The 2021 Indian Premier League auction set to take place on February 18 in Chennai, will play host to a large pool of Indian talents that have shown great promise in the domestic circuit.
With a total of 164 Indian players set to go under the hammer,
Sportstar takes a look at six uncapped players who could strike big at the auction on Thursday.
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Shahrukh Khan
Tamil Nadu’s explosive batsman Shahrukh Khan could finally crack the IPL code at the auctions. The Chennai-born youngster displayed glimpses of his mettle to play the big shots during the recently concluded Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.
Shahrukh’s 19-ball 40, lifted Tamil Nadu into the semifinal before its victorious run to bag the title itself. The 25-year-old’s big-hitting skills were in the fore as his strike rate of 220 was the best in the tournament.
With his hometown IPL franchise lacking some powerful hitters in its ranks, Shahrukh could well be on the radar.
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Mohammed Azharuddeen
Kerala’s Mohammed Azharuddeen became an overnight sensation after his record-breaking 137 dismantled Mumbai in a Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy fixture in January.
The Kerala opener, like his famed namesake Azharuddin, lit up the Wankhede Stadium with 11 sixes during his record-breaking knock where he notched up the highest T20 score by an Indian in chases.
The 26-year-old finished the series with 214 runs from five innings. Azharuddeen’s stroke-filled batsmanship could, however, expect big bids coming his way at the auction.
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Vishnu Solanki
Down and out was Baroda when it required 15 off three balls against Haryana in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy quarterfinal, but Vishnu Solanki provided the final twist.
Solanki briefly rewrote his cricketing fortunes with the next three balls as he went - 6, 4, 6 - the final six recreating a certain helicopter shot. The 28-year-old did not flinch under pressure as he put up two 50-plus scores and a 49 in the final against Tamil Nadu, finishing with 267 runs in eight innings to his name.
With his icy demeanour being a stand-out among all the flashy strokeplay in the series, Solanki will definitely be a big draw at the auction.
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Lukman Meriwala
Baroda’s left-arm paceman Meriwala bolstered his case for the big stage as he led his side to the Syed Mushtaq Ali finals this season.
Meriwala led the bowling charts with 15 wickets from eight matches - the second-most in the tournament. The 29-year-old was instrumental in lifting his side to the final, as his 3/28 ousted Punjab.
The feisty paceman recorded one of the tournament’s best figures (5/8) as he generated pace and bounce to rattle the Chattisgarh batsmen in a group fixture.
Meriwala’s adept use of variations with the ball may kindle interest in franchises on the look out for seasoned Indian T20 bowlers.
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Chetan Sakariya
Left-arm sensation Chetan Sakariya deftly put up his case for the auctions with a sizzling Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy campaign for Saurashtra.
The 22-year-old rattled oppositions with his accurate bowling alongside an excellent blend of variations. Sakariya became the only bowler in the top-15 to concede less than 100 runs in the tournament and fetched 12 wickets from five matches at a stunning economy rate of 4.90.
Sakariya’s terrific control and variations with the ball will be a sure-shot favourite for the big bucks among franchises in search of homegrown left-arm fast bowlers.
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Vivek Singh
Bengal opener Vivek Singh’s brilliant 100* against Jharkhand in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy in January, instantly put him on the IPL radar.
The left-hander plundered 208 runs in five innings with two 50-plus scores to his tally while maintaining an explosive strike rate of 157.57.
The 27-year-old’s measured approach at the top of the order in Bengal’s brief campaign could pave way for a lucrative deal on Thursday.
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