IPL Auction 2023: Six uncapped Indian players to watch out for in December 23 mini-auction

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 auction is set to take place in Kochi on December 23. The mini-auction will hand all 10 franchises an opportunity to reset as the IPL is slated for a full-fledged home and away season for the first time since 2019.

While 87 slots are open for a vast pool of 405 players that also hosts several global stars, the bulk of the focus will fall on the 57 slots that are open to Indian players.

Among the pool is a new set of local uncapped talent that could leave a vital mark on the league and Indian cricket in the upcoming years. Here is a look at six uncapped Indian players who could light up the IPL 2023 mini-auction:

Shubham Khajuria

Jammu and Kashmir opener Khajuria has been one of the bright spots of his side’s campaign in the 2022-23 season so far. While J&K did not have a fruitful Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy tournament, Khajuria struck four consecutive 70-plus scores and a century in the Vijay Hazare Trophy quarterfinal as the team reached the last four for the first time.

The 27-year-old ended both tournaments as J&K’s leading run-getter, amassing 677 runs from 13 innings with five fifties and a century.

Khajuria is said to have been called up by multiple franchises for trials before the mini-auction and could be a valuable backup opener. He is slotted in the first set of uncapped batters at a base price of INR 20 lakh.

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Chethan LR

Karnataka’s Chethan LR may have only played four T20 games for the senior state team this season. However, the 22-year-old is primed to be a batter worth investing in after his brilliant season in Karnataka’s Maharaja T20 league.

Opening with skipper Mayank Agarwal for the Bengaluru Blasters, Chethan smashed 447 runs from 11 innings - the second-most in the league behind Mayank - at a blistering strike rate of 173.25. Chethan struck 26 sixes in the tournament and almost pulled off a win in the final with a 40-ball 91. The wicket-keeper batter is named in the first uncapped batters set at an INR 20 lakh base price.

Shivam Mavi

Uttar Pradesh (UP) seamer Shivam Mavi has led the new-ball attack for his state in the ongoing 2022-23 domestic season across formats. Known for his fiery pace, Mavi was a part of Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) since 2018 and has picked up 30 wickets from 32 matches. While his lacklustre 2022 season (five wickets in six matches) resulted in his release from KKR, the 24-year-old will be among the most bankable Indian seamers available in the player pool after his recent exploits for UP. Mavi’s base price of INR 40 lakh is the highest among all uncapped Indians in the mini-auction.

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Vidwath Kaverappa

Twenty-three-year-old Vidwath Kaverappa has been the find of Karnataka cricket in a season where the team has struggled for consistency. The lanky seamer made his T20 debut in the 2022-23 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and finished as the second-leading wicket-taker of the tournament. He picked up 18 wickets from eight matches at an economy of 6.36.

Kaverappa was proficient in the Vijay Hazare Trophy too. The right-arm seamer bagged 17 wickets from eight games as Karnataka was knocked out in the semifinal by eventual champion Saurashtra. Kaverappa heads into the auction with a base price of INR 20 lakh and is slotted in the second set of uncapped fast bowlers.

Samarth Vyas

Saurashtra top-order batter Samarth Vyas began his season on a high with successive 90-plus scores in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy tournament. Vyas compiled 314 runs with a superb 177.40 strike rate and cracked 22 sixes from seven matches - the most in the tournament this season.

The 27-year-old later became the ninth Indian to slam a List A double-hundred during the Vijay Hazare Trophy (200 vs Manipur) as Saurashtra went on to win the tournament. While he has not bowled regularly in the season, Vyas is listed in the first uncapped all-rounders set at his base price of INR 20 lakh.