The Indian Premier League gives the player the right platform where he can show his real talent and learn many things while playing among the best in the business. This season as well, after the addition of two new teams, many young players have got the chances that many dream of. And one such name is MI's young off-spinner, Hrithik Shokeen, who made his IPL debut a couple of matches ago.
Playing in the IPL is always a big thing for the players because the world is looking at them, and that's what happened when former Pakistani off-spinner Saeed Ajmal noticed Shokeen and praised the young spinner. Ajmal has also predicted that the MI spinner will soon be a big star for Indian cricket.
The off-spinner has played two matches so far this season, although he hasn't taken any wickets, but still, he has impressed everyone with the variety he has and the skill-set he brings to the table. In his debut game against the defending champions, CSK, he bowled one of the most economical spells, when other bowlers were going for plenty. He bowled his four overs for just 23 runs.
He got his second opportunity in the last MI match against LSG, where he bowled in the power-play against KL Rahul and Quinton de Kock. But he again bowled a very tight line and gave away just 11 runs in his two overs. Notably, after his debut match against CSK, Hrithik shared some pictures of the match on his Twitter account. Saeed Ajmal also retweeted the picture and quoted it in his praise.
What makes Hrithik different from other off-spinners is that he is not a one-line bowler and he is never shy about bowling an attacking line. He can flight the ball and bowl some straight ones as well, which is the most important weapon for a spinner in T20 cricket. That could help him to make his way to the international team, as India is still searching for an off-spinner after Ravichandran Ashwin.
Getting a compliment from a legend himself is a big thing for the young off-spinner because, being an off-spinner himself, Ajmal knows how to perform in any condition. That's what he has done in his career.
