IPL 2021: "They will win you tournaments" - Deep Dasgupta asserts the importance of grooming and trusting domestic players 

Former India opener Deep Dasgupta noted how the contributions of domestic players have been integral in the second leg of the IPL in the UAE. Dasgupta feels the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) made it to the finals on the back of such players.

The 2021 edition of the IPL, much like its predecessors, has seen several new faces from the Indian circuit grab opportunities and rise to the occasion.

Dasgupta also outlined the importance of domestic players when it comes to winning competitions. He admitted that the focus will always lie on the big overseas names in the squad. If domestic players begin clicking after integrating with the team, they are capable of winning the franchise a trophy.

While speaking on his YouTube channel, Dasgupta said:

"You will always have the big players, the established players in the franchise and they will win you games also. They will win you 2-3 games, but if you want to win the tournament, you will have to depend on your Indian domestic players. They will win you tournaments."

The likes of Ruturaj Gaikwad and Varun Chakravarthy have grown with their role in their respective franchises and are now virtually undroppable. Their performances have even given them a spot in the Indian national team as well.

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Indian domestic players stood out in the second leg of the IPL: Dasgupta

Dasgupta praised the franchise for instilling faith in such young domestic players. Ruturaj Gaikwad, for instance, did not have the best of outings initially, but he got into rhythm at the back end of the 2020 IPL and never turned back.

Similarly, Varun Chakravarthy was handed a rough start to his IPL career when he was with the formerly known Kings XI Punjab. But he has made the most of his second chance with KKR, even benching the likes of Kuldeep Yadav in the process.

Speaking about the same, Dasgupta said:

"The biggest takeaway, especially in the second leg have been the Indian domestic players. They completely stood out in the second leg. Whether it be Ruturaj Gaikwad, Venkatesh Iyer, Arshdeep Singh, Avesh Khan and it is because of the Indian domestic players that CSK and KKR are in the finals. These players were groomed by the franchises," Dasgupta added

The 2021 edition of the IPL has also unearthed talents like Chetan Sakariya and more.