought by RCB for whom he delivered a one off match winning performance. He was called up to represent the national team on the 2016 tour to Zimbabwe, where he got to play 3 T20Is, scoring an unbeaten half century in one.

In the 2018 edition of the IPL, Mandeep will once gain be seen dawning the RCB colours. However, it remains to be seen how much and where will he get to contribute in a star studded line up.