Top 5 youngest players in IPL history

The Indian Premier League, widely regarded as the Premier T20 competition in world cricket, has had its fair share of drama in its glittering 13-year history and has produced several cricketers who have gone on to become international superstars, both Indian as well as overseas.

Since the league's inception in 2008, players past and present have left a lasting impression with their performances and it could be argued that the popularity of limited-overs cricket has boomed in recent years, thanks to the competition. Aside from the glitz and glamour of the tournament, the tournament aimed to promote local talent and allow them to rub shoulders with some of the best players in the world and in this sense, the IPL has been an unwavering success.

On that note, here are 5 of the youngest debutants in IPL history, as they are ranked based on their respective ages upon making their first appearance in the competition.

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#5 Abhishek Sharma (17 years, 251 days)

Abhishek Sharma currently represents SRH

Abhishek Sharma was part of India's triumphant World Cup U-18 squad and was snapped up by Delhi Daredevils at the time for ₹55 lakhs. While the youngster was largely a benchwarmer that season, he announced himself to the IPL in some style, as he scored a blistering 46 of just 19 balls.

Despite being just 17 years of age at the time, Abhishek was unfazed by the occasion and took on the RCB bowlers on the night, as he showed glimpses of his potential in his first appearance in the competition. Since then, Sharma has been traded to SRH in a move that saw Vijay Shankar and Shahbaz Nadeem travel in the opposite direction and is one amongst the up and coming Indian players in their ranks currently.

With Shakib Al Hasan unavailable for the forthcoming season due to a suspension, the youngster could be set to play a starring role for his side, as his inclusion in place of the Bangladeshi all-rounder would enable SRH to accommodate another foreign player.

#4 Sarfaraz Khan (17 years, 177 days)

Sarfaraz Khan made a name for himself at RCB

Having made a name for himself as an aggressive batsman for Mumbai in the domestic circuit, Sarfaraz Khan was signed up as a 17-year-old in 2015 and made his IPL debut for RCB that year, as he was touted as the next big thing in Indian cricket. The diminutive batsman took next to no time to announce himself, as his memorable knock of 45 of 27 balls ensured that he outperformed international superstars like Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers and Chris Gayle on the night.

In the buildup to the mega auction for the 2018 edition of the IPL, Sarfaraz was retained ahead of the likes of KL Rahul and Yuzvendra Chahal under the uncapped quota, signalling that RCB had high hopes for the youngest. In the forthcoming editions of the tournament, he failed to produce the goods consistently and was released ahead of 2019 auctions, before signing up for the Kings XI Punjab later that year.

Sarfaraz is still just 22 years of age and is expected to play a key role for KXIP this season, as he looks to turn his career around and realize his full potential.

#3 Riyan Parag (17 years, 152 days)

Riyan Parag's emergence was a bonus for RR last season

Riyan Parag was one of the revelations of the 2019 edition of the IPL, as the youngster became a key player for his side in the business end of the season. Despite being a member of India’s 2018 U19 World Cup-winning squad, Parag was an unknown commodity going into the 2019 auction and was picked up for his base price of 20 lakhs INR by Rajasthan Royals.

The youngster was drafted into the RR side towards the latter part of the tournament and it didn't take him long to show glimpses of his outrageous potential, as he stayed calm under pressure and recorded a stunning half-century against Delhi Capitals, thereby becoming the youngest player in IPL history to accomplish that feat.

A leg spinner by trade, Parag is equally adept at playing handy knocks with the bat lower down the order, as he showed in his time with Rajasthan last season. The youngster has been retained for the forthcoming season of the IPL and is expected to play a pivotal role for them this time around, as he aims to make his presence felt and break into the national team in the near future.

#2 Mujeeb Ur Rahman (17 years, 11 days)

Mujeeb is a key player for KXIP

Mujeeb Ur Rahman was a hot property going into the 2018 IPL auction and the Afghani spinner sparked a massive bidding war, as he attracted a lucrative bid from the Kings XI Punjab. Having made a name for himself at the age of 16 in 2017, when he became the first male cricketer born in the 21st century to make his national team debut, Mujeeb made headlines once again when he became the youngest player in history to scalp a 5 wicket haul in an ODI match.

While he enjoyed a fantastic first season in the IPL, with 14 wickets from 11 games, Mujeeb's second season in the competition was marred by injuries and inconsistencies, as KXIP failed altogether as a unit. Despite blowing hot and cold, the Afghan international has been retained by his franchise and is expected to be a key player of their new-look side, as he is set to go into the tournament as his side's frontline spinner.

Mujeeb made his IPL debut just 11 days after his 17th birthday and hasn't looked back since, as he is currently a useful option for KXIP as well as for his national team.

#1 Prayas Ray Barman (16 years, 157 days)

Prayas Barman is the youngest debutant in IPL history

In 2019, Prayas Ray Barman etched his name in history by becoming the youngest debutant in the history of the IPL, as he turned out for Royal Challengers Bangalore at the age of 16 years and 157 days. Signed up in the 2019 IPL auction for a whopping ₹1.5 crores, Barman made just a solitary appearance for RCB, but for a teenager to accomplish such a feat is commendable, to say the least.

Despite conceding just 6 runs in his first over, Barman's figures read 0/56 upon completion of his spell, as he, along with the rest of the RCB bowlers, were put to the sword by Sunrisers Hyderabad's opening duo of David Warner and Jonny Bairstow.

Signed by virtue of his performances in the domestic circuit for Bengal, Barman played just one game in the IPL last season and was released by the Bangalore based franchise before the 2020 IPL auction. The 17-year-old has a lot to offer in the game despite going unsold in the most recent auction and is one to keep an eye on in the coming years.