IPL 2017 'Emerging Player' Award: Top 10 contenders in public poll

Bengaluru, May 10: With only 11 matches remaining for the conclusion of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2017, the battle for play-offs is getting interesting and so is the race for individual awards.

After each season of IPL, there are several awards to be one. As every years, this time too there is lot of focus on youngsters who are in the running for Emerging Player Award.

As on Wednesday (May 10), on the IPL's official website, voting results showed Gujarat Lions' (GL) paceman Basil Thampi at the top. However, the award will be decided by a combination of public vote and commentators' choice. (Full list of awards/prize money)

Who is eligible for the award and how they are chosen? Here is the process.

Emerging Player Award - "This award will be given by BCCI to the player who has best demonstrated, through his performances during the season, his potential to be a future star of international cricket. In order to be eligible for the Emerging Player award, a player must meet all four of the following criteria:

"Be born after 1 April 1991; have played 5 or less Test matches / 10 or less ODI or T20 Internationals for his country; have played in 25 or less IPL matches (as of the start of the season); and have not previously won the Emerging Player Award.

"Winner to be decided through a combination of commentators' choice and public voting."

Here are the top 10 players in the Emerging Player Award voting process (as on May 10, 2017, 12 PM IST) - All statistics after May 9 matches.

1. Basil Thampi (Gujarat Lions)

Right-arm paceman Thampi (right) has so far received 57.4 per cent of votes. He has taken 10 wickets in 11 matches. His best is 3/29.

2. Nitish Rana (Mumbai Indians)

Uncapped Indian left-hand batsman Rana impressed in the early part of the tournament with his batting. But after that he has failed to make a big impact. So far he has accumulated 321 runs from 12 matches. He has received 21.9 per cent votes and is 2nd.

3. Rishabh Pant (Delhi Daredevils)

The 19-year-old Pant lit up IPL 10 with his audacious strokeplay. His 97 off 43 against Gujarat was hailed as one of the best in the tournament's history by batting Sachin Tendulkar.

4. Ishan Kishan (GL)

Kishan has collected 182 runs from 9 matches. He too has been aggressive with his batting, as an opener and also in the lower order. He is 3rd in the poll.