IPL 2017: 5 youngest IPL debutants

#1 Sarfaraz Khan

Sarfaraz is greeted by skipper Virat Kohli after his 21-ball 45 against RR during the 2015 IPL

The Mumbai-born youngster took the IPL by storm with his unbeaten knock of 45 from just 21 balls for RCB against Rajasthan Royals during the 2015 IPL. It was just his second game after becoming the youngest ever debutant in IPL history when he was picked to play at the age of 17 years and 177 days against Chennai Super Kings.

Sarfaraz Khan also holds the record for the most number of half-centuries (7) in the history of the U-19 ICC World Cup having scored 211 runs during the 2014 edition and was India’s standout player at the 2016 edition as well scoring 355 runs, finishing as the tournament’s second highest run-getter.

Though he has impressed with a few cameos littered with innovative shots, Sarfaraz fell down the pecking order at RCB during the 2016 IPL after being a regular in the side during the previous campaign and it was not due to cricketing reasons alone.

Nicknamed ‘Panda’ for his love of food, Sarfaraz Khan has had disciplinary issues in the past and courted controversy with his move to Uttar Pradesh from Mumbai ahead of the 2015-16 Ranji Trophy season. He was dropped from the RCB side by skipper Virat Kohli based on his lack of agility on the field. Injury on the eve of the 2017 IPL has ruled him out of the ongoing edition with Harpreet Singh named as the replacement.