Deepesh Devendran for India [Source: ACC]Deepesh Devendran is slowly becoming the kind of Indian fast-bowling prospect who can make IPL scouts stop looking at the scorecard and start watching the speed gun.The 18-year-old has been operating in a territory that is difficult to manufacture in Indian domestic cricket: genuine pace, extra bounce and the ability to consistently push beyond 140 kmph and sometimes even 146! During his TNPL 2026 campaign for Madurai Panthers, Devendran has repeatedly touched the mid-140s, giving franchises another young Indian quick to monitor ahead of the IPL 2027 auction.Who Is Deepesh Devendran? The 146 kmph Prospect Making NoiseThe youngster has consistently been clocked at 140-plus kmph in the TNPL and has touched 145 kmph or higher, while also showing enough variation to prevent him from becoming a one-dimensional pace bowler.That pace has not appeared out of nowhere either. Devendran was part of India's victorious Under-19 World Cup campaign earlier in 2026, where he picked up six wickets in five matches, including two wickets in the final against England. Before that, he had already made a significant impression at the Under-19 Asia Cup, finishing as the tournament's leading wicket-taker with 14 wickets in five matches.His Australia Under-19 tour provided another glimpse of his ceiling, with Devendran taking 10 wickets, including a five-wicket haul in the first Youth Test in Brisbane.Across his first six appearances for Madurai Panthers in TNPL 2026, Devendran has returned figures of 1/25, 0/45, 3/38, 0/31, 0/29 and 1/34. Now, the franchise that buys him would not merely be buying five TNPL wickets; it would be buying the possibility of developing an Indian 145 kmph bowler. Here are five teams that could potentially explore that possibility ahead of IPL 2027.1. Mumbai IndiansMumbai Indians could be one of the most natural destinations for Deepesh Devendran because their scouting philosophy has historically placed enormous value on raw Indian pace.The franchise has repeatedly invested in young fast bowlers and built them within its system. That makes Devendran's profile particularly interesting. He does not need to arrive at the IPL auction as a finished bowler. Mumbai could potentially take him as a long-term pace project and work on the areas that separate raw speed from IPL-level effectiveness.Devendran already has the one attribute that cannot simply be coached into existence, which is pace. What can be developed is everything around it. His lengths, slower-ball execution, yorkers, bowling plans at the death and ability to recover after being attacked can all improve with exposure to elite coaching.Mumbai's value for him would therefore go beyond immediate playing-XI requirements. It would be about turning an exciting domestic quick into a potentially reliable IPL bowler.2. Lucknow Super GiantsLucknow Super Giants might be an even more intriguing destination because the franchise has already built an identity around Indian pace. Mayank Yadav is the obvious name. Mohsin Khan has also offered another Indian left-arm pace option, while LSG have continued to experiment with different combinations within their fast-bowling group.Mayank represents extreme pace and raw intimidation when fully fit. Devendran could potentially become another high-speed Indian project within the same ecosystem.His extra bounce, height and ability to operate in the 140-plus range could give LSG another option when they want to attack batters with hard lengths rather than simply rely on swing or movement.For LSG, this could also be a long-term investment ahead of IPL 2027. The franchise would not necessarily need to throw Devendran into the IPL immediately. They could allow him to spend time around an established pace group, learn how to manage his workload and gradually understand what professional T20 bowling demands.Also Read- Tushar Raheja Mayhem In TNPL 2026- Batter Smashes 5 Sixes In An Over3. Chennai Super KingsChennai Super Kings could have perhaps the most emotionally obvious reason to target Deepesh Devendran. He is a Tamil Nadu product who is currently playing in the TNPL, meaning the local cricket ecosystem already knows what he can do. That familiarity can be extremely valuable when a franchise is deciding whether a raw domestic player is worth an auction investment.But CSK's interest should not be based purely on geography. It should be based on the fact that Devendran offers something that is difficult to find. Also, CSK do not have many death bowling options besides Khaleel Ahmed and Anshul Kamboj, which makes Devendran’s case more interesting.CSK have often preferred experienced bowlers and players who understand conditions, but a young bowler who can consistently touch 140-145 kmph gives them a completely different development pathway.Imagine having a local Tamil Nadu fast bowler who already understands the domestic environment and then placing him inside CSK's professional setup.The franchise would have time to work on his T20 craft without immediately placing the burden of becoming a frontline bowler on his shoulders.4. Punjab KingsPunjab Kings could also enter the race ahead of IPL 2027 because their pace department has plenty of experience but could still benefit from adding another raw Indian speedster.Arshdeep Singh remained one of their key bowling figures in IPL 2026, while Marco Jansen and Vijaykumar Vyshak also featured prominently in the pace group. Arshdeep's importance to Punjab was evident throughout the season, while Jansen provided the all-rounder dimension and Vyshak offered another Indian pace option.If Deepesh Devendran gets into Punjab Kings, Arshdeep could offer the experience. Jansen could provide the all-round value. Devendran could be the raw pace project.The franchise has also shown that it is willing to trust Indian players in its bowling unit. A young quick who can push the speed gun beyond 140 kmph would therefore make sense as another developmental option.5. Kolkata Knight RidersKolkata Knight Riders might only be a passing possibility, but their need for additional raw pace could make Devendran an interesting name on their scouting list.Kartik Tyagi emerged as one of their most productive fast bowlers in IPL 2026, while KKR also had options such as Vaibhav Arora, Matheesha Pathirana and Navdeep Saini within their broader pace group. Tyagi's impact was particularly notable, with the right-armer producing several important spells during the season.However, Pathirana's availability and effectiveness were concerns, while Saini also did not consistently provide the impact KKR would have wanted.That could make the franchise consider another raw pace option. Deepesh Devendran would not necessarily replace any of those players directly. Instead, he could be viewed as a developmental addition who gives KKR another high-ceiling Indian quick ahead of IPL 2027.Also Read- Dinesh Chandimal, Kusal Mendis’ Replacement Announced By Sri Lanka For 2nd Test vs India
