As many as 578 players including 360 Indians will go under the hammer in Bengaluru on January 27 and 28 during the Indian Premier League auction for the 2018 season. While more than 1000 players had registered for the auctions, the BCCI has pruned the list to 578 players.
This also includes a host of uncapped players, both Indian and foreign. Uncapped players have more of a chance of being picked this season because, for the first time, they will feature on the first day of the auction.
The IPL has decided to have a mix of capped and uncapped players this time considering the interest around players such as Krunal Pandya, who starred for Mumbai Indians last year. A number of uncapped Indian players have been auditioning for the IPL by playing in Twenty20 leagues around the country, including the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, the Tamil Nadu Premier League and the Karnataka Premier League.
Here is a pick of the best performers from these leagues (not including Pandya and India’s 2018 U19 World Cup cricketers):
Ankit Lamba
Base price: Rs 20 lakh
Age: 26
Position: Batsman
Ankit Lamba has never played in the IPL before but has been in good form in this season’s Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. The 26-year-old has scored 314 runs in nine matches at an average of over 62, hitting four half-centuries on the day.
Ricky Bhui
Base price: Rs 20 lakh
Age: 21
Position: Batsman
Profile: Ricky Bhui was picked by the Sunrisers Hyderabad in the 2014 IPL auction for Rs 10 lakh but he did not get a game in the four years since. He also played for India at the 2016 Under-19 World Cup in Bangladesh.
Bhui has scored 226 runs in just five matches in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy this year. This came at an average of over 75, including two half-centuries.
Manan Vohra
Base price: Rs 20 lakh
Age: 24
Position: Batsman
Manan Vohra is a veteran of 45 IPL matches, all for Kings XI Punjab. He was a regular during the 2013 season but did not make the most of his opportunities.
He has scored 291 runs in nine matches in this season’s Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, including three half-centuries.
Ishank Jaggi
Base price: Rs 20 lakh
Age: 28
Position: Batsman
Profile: Ishank Jaggi is an IPL veteran so to say. He was first picked by the Deccan Chargers and has since been in the squads of KKR and RCB. He has, however, played only seven matches in IPL.
Jaggi has played only four matches in Syed Mushtaq Ali but scored 213 runs in them, including two half-centuries.
Shreevats Goswami
Base price: Rs 20 lakh
Age: 28
Position: Wicketkeeper-batsman
Profile: A veteran of 23 IPL matches, Shreevats Goswami has had a good season in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, scoring 373 runs in eight matches at an average of 53.28. The 28-year-old has scored five half-centuries this season with a highest of 82 not out. A strike-rate of over 150 also helps his cause.
Kedar Devdhar
Base price: Rs 20 lakh
Age: 28
Position: Wicketkeeper-batsman
Profile: Kedar Devdhar has hit a century in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy this season to add to his two fifties. He has 343 runs in eight matches with a strike rate of 140.
Deepak Chahar
Base price: Rs 20 lakh
Age: 25
Position: Bowling all-rounder
Profile: Rajasthan’s Deepak Chahar has been the pick of the bowlers in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. The medium pacer has picked up a formidable 19 wickets in nine matches at an average under 10. This also includes a five-wicket haul in a T20 match. The 25-year-old can also bat a bit which could help his cause.
Atit Sheth
Base price: Rs 20 lakh
Age: 21
Position: Bowler
Profile: Atit Sheth’s medium pace has taken 13 wickets in eight matches for Baroda in this season’s Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy at an average of 15. His best bowling figures were 3/21.
Mohsin Khan
Base price: Rs 20 lakh
Age: 19
Position: Bowler
Profile: The 19-year-old Mohsin Khan has played only eight matches in his T20 career and all of them have been in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. He has taken 13 wickets in eight matches for Uttar Pradesh in the tournament at 17.15. The left-arm medium-pacer could make for a good and cheap back-up option for franchises.
Baba Aparajith
Base price: Rs 20 lakh
Age: 23
Position: Batting all-rounder
Profile: Baba Aparajith has been part of IPL squads before – for Chennai Super Kings and Rising Pune Supergiants – but never got a game. He has done well in last year’s Tamil Nadu Premier League, scoring 277 runs in seven matches at an average of 46 and strike rate of above 150. He scored three half-centuries in the 2017 TNPL and can also bowl a handy off-break.
R Sai Kishore
Base price: Rs 20 lakh
Age: 21
Position: Bowler
Profile: R Sai Kishore was the best bowler in last year’s TNPL, picking up 17 wickets in 10 matches at an average of 13.41. His best figures with his slow left-arm orthodox were five for 13.
S Mohan Prasath
Base price: Rs 20 lakh
Position: Bowler
Profile: Another slow left-arm orthodox bowler, S Mohan Prasath picked up 11 wickets in eight matches at an average of 14 in last year’s TNPL.
Rahil Shah
Base price: Rs 20 lakh
Age: 32
Position: Bowler
Profile: Tamil Nadu seems to be having a lot of these. Yet another slow left-arm orthodox bowler did well in the TNPL last year, with Rahil Shah taking 11 wickets in seven matches.
Abhishek Sakuja
Base price: Rs 20 lakh
Age: 30
Position: Bowler
Profile: Yet yet another slow left-arm orthodox bowler! Abhishek Sakuja was the pick of the bowlers at the Karnataka Premier League last year, taking 14 wickets in seven matches.
T Pradeep
Base price: Rs 20 lakh
Age: 23
Position: Bowler
Profile: Pacer T Pradeep took 10 wickets in six matches in last year’s KPL at an average under 16. His best bowling figures were 4 for 14.