Last Updated on 4 years by Charbel Coorey
IPL Auction 2021: 5 uncapped Indian players who could be bought | IPL Auction 2021: 5 uncapped Indian players to keep eye on in Auction
No Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise can succeed without sufficient contribution from its domestic players. International stars prove to be the decisive factor, but it’s the seven Indian players who formulate the base upon which a side’s success is built.
Indian internationals are already few in numbers and picked up aplenty by teams upfront. This time, the auction might arguably see minimal spending with the mega auction set to take place ahead of IPL 2022. Hence, uncapped players, especially the Indian ones who have made heads turn in domestic competitions recently, might be on the radar of certain teams. Here, we take a look and elaborate of five such cricketers.
Also read: 5 international stars who could land an IPL 2021 contract
1. Krishnappa Gowtham
Krishnappa Gowtham was quite impressive for the Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2018. The off-spinning all-rounder had scalped 11 dismissals in 15 matches at an economy rate of 7.80. He had also scored 126 runs at a strike rate of 196.87. Thereafter, Gowtham excelled in the Karnataka Premier League (KPL), especially due to his swashbuckling, attacking batting approach. However, his skillsets with the willow is a bit susceptible against express pace bowling that one often comes along in the IPL.
However, it is needless to say that he is more than useful to score quick runs with the bat and possesses requisite abilities to bowl well in T20s too. Gowtham can be used to restrict the flow of runs in the field restriction overs and can be handy with the bat at number six or seven. Impactful Indian all-rounders are hard to come by in the IPL. With Gowtham arguably being one, he should attract quite a few suitors next week.
2. Vishnu Solanki
Vishnu Solanki is a right-handed batsman from Baroda who had recently impressed the audience with his performances in the recently concluded Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. Solanki had scored 267 runs in eight innings at an average of 53.40 with two half-centuries to his name. He had notched 21 boundaries and 12 sixes and had a strike rate of 128.36. The 28-year-old has the ability to bag runs aplenty, which is highlighted with his overall average of 35.71 in 41 domestic T20 matches.
Solanki briskly notches runs and might suits the requirements of teams that need some good domestic players to add some quality squad depth. Moreover, the batsman has grinded it out in the domestic circuit over the years and also stepped up to the stage by becoming the fifth highest run-scorer in SMAT 2021. His form came into fore in a tournament that was closely followed by teams preparing their auction strategy. There will be clarity over whether his performances caught the attention of any of teams in the coming week.
3. Mohammed Azharuddeen
Kerala’s new 26-year-old star Mohammed Azharuddeen had shot into limelight through his blitzkrieg century against Mumbai in SMAT 2021. On 13th January, Azhaduddeen scored a century in 37 deliveries against the 41 time Ranji champions. He bagged 137 runs off 54 deliveries and suddenly the entire domestic circuit was talking about this new lad from the southern state. It was not merely his daddy hundred that made people take notice of him.
It was the fact that his innings came against one of the most prominent domestic sides, which perhaps showcases that Azharuddeen can perform similarly well in higher levels of the sport too. Now, the player might be anticipating one of the IPL teams to pick him up too. Speaking to Indian Express, the batsman quipped, “Pressure is there even when we play on the paddy fields. It’s always there. But that century (against Mumbai) gave me more confidence. It made me more responsible.” Moreover, the batsman scored runs at a strike rate of 194.54 too, a trait that several teams will look to add in their setup.
4. Tushar Deshpande
Tushar Deshpande played five matches for the Delhi Capitals last year and his statistics might not appear too hunky-dory. However, the lad appeared to have immense skin in the game. He seemed to touch 140 kmph regularly and has a very good yorker up his sleeves. Moreover, Deshpande plays Ranji Trophy regularly too and hence he is aware of working well with the new ball initially too.
Additionally, Deshpande has developed a few knuckle-deliveries that makes him quite a handy customer with the ball. Overall, the 25-year-old can move the ball upfront, consistently deliver balls in the block hole in the end and can be called up in the middle stages to hit the hard lengths too. Numbers do not tend to display the entire potential of a player on occasions and merely having observed Deshpande ply his trade in IPL 2020 can indicate that he will surely be sought by at least a few teams in the upcoming auction.
5. Avi Barot
SMAT 2021 might have happened at an appropriate time for many young Indian players. Avi Barot, fourth-highest run-scorer in the tournament, might just be one of them. Playing for Saurashtra, Barot amassed 283 runs in five innings at an average of 56.6 that included a century and half-century too. However, more impressively, he scored these runs at a strike rate of 184.96. He notched 32 fours (second-highest) and 12 sixes in those games and certainly carved an impact that must have been keenly followed by several teams.
Obviously, most sides have their batting units fixed and it is generally difficult for any new domestic player to be suddenly inducted in the playing XI. However, the likes of Barot can gain invaluable experience merely by spending time with the coaching staff of any franchise. Moreover, players do tend to receive opportunities through their associations with teams over time and then it is only a matter of who manages to make the most of those chances.
The likes of Barot, Azharudeen and Solanki have certainly done their job a month ahead of the auctions. Now, it is upon the franchises to invest in these lads and even groom them over time to regularly attain game-time in the future.
Written by Tarkesh Jha. Follow Tarkesh on Twitter today.
