Syed Mushtaq Ali T20: the players who impressed
MUMBAI: The main reason for squeezing in Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy between Vijay Hazare and Ranji Trophy was to help domestic players display their skills before the Indian Premier League (IPL) auction takes place on December 19 in Kolkata.
Earlier, it was held after the auction, robbing many players a chance to earn an IPL contract. With this edition finishing a few days before the auction, here are a few names that you could see frequently in the IPL next year.
DEVDUTT PADIKKAL
In a Karnataka batting line-up that boasts of KL Rahul, Manish Pandey, Mayank Agarwal and Karun Nair, the 19-year-old not only held his own but also finished as the top run-scorer. Opening the innings, his partnerships with Rahul set the platform for Karnataka’s title win. Experts feel the left-hander has technique and can also hit big, a combination that will help him across formats. He also topped the batting charts in Vijay Hazare Trophy, scoring 609 runs in 11 innings. While he didn’t get a single game last season, Padikkal was one of few players retained by Royal Challengers Bangalore after Virat Kohli was impressed with his work ethics. Bought for just ₹20 lakh, he will be one to watch out for in the upcoming IPL.
M: 12, R: 580, HS: 122*, Ave: 64.44, SR: 175.75, 100s/50s: 1/5
R SAI KISHORE
It is never easy for a spinner to bowl with the new ball in the power-play but the 23-year-old leftarm spinner was on the money, bowling with control and taking wickets. The Tamil Nadu lad emerged as the top wicket-taker and also finished with the best economy rate in the tournament by conceding just 4.6 runs per over. Most of his wickets came in the power-play period. Even when Washington Sundar returned to the squad, skipper Dinesh Karthik continued giving the new ball to Sai Kishore, rewarding him for the good work he had done throughout the tournament. While he went unsold in the last two IPL auctions, he might find some takers this time around.
M: 12, W: 20, BB: 4/6, Ave: 10.40, Eco: 4.6, SR: 13.4
SURYAKUMAR YADAV
Such was his potential that he was tipped to make the India squad. But lack of application after impressive starts meant the Mumbai batsman never quite knocked on the doors of India team. But with experience and age, he has become more mature in his shot selection and is now considered as the most impressive T20 player in the domestic circuit and Mumbai Indians retaining him is a proof of it. Leading Mumbai this season, he finished as their top-scorer in the tournament.
M: 11, R: 392, HS: 94*, Ave: 56.00, SR: 168.96, 100s/50s: 0/4
HARSHAL PATEL
Everyone knew about Harshal Patel the bowler but in this edition of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, he showed skills with the bat too. He was among the best allrounders on display and finished as the joint-second highest wicket-taker and the fourth highest run-scorer in the tournament. His exploits were instrumental in Haryana finishing on equal points with Mumbai in their group and making it to the knockouts where they lost in the semis. While he played just two matches last season for Delhi Capitals, he may well look forward to featuring regularly.
M: 12, R: 374, HS: 82, Ave: 31.16, SR: 165.48, 100s/50s: 0/2. W: 19, BB: 3/14, Ave: 15.94, Eco: 7.04, SR: 13.5
RUTURAJ GAIKWAD
An India ‘A’ regular, the Maharashtra opener finished as the second-highest scorer in the tournament. It has been a breakthrough year for the 22-year-old as he amassed a lot of runs during the home series against Sri Lanka ‘A’ and then in the Caribbean against West Indies ‘A’. Maharashtra coach Surendra Bhave says his style helps him play both pace and spin comfortably. A product of Dilip Vengsarkar Academy in Pune, the right-hand batsman was once praised by MS Dhoni for his sharp cricket brain. Part of Chennai Super Kings, he feels that his displays this season may get him a few matches in IPL. M: 11, R: 419, HS: 82*, Ave: 41.90, SR: 146.50, 100s/50s: 0/3