Uthappa advocates for debut of IPL 2024 star alongside Pandya for Team India's upcoming SA series

Ever since its inception, the Indian Premier League has been a breeding ground for talented cricketers in India. Players like Axar Patel and Suryakumar Yadav have successfully transitioned from IPL stars to established members of the national team. The newest sensation to emerge from the league is Ramandeep Singh, who has captured the attention of cricket enthusiasts with his exceptional skills. Despite his impressive performances, Ramandeep is yet to make his debut for the Indian team.

The all-rounder has been included in India's squad for the South Africa T20I series, but wasn't in the playing XI for the first fixture. Speaking on the 27-year-old's chances, former cricketer Robin Uthappa, JioCinema and Sports18 expert, called him 'one of the most exciting prospects' in Indian cricket currently.

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Speaking to Hindustan Times, Uthappa said, "I would love for him to play. I think he is one of the most exciting prospects we have seen in the recent past. He is a handy all-rounder, his performances in the IPL has been second to none. As a finisher, he's played 62 balls, scored 125 runs, has fielded incredibly well, bowled when he is asked too. If you are striking at 200 and you are fielding as well as Ramandeep does and we have seen more of that when he played for India A in the recently-concluded series in Oman. So I am really excited to see him play."

Uthappa also urged Gautam Gambhir to use Ramandeep more frequently for Team India, and felt he could be the perfect all-rounder partner for Hardik Pandya in the future. "I have seen him in the past, but you didn't really see the potential in the past but in KKR, he has really come out there and he's come into his own perhaps and he is oozing confidence. So you want someone like that when things are going well, confidence is going high, you want to blood them in. If you can blood someone like him then you get two all-rounders in the likes of him and Hardik Pandya, which is gold to Indian cricket at this point in time," he said.

Ramandeep had a breakthrough IPL 2024 season with KKR, helping them win the title. Meanwhile, he also showed his potential at the recent Emerging Teams Asia Cup. The former MI player will be hoping to get a chance in the ongoing South Africa series.

Catch all the live action from South Africa vs. India 2024 - 2nd T20I on November 10, 2024, Sunday, 7:30 PM onwards, LIVE & Exclusive on JioCinema, Sports18 – 1 SD & HD, and Colors Cineplex SD & HD Stay informed with the...