Opening batters are usually in high demand in T20 games because they can provide their teams with the perfect start. The Indian Premier League (IPL) sells openers like hotcakes, and the cash-rich league has seen some spectacular openers in its fourteen-year existence. The first is Shubman Gill, a brilliant India right-handed batsman from Punjab who is already being hailed as the sport's next big thing. Second, veteran cricketer Shikhar Dhawan has been one of the league's most consistent top-order hitters, with outstanding numbers as an opener.
Devdutt Padikkal, in particular, has been one of the most talked-about players in the IPL over the previous two seasons. At the domestic level, the extremely gifted left-handed batter has routinely scored runs. Finally, Ishan Kishan has made remarkable progress in the IPL, on the international scene, and on the home circuit during a previous couple of years.