IPL Auction 2018: From Rahul Tripathi to Prithvi Shaw, top uncapped Indian players to watch out for

With the Indian Premier League moving into its second decade and all the teams going through an overhaul, there will be a lot of clamour for proven match-winners at the upcoming Indian Premier League auction. However, with prices for such players expected to skyrocket, teams will also be on the lookout for the slightly lesser-known Indian players who can pack a punch.

To see some of the lesser known talents do well is right at the heart of IPL’s motto – ‘where talent meets opportunity’. It’s a trend observed over the previous seasons of the IPL — players coming into the league as virtual unknowns, but leaving after becoming household entities.

Here are some uncapped Indian players who are likely to make headlines during the auctions on 27 and 28 January:

Rahul Tripathi

Having tasted the level of cricket at the IPL with Rising Pune Supergiant in 2017, Tripati is one to look out for. The 26-year-old was picked by the franchise after an trial in front of the Pune scouts. Tripati was then entrusted at the top of the order to give the team blazing starts. Tripati smashed 391 runs in 14 innings at a staggering strike rate of 146.44. He finished as the second highest run-getter for his side after captain Steve Smith. He might have been bought at his base price of Rs 10 lakh in the previous season, but it can be safely assumed that the exciting opener will be worth much more when he goes under the hammer this time around.

Tripathi carried his IPL confidence in the longer format as well, scoring 450 runs in the Ranji Trophy for Maharashtra, including two centuries and two half-centuries, at an average of 50 in nine innings at an astonishingly high strike rate of 96.98.

Krunal Pandya

After having two fabulous seasons with Mumbai Indians, there is little doubt that all the teams will have him on their radar. Krunal is touted to be a big-ticket buy, especially given the kind of success he has had in the previous two editions. Krunal was used primarily as a lower middle-order batsman by the Rohit Sharma-led Mumbai side, but the southpaw was ready to bat at any position given the match situation.

In 2016, Krunal scored at a jaw-dropping strike rate of 191.12. Krunal is also more than a handy bowler, who can give his team four overs of his left-arm spin. In the previous season, he bowled 40 overs at a stingy economy rate of 6.82 and scalped 10 wickets. He was even named Man of the Match in the IPL final for his all-round performance. Since the elder Pandya has marked his base price at Rs 40 lakh, he is likely to trigger a bidding war during the auctions. It will be interesting to see how much his former team, Mumbai Indians, are willing to bid for him to re-secure his services.

Deepak Hooda

Having represented Rajasthan Royals and Sunrisers Hyderabad, Hooda is a familiar face in the IPL. Hooda, 22, was entrusted with the captaincy for Baroda after Irfan Pathan was axed from captain’s position and subsequently from the team. Though the youngster didn’t get a game for the Indian side, a national call-up for the T20 series against Sri Lanka is a giveaway of what selectors have on their minds.

Hooda displayed his attacking style of batting in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy by scoring 225 runs in seven innings at a strike rate of over 150. Hooda’s added advantage is that he can bowl in the powerplay overs and give you a couple of overs up front. Like most modern-day fielders, he is agile as well. The utility player evoked a staggering Rs 4.2 crore bid from SRH in 2016.

Kamlesh Nagarkoti

Any Indian who can hurl the ball over 140 clicks consistently is considered a rare commodity in cricket. Currently playing in the Under-19 World Cup, Nagarkoti has generated some buzz around cricket circles. He has a sharp bouncer to go with his immaculate yorkers. Former India captain, Sourav Ganguly, who is on the commentary team for the U-19 World Cup, rated the bowler and another quick, Shivam Mavi, highly.

@imVkohli @VVSLaxman281 @BCCI keep an eye on two under 19quicks ..mavi and nagarkotti ..bowling at 145 in newzealand ..brilliant ..

— Sourav Ganguly (@SGanguly99) January 14, 2018

Prithvi Shaw

Another prodigy, who is leading the Under-19 Indian side, has become a massive name in cricketing circles. After a sparkling century on his first class debut, Shaw has lived up to his billing. With five centuries and three half-centuries in nine innings, his career has gotten off to a rollicking start.

In the current Under-19 World Cup he has shown maturity beyond his age, smashing two fifties in as many innings, including a 94 against the Australians in the opening game. He might not have been picked by any franchise last year, he has been outstanding in 2017 and the start of 2018. It will be very hard for teams to ignore him again.

A few other uncapped Indian players to watch out for at the auctions are: Rajneesh Gurbani, Basil Thampi, K Gowtham and Mayank Agarwal