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Follow UsThe IPL auction is less than 24 hours away, and the auction list released by BCCI on the 11th December has only increased the excitement levels amongst fans.
While the first couple of sets contain the likes of Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, Shardul Thakur, etc. - it’s from the sixth set that the uncapped players begin.
The mushrooming of T20 leagues across the various states has acted as another route for some of these relatively unknown commodities to stake their claim for a bid on the 19th of December.
Andhra, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Odisha, Rajasthan, Saurashtra, Tamil Nadu, and UP have all gone on to host T20 leagues in the country this year. Let’s have a look at some of the players who could potentially make it into an IPL side this time around.
Sameer Rizvi - UP T20 League
The 20-year old youngster from Meerut has captured the imagination of multiple IPL scouts with his stroke play in the inaugural edition of the Uttar Pradesh T20 League. His age, or the lack of experience, did not deter the management from handing him the responsibility of captaincy nor did it affect his batting.
Rizvi scored 455 runs in nine innings. His tally had two centuries, including the fastest one in the tournament (47 balls). A right-handed batter who relies on his hands a bit more than the rest, his range was on display as he left no area of the ground untouched.
Having just turned 20 a few days ago, Rizvi missed every IPL trial he was invited to, because he was asked to lead the Uttar Pradesh U-23 side. He will enter the auction with a fantastic season of SMAT behind his back where he scored over 250 runs at a strike rate just a shade below 140 and an average of about 70.
Given that teams like Rajasthan Royals, Punjab Kings, and Royal Challengers Bangalore will be shopping for some domestic top-order batters, expect the UP lad to get a bid or two in the auction.
Arshin Kulkarni - MPL
Yet another youngster who’s been making the right noises is the all-rounder Arshin Kulkarni. From Solapur, Maharashtra - the 18-year old first came to the limelight in the Maharashtra Premier League, scoring a fantastic century and taking four wickets in the same match. If that wasn’t enough, he also defended five runs off the final over to help his side win the game.
He recently showed another facet of his game, playing a steady 105-ball 70 in the U19 Asia Cup fixture against Afghanistan, ensuring India pocketed a win comfortably.
Arshin started off as a leg-spinning all-rounder, and switched to pace just over two years ago. This is what the chairman of selectors for Maharashtra had to say about him.
“He is tall and strong and uses his height to get the bounce. He is not fast as such bowling in the region of 120-130 kmph. If he works more on his bowling and fitness; and remains injury-free, he can touch 140.”
With age being on his side, one can only imagine how far the youngster will go. While his bowling is still a work in progress, his batting and long levers could attract IPL teams.
Jhatavedh Subramanyan - TNPL
Born and raised in Hong Kong, before moving to the UK for his studies, Jhatavedh Subramanyan has shown great composure for someone who featured in his maiden TNPL game just a few months ago.
He ended the tournament with 11 wickets, and had the third-best economy rate for any bowler (min. 30 overs bowled). Having been coached by former India leg spinner Laxman Sivaramakrishnan, the emphasis on the technical aspects of wrist spin is what sets him apart from the rest of the pack.
"LS sir's approach to coaching and leg-spin bowling is very different from what I was used to in the past. He has a big emphasis on the action, so he works backwards, starting from the balance in the delivery stride and then going back step-by-step to your run-up and everything.”
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His control of line, length, and pace was almost otherworldly. It’s not often you find someone bowling at 102 and 75 kph in the same match, and this is what Jhatavedh brings to the table, along with a superior googly.
Teams such as Mumbai Indians, Royal Challengers Bangalore, and Sunrisers Hyderabad will be entering the auction searching for a quality wrist spinner, and the Chennai-based youngster could just be the answer to those woes.
Manvanth Kumar - Maharaja T20 Trophy
An all-rounder that bowls right-arm medium pace and bats left-handed, and is also an agile fielder to boot. Ring a bell, anyone?
The all-rounder had a fantastic maiden Maharaja T20 Trophy where he played for the eventual winners Hubli Tigers under the experienced Manish Pandey. He ended the tournament as its joint-highest wicket-taker, and also contributed with the bat whenever required.
His big match mentality came to the fore in the final, where he first contributed with the bat, scoring a quickfire 5-ball 14 to help his side breach the 200-run-mark. And later with the ball, he successfully defended 12 runs off the last over, without conceding a single boundary.
His tall and lanky frame helps him rush batters with that extra bounce. Domestic pace bowling all-rounders are a rare commodity. Additionally, Manvanth was coached by R Vinay Kumar in the Maharaja T20 Trophy, who happens to be an MI scout. The demand for utility players like Manvanth will never go away, so don’t be surprised if one of the teams opts to raise their paddle for the Mysuru youngster.
Ansh Gosai - SPL
Still an up-and-coming teenager from Saurashtra, Ansh Gosai represented Sorath Lions in the Saurashtra Premier League.
An average of 26 and a strike rate of 112 might not instill confidence in teams, but the youngster has shown an affinity for boundary hitting, and will go a long way if groomed well.
Primarily a middle order batter, Ansh’s moment under the sun came in the final of SPL 2023, where he scored a composed 37-ball 49 to set up a competitive total of 164 on the board.
He was a part of the 2022 U19 World Cup as one of the reserve players, and is again a part of the U19 Asia Cup squad as a reserve player. What sets him apart from other youngsters is the positions he gets into while attacking the ball. With a penchant for hitting behind the square, he could well be another 360-degree player in the making.
An aggressive middle-order batter will be welcomed by most teams in the IPL. Will he get a bid though, only time will tell.
