Youngest IPL Players: Their Journey From Debut To Current Status Ahead Of IPL 2025 Auction

The IPL has consistently served as a launchpad for emerging talent, where young players shine alongside seasoned international stars. Over the years, franchises have invested in promising talents, aiming to discover the next big star. As the IPL 2025 auction nears, let's revisit the five youngest players who debuted in the league and explore their career journeys.

In 2019, Prayas Ray Barman made headlines when Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) signed him for INR 1.5 crore. At just 16 years and 157 days, he became the youngest debutant in IPL history. However, his debut match didn't go as planned, with figures of 0/56 from four overs. This single outing led to his removal from RCB's lineup, and he did not play another IPL game that season. Since then, Barman has slowly reduced his cricketing footprint, instead opting to focus on his studies. His last domestic appearance for Bengal came in October 2023.

Afghanistan's Mujeeb Ur Rahman was picked by Punjab Kings in the 2018 auction for INR 4 crore at just 16 years and nine months old. The mystery spinner impressed immediately, taking 14 wickets in his debut season and showcasing his spin prowess. Mujeeb has since represented multiple franchises, including Kolkata Knight Riders and Sunrisers Hyderabad, but injuries have hampered his IPL appearances in recent years. Mujeeb was all set to return in IPL 2024 with KKR, but a late injury saw him getting replaced by fellow countryman Allah Mohammad Ghazanfar.

Riyan Parag

Riyan Parag debuted with Rajasthan Royals in 2019 at age 17 years and 175 days. He quickly made a mark by becoming the youngest player to score a fifty in IPL history. Despite facing ups and downs in subsequent seasons, Parag has remained a part of the Rajasthan Royals squad and is one of the retained players for IPL 2025. Known for his power-hitting and handy leg-spin, Parag will look to cement his role in the Royals' lineup this season.

Sarfaraz Khan

Sarfaraz Khan began his IPL journey with RCB in 2015 when he was just 17 years old. Known for his aggressive style early on, Sarfaraz showed flashes of brilliance but struggled with consistency across seasons. After stints with multiple teams, he went unsold in the 2024 IPL auction due to focusing more on red-ball cricket recently. Despite being absent from T20s lately, Sarfaraz remains a notable domestic performer and may attract bids during the IPL 2025 mega auction.

Abhishek Sharma

Debuting for Delhi Capitals at age 17 in 2018, Abhishek Sharma scored an explosive 46 off just 19 balls during his first innings. Now a key player with Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), Sharma is known for aggressive batting both as an opener and middle-order batsman. His impressive performance during the 2024 season saw him scoring over 484 runs at a strike rate exceeding 204. This success positions him as a future Indian opener candidate while playing pivotal roles for SRH.

The journey of these young talents highlights how unpredictable cricket careers can be despite early promise shown during their debuts within such prestigious leagues like IPL.