Planet "M"

Rishi Dhawan (RD): Both. I had bowled to Sachin paaji in nets only. It was a great experience. Recently, got a chance to bowl to Viru bhai during Vijay Hazare Trophy. Both are legends. So would love to bowl both.

What do you love more: Books or Cricket?
RD: I don’t read books so cricket only.

What is the best advice given to you?
RD: Sachin paaji once told me that you are good bowler and batsman so concentrate on both. Do your best to be a good all-rounder. I always keep that in my mind.

If you were a Film Director, whom you would sign as your lead actor and actress?
RD:  Hero..obviously me [laughs] and heroine koi bhi Bollywood ki. Chalo Katrina Kaif ko le lunga. (Any Bollywood heroine. Okay, I would sign Katrina Kaif)

What does Rishi Dhawan like the most about his life as a cricketer?
RD: Best thing is that I get to play cricket which is my love. I just enjoy a lot when I play cricket so best thing about life is that I am a cricketer.

He was named the best Under-19 cricketer by the BCCI for the 2012-13 season. After that, his performance with Kings XI Punjab brought him the Emerging Player trophy for the 2014 edition of IPL. He took a five-wicket haul in his second only first-class match against Delhi last year; whilst his performance with the Under-23 team helped India win the 2013 ACC Emerging Teams Cup.

Coming from the ranks of Junior cricket with gradual transformation to the Senior side, Gujarat’s Akshar Patel has a lot to promise with both bat and ball.

An admirer of batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar, cricket never came as the first choice to the lanky southpaw spinner. When Akshar expressed his wish to become an engineer, it was actually his father who forced him to play cricket seriously.

Since his First-Class debut in 2012 to the ongoing India-Sri Lanka series, he capitalized the chances given to him. Be it the 2013/14 Ranji season with Gujarat or the debut IPL season with KXIP this year – his performance in the One Day Internationals made everyone a fan of him.

He has 29 First-Class wickets to his name with an impressive economy of 2.10 whereas his best bowling figure stands at 7/75 – all that from just 8 matches.

Talk about his performance in the shortest format of the game, his bowling average falls at 22.52 in comparison with 24.10 that he manages in the First-Class cricket.

While his bowling records impress equally in the List A career, his batting ability lower-down the order often comes handy. It was seen during the Quadrangular series finale – in August this year – where he and Rishi Dhawan paired to add 93 runs for the seventh wicket that thumped Australia A in a close encounter at Marrara Oval in Australia.

The same kind of hitting he did during the 1st ODI between India and Sri Lanka at Barabati Stadium of Cuttack: scored 14 off just 4 balls that he faced, out of which two went on for sixes as India put 363/5 on board after brilliant centuries from Ajinkya Rahane and Shikhar Dhawan for the first wicket.

His bowling figure of 3/40 in the 3rd ODI at Hyderabad even left R Ashwin shy of him who managed just one at the expense of 43 runs. Note that Akshar Patel bowled a maiden over too.

At the age of just 20, Akshar Patel, however, has had a brilliant start to his career. While it may be too early to comment on his all-rounding ability, especially his comparison with Ravindra Jadeja for an ODI slot, performing at the international level is one thing and staying there while improvising your own game is another.

But when he said “I have set a goal, to play for India when I am 23 or 24, and I am working towards that” in an interview last year, it can be assumed he knows his game even better.

1. Shane Watson (Rajasthan Royals)

Shane Watson

101 off 61 balls vs Chennai Super Kings: A part of the Rajasthan Royals since 2008, Shane Watson smashed the first ton of IPL and still ended up on the wrong side. Watson will consider himself unfortunate as all the other centuries of the tournament ended up in a winning cause.

2. Chris Gayle (Royal Challengers Bangalore)

Chris Gayle

175* off 66 balls vs Pune Warriors: The giant Jamaican is one of the finest exponents of the T20 game. The lazy gait overshadows the raw power and timing that is generated by minimal footwork. Considering his previous bashings of the bowlers, this one was expected. For Pune Warriors India bowlers, it was their bad luck that Gayle chose them. Records tumbled as Gayle knocked fastest century in history of cricket, highest T20 score and most sixes (17).

3. Suresh Raina (Chennai Super Kings)

Suresh Raina

100* off 53 balls vs Kings XI Punjab: The last time Raina celebrated a century in IPL was when he reached 98 and mistook it for a century in 2009. He had to wait four years to slam his maiden IPL century and he did it in style against Kings XI. Once again he celebrated when on 99 and thankfully he reached his century.

4. David Miller (Kings XI Punjab)

David Miller

101* off 38 balls vs Royal Challengers Bangalore: While everyone were talking about Gayle, David Miller was fancying his chances against RCB. Facing an improbable target after losing three wickets in eight overs, Miller played a blinder and made Virat Kohli pay for one of those rare dropped catches. Such was his ferocity that RCB bowlers ran out of idea and by the time they came up, Miller had finished the game with two overs to spare.

1. Mandeep Singh (Kings XI Punjab)

Mandeep Singh

219 runs from 8 matches with an average of 31.28, he is the top run-scorer in the tally of 'uncapped' players which eventually speaks of his worth.

2. Manprit Juneja (Delhi Daredevils)

Manprit Juneja

As the Daredevils failed to repeat their old form where openers constantly failing short, Juneja in the middle order slot has ensured some quick runs (125 off 7 matches) with a strike 97.65

3. Kevon Cooper (Rajasthan Royals)

Kevon Cooper

A key component in Rajasthan Royals' winning triumphs Cooper being the leading wicket-taker for 'uncapped' players list. Thus far, his card reads: 10 wickets off 7 matches with an economy of 8.46

4. Mohit Sharma (Chennai Super Kings)

Mohit Sharma

A T20 debutant from this IPL, and probably another find for Chennai, Mohit has notched up 6 wickets from 6 matches with a handy economy of 6.16

5. Ashish Reddy (Sunrisers Hyderabad)

Ashish Reddy

Been a bowler for the Hyderabad Ranji team, IPL has discovered a fine lower-order batsman in him where he has collected 120 runs from 9 matches at the strike rate of 144.57