Delhi’s pathway: Why DPL matters in the T20 era
As the second season draws closer to its conclusion, the league offers visibility, exposure and a clear pathway
New Delhi: Delhi keeps producing cricketers of the highest pedigree – from Virat Kohli to Rishabh Pant – yet hundreds players get lost in the bottleneck of trials and selections, simply because of the immense competition that exists in the capital. For most, the dream of being noticed by IPL scouts or making the cut in Delhi’s senior team remained just a dream.
The arrival of the Delhi Premier League (DPL) last year shifted that narrative. The inaugural edition alone produced several IPL signings, namely Priyansh Arya, Vansh Bedi, Prince Yadav and Digvesh Rathi. As the second season draws closer to its conclusion, the league continues to offer visibility, exposure and a clear pathway.
Arya’s signing had already become part of DPL’s success story. His six sixes in an over lit up the opening season and caught the eye of Punjab Kings, who signed him up.
“Last year I attended trials of most IPL teams, and now I recognise the scouts of each one. All of them are here this season. That’s a good indicator of the progress DPL is making,” Arya told HT.
For senior pacer Navdeep Saini, who broke through at a time when such platforms didn’t exist, watching the next crop rise through DPL is a happy reminder of how the ecosystem has changed. “When I played, Gautam (Gambhir) bhaiyya gave me a chance because he believed in my talent. It feels good to see youngsters get that opportunity through avenues like the IPL,” said the East Delhi Riders pacer. “The difference between last season and now is massive. The competition is tougher, the quality of cricket is higher, and most importantly, there is hope. Now, they have seen that a path exists.”
{{/usCountry}}For senior pacer Navdeep Saini, who broke through at a time when such platforms didn’t exist, watching the next crop rise through DPL is a happy reminder of how the ecosystem has changed. “When I played, Gautam (Gambhir) bhaiyya gave me a chance because he believed in my talent. It feels good to see youngsters get that opportunity through avenues like the IPL,” said the East Delhi Riders pacer. “The difference between last season and now is massive. The competition is tougher, the quality of cricket is higher, and most importantly, there is hope. Now, they have seen that a path exists.”
{{/usCountry}}That sense of hope is what makes the league matter. For players like Tejasvi Dahiya, who felt overlooked despite strong junior-level performances, the league has restored belief. “During my U-19 days, I scored two consecutive hundreds. Then Covid came in and later I was dropped. I was just waiting,” recalled the South Delhi Superstarz wicketkeeper-batter. “With the league coming in, there’s another platform. Selection trials aren’t telecast, but here all eyes are on you.”
{{/usCountry}}That sense of hope is what makes the league matter. For players like Tejasvi Dahiya, who felt overlooked despite strong junior-level performances, the league has restored belief. “During my U-19 days, I scored two consecutive hundreds. Then Covid came in and later I was dropped. I was just waiting,” recalled the South Delhi Superstarz wicketkeeper-batter. “With the league coming in, there’s another platform. Selection trials aren’t telecast, but here all eyes are on you.”
{{/usCountry}}East Delhi Riders captain Anuj Rawat highlighted teammate Arpit Rana, the season’s leading run-scorer with 445 runs at an average of 63.57, as the one to watch out for. “People want to play the DDCA league too now because it brightens their chances of being picked in the DPL auction,” he said.
Rana himself knows what is at stake and whilst not focusing on the outcome too much, knows that all eyes are on him. “One innings on a platform like this can take you places,” he said.
For Mayank Rawat, who starred in the season one final and fetched a whopping ₹26 lakh in the DPL auction, the platform is also about preparing for bigger stages. “Other states had leagues like this and players would break into the IPL. We hoped we had something similar. DPL is giving us that opportunity,” he said.
In the IPL era, DPL has become Delhi’s answer. It did so last year and with the now expanded tournament producing competitive games and high quality cricket, players are aware that there is a bridge. For a cricketing powerhouse that often produced so much talent for spots so few, the league has given visibility, revived ambition and opened doors. And most importantly, hope.