IPL: 5 talents unearthed by Mumbai Indians

Hardik Pandya

Hardik Pandya is seen as one who can fulfil India's need for a seam-bowling all-rounder

Hardik Pandya was picked up by Mumbai for the 2015 edition of IPL where he showed the kind of spark that invoked the great Sachin Tendulkar to call him up and tell him that he would be playing for India within the next 18 months.

A lower middle order batsman who is capable of hitting the ball a long distance and a handy medium pace bowler to go along with athleticism in the field, Hardik had all the components that the Indian team had long been striving for in the form of a seam bowling all rounder.

And thus he made his T20I debut in January 2016 and represented India in the Asia Cup and ICC WT20 with decent success. He also made his ODI debut that year and became only the fourth Indian to be awarded Man of the Match on ODI debut.

With India preparing for consecutive overseas tours, the seam bowling all rounder was drafted into the Test squad by Virat Kohli and has shown signs of fulfilling the role of a genuine all-rounder that India desperately requires.