IPL 2018: Indian team hopefuls who have impressed so far this season

#2 Rishabh Pant (Delhi Daredevils)

Rishabh Pant has exceeded expectations with his spectacular performances this season

Matches:10, Runs:393, Average:39.3, Strike Rate:173.12, Fifties:3, Fours:41, Sixes:20

Rishabh Pant has taken the IPL by storm this season by combining his ball-striking ability with consistency and maturity.

The Delhi lad is one of the most exciting prospects to have emerged over the past few seasons.

He was retained by Delhi Daredevils ahead of the auction this year and he's repaid the trust placed on him by his owners.

The 20-year old has been one of the shining lights in yet another poor season for Delhi. Pant played a crucial hand in two of their three victories.

He scored a spectacular 69 off 29 balls in a Man of the Match display in a narrow victory over Rajasthan Royals.

He also provided the momentum with a 47 off 25 balls in a win against Mumbai Indians. Pant also scored a blistering 85 off just 48 balls against Royal Challengers Bangalore but ended up on the wrong side of the result.

He's one of the fastest scoring players in the league, with a strike-rate in excess of 170, and he's done so by scoring almost 400 runs in just 10 innings.

The swashbuckling wicket-keeper's six-hitting abilities might bring back memories of a young Dhoni and fans will be hoping that Pant can evolve in the same way as the former Indian captain did over the years.

Pant made his T20I debut on the back of good performances in the IPL and domestic cricket but failed to come up with a substantial performance in the opportunities that he did get.

His exploits with the bat might put him back in the reckoning for a place in the Indian T20 team. The onus will be on Pant to make his chances count.

However, now that his exploits with the bat are back to haunt the bowlers, Pant has brought himself well into the reckoning for a return to the Indian team.

He will hope that this time he avails the opportunities, if and when they come his way.