SMAT 2024: Which players could IPL franchises potentially rope in as replacement?

Urvil Patel (Gujarat) - 315 runs @ 229.9 SR 

Batter type: Right-hander

Role: Opener / wicketkeeper

Urvil Patel was part of the Gujarat Titans squad in IPL 2023, but after getting released ahead of IPL 2024, he went unsold at the IPL 2025 mega auction last month. However, the 26-year-old made a serious statement at the 2024 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, smashing the second-fastest T20 century in history against Tripura before following it up with 115* (41) against Uttarakhand. 

He also had a blazing cameo against Karnataka, plundering 33 off 14 balls.

Overall, Urvil had a SR of 229.9 in the 2024 SMAT and smashed a six every 4.7 balls. The 26-year-old is also a wicketkeeper; he kept wickets in each of the team’s six matches. 

Being a dasher, powerplay basher and wicketkeeper all in one, Urvil would certainly be on the shortlist of several franchises when it comes to replacement players.

Atharva Ankolekar (Mumbai) - 4 wickets @ E.R 6.3

Bowling type: Left-arm spinner

Batter type: Left-hander

Role: All-rounder

Atharva Ankolekar, who was part of the 2020 India U19 World Cup team in which Yashasvi Jaiswal featured, played only three matches in SMAT 2024 and took 4 wickets at an economy of 6.3. But it will be the package he brings to the table that will keenly interest teams. 

The 24-year-old is an economical left-arm spinner who can bowl in the powerplay. He opened the bowling in the final against Madhya Pradesh and registered figures of 4-0-19-1. 

Additionally, Ankolekar is a very handy lower-order batter. He batted only once in SMAT 2024, in the final, and blasted 16* off 6 balls batting at No.6. We’ve seen franchises hold individuals like Shahbaz Ahmed, Swapnil Singh, and Anukul Roy in high regard due to their player profiles. That way, Ankolekar is someone many franchises might have their eye on.

Shivalik Sharma (Baroda) - 235 runs @ 155.6 SR

Batter type: Left-hander

Role: Middle-order batter

Baroda made it to the semis of SMAT 2024, and 26-year-old Shivalik Sharma was integral to their deep run. The left-hander, batting across positions three to six, produced consistent cameos and proved to be an ultra-reliable batter for the Krunal Pandya-led side. 

Shivalik hit 16 sixes in the competition; overall, he hit a boundary every 4.6 deliveries.

What might interest franchises is his versatility. The 26-year-old began SMAT 2024 batting at No.3 but was then moved to the lower middle-order. He showcased his composure in the semis against Mumbai, where, from 103/6, a cameo from the left-hander took Baroda to 158/7. 

Bhanu Pania (Baroda) - 273 runs @ 215 SR 

Batter type: Right-hander

Role: Middle-order batter

Shivalik’s compatriot at Baroda, Bhanu Pania, too had an incredible SMAT 2024 season, averaging over 50 while striking at 215. He smashed 134* (51) in Baroda’s record-breaking effort against Sikkim, but he’s no small-team basher; the 28-year-old played game-defining hands in several crucial contests against big sides as well.

Prior to the century against Sikkim, Pania scored 42 (20) vs Tamil Nadu, 30 (15) vs Saurashtra and 42 (24) vs Karnataka - all in the space of four games. He tonked 25 sixes in the competition - only Urvil Patel and Rajat Patidar hit more.

Last season, we saw middle-order hitters like Shashank Singh and Ashutosh Sharma make a huge impact with the bat. Along similar lines, franchises might not be afraid to take a punt on Pania, should someone get injured. 

Mohit Ahlawat (Services) - 290 runs @ 174.7 SR 

Batter type: Right-hander

Role: Middle-order batter / wicketkeeper

Six innings played. Six scores over 35 and six innings with a strike rate over 135.00. Services’ Mohit Ahlawat showed outrageous consistency in SMAT 2024, creating a positive impact in every single game that he played. Once again, apart from maximising his returns against some of the smaller sides, Mohit also stepped up against the big guns, scoring a fifty against  Mumbai before backing it up with 37 (17) against Maharashtra. 

An Indian wicketkeeper who can bat in the middle-order is a very valuable player profile. Teams might very well look at Mohit should one of their incumbent keepers or batters sustain a season-ending injury. 

Abid Mushtaq (Jammu & Kashmir) - 12 wickets @ E.R 7.8

Bowler type: Left-arm spinner

Role: Middle-overs spinners

Abid Mushtaq was a part of the Rajasthan Royals setup in IPL 2024 but did not get a game the entire season. But after going unsold at the mega auction, he put in a stellar showing at SMAT 2024, taking 12 wickets at an E.R of 7.8.

Jammu Kashmir's Abid Mushtaq is one of Australia's net bowler for Border Gavaskar Trophy.pic.twitter.com/A7f5qg7mMK

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) February 3, 2023

Mushtaq bowls primarily in the middle-overs and is also a handy batter lower down the order. He did not get to bat much in SMAT 2024, but the 27-year-old has a List A average close to 30, with him striking at over 113. 

Franchises might ponder signing him as a replacement should one of their local spinners sustain an injury. 

R Smaran (Karnataka) - 170 runs @ 170 SR

Batter type: Left-hander

Role: Middle-order batter

Playing in his maiden SMAT season, 21-year-old Smaran left quite the impression, registering a strike rate of 170 batting in the middle-order. Karnataka did not make it to the knockouts but the young left-hander was one of the bright spots for the side. He saved his best for the last, smashing 49 off 21 against Gujarat in Karnataka’s last group game, hammering as many as six sixes.

Also Read: Restless in his pursuit, ‘run-machine’ Smaran eyes Karnataka nod

Earlier this season, Smaran was one of the best batters in the 2024 Maharaja Trophy, where he amassed 302 runs at a strike rate of 145.2 for Gulbarga Mystics, again batting at No.4. The 21-year-old has already developed a nice reputation of being a pace-hitter; in the 2024 Maharaja Trophy, he struck at 162 against the quicks, against whom he collected 23 of his 35 boundaries. 

After surprisingly attracting no bids at the mega auction, don’t be surprised if a franchise snaps him up as a replacement player, having seen his performances in SMAT 2024. 

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