One can’t argue about the numerous chances IPL provides to young players. It’s hands down the best place to announce yourself.
Since 2008, many youngsters have had their opportunities to show their talent. A few of them got it at a younger age.
Here we’ll list the top five youngest players who debuted in the IPL.
5. Sarfaraz Khan | 17 Years and 182 Days
Sarfaraz Khan made noise at a young age for his performance in school and domestic cricket. That saw him play for India in two under-19 World Cups in 2014 and 2016.
In between, Sarfaraz earned his first IPL gig with Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in 2015. And towards late April that year, he made his IPL debut at 17 years and 182 days.
The right-hand batter received his maiden cap against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on April 22, 2015.
Sarfaraz walked in at No. 6 in a chase of 182 runs. But he mustered 11 runs off seven balls. RCB eventually lost the game.
4. Pradeep Sangwan | 17 Years and 179 Days
Pradeep Sangwan was once touted as a promising talent back in 2008. And riding on his exceptional performance, he landed an IPL deal with Delhi Daredevils in the inaugural season.
Sangwan was the youngest player at 17 years and 179 days on his IPL debut on May 2, 2008. He held the record for almost 10 years.
Despite the talent, Sangwan had a forgettable debut. He gave away 40 runs without a wicket in four overs against CSK.
3. Riyan Parag | 17 Years and 152 Days
After featuring in the 2018 Under-19 World Cup for India, Riyan Parag created history in IPL 2019. Rajasthan Royals (RR) signed the Assam all-rounder for his base price ahead of the season.
Midway through the season, RR handed Parag his debut against CSK on April 11, 2019. He was 17 years and 152 days old at that time.
Although Parag had a dull debut, scoring 16 with the bat and giving away 24 with the ball, he created a record. He scored his maiden fifty at 17 years and 175 days, making him the youngest batter to do so in the IPL.
Even in IPL 2025, Parag became the fourth-youngest to captain a team in the league. He was 23 years and 133 days old when he led RR on his captaincy debut.
2. Mujeeb Ur Rahman | 17 Years and 11 Days
Mujeeb Ur Rahman had turned 17 on March 28, 2018. And he went on to make his IPL debut in the next 11 days.
Mujeeb was pretty new to professional cricket, having made his international debut in December 2017. And within four months he already had an IPL contract.
The Afghan spinner turned up for Kings XI Punjab against Delhi Daredevils on April 8, 2018. The leg spinner had a good start to his IPL career. Mujeeb had the figures of 2 for 28, while he finished the season with 14 wickets in 11 games.
1. Prayas Ray Barman | 16 Years and 157 Days
Prayas Ray Barman holds the record for being the youngest on his IPL debut. And like most of the players above, he didn’t have a memorable debut.
Prayas was 16 years and 157 days old when RCB handed him his debut cap. RCB were up against Sunrisers Hyderabad on March 31, 2019.
Prayas came into the attack in the 7th over and bowled a tidy over. But then Jonny Bairstow tore apart the inexperienced leg spinner in his next three overs.
As a result, Prayas ended up with the figures of 0 for 56 in his four-over spell. After this, he has never featured in the league.
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