'They should be part of the system' - Harbhajan Singh's special message for Indian Cricket Board following two youngster's outstanding IPL performance

Harbhajan Singh (Source: Twitter)

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) finisher Rinku Singh and Rajasthan Royals (RR) opener Yashaswi Jaiswal are two players who stand out among the finds of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 season. Both the youngsters have been given different roles, but they have been striking similarly and giving the same match-winning performances for their respective teams.

Rinku has been a consistent performer for his franchise over the last few years and this time he unleashed the true talent within him with some incredible performances including five sixes in the epic last-over win against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG). The 25-year-old has scored 407 runs at a strike rate of 143 and has been instrumental in keeping KKR in contention for the IPL 2023 playoffs.

Meanwhile, the 21-year-old Jaiswal raised the eyebrows of not only his opening partner, the destructive Jos Buttler, but the entire cricket fraternity with some terrific striking. The left-hander has been with RR for a few seasons, but he seemed to have made his mark this year with a dazzling century against Mumbai Indians (MI) followed by the fastest-ever IPL fifty against KKR.

Rinku and Jaiswal's maiden India call-up doesn't seem far way

The world's richest league has been serving as a platform for players from all over the world to showcase their talent and for years it has been the path to an Team India call-up. Rinku and Jaiswal have already made Indian selectors scratch their heads as major tournaments approach, with some former cricketers rallying behind these young guns.

Recently, former Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh praised the performances of Rinku and Jaiswal and notified the Indian Cricket Board that they should be in their plans for the future.

"I certainly believe that when somebody is playing well or doing well, they should be part of the system. I am not saying that include them in the Playing XI straightway but brings them into the fold knowing that if these guys are there (around the players), they will certainly learn something and get better," Harbhajan told Hindustan Times.

"I feel this is probably the right time for Rinku and Yashasvi to be in the closer group of players. Make them part of the 20 or 30-man group. For talents like Yashasvi and Rinku, the perception might be it's too early but truth be told, it's not. They are already playing at this level and playing well at that. Give them a chance right now otherwise it might be late," the Turbanator added.