Yashasvi Jaiswal and Priyam Garg
Over the years, the Indian Premier League has provided a platform not just for international cricketers to rebuild their persona as a T20 star, but also a stage for uncapped and unknown domestic players to prove their worth. Since the inception of the concept, many uncapped players, who have performed impressively in the domestic season, have gained recognition through IPL while few even became millionaires overnight. The impending IPL 2020 auction, scheduled for December 19 in Kolkata, provides yet another opportunity to these group of players.
The huge list of 971 players have been reduced to 332 for the December 19 auction which comprises 19 uncapped players and 24 new entrants including Kesrick Williams, Mushfiqur Rahim and Adam Zampa. It will be a smaller auction with just 73 spots up for grab for the eight franchises and well will be looking into the top 5 uncapped Indian players who might make it big at IPL 2020 auction.
Yashasvi Jaiswal: It has been a season to remember for the 17-year-old Mumbaikar. After a string of ravishing knocks in youth cricket earlier this year against South Africa and England, Yashasvi made his List-A debut for Mumbai and what a tournament it turned out to be in Vijay Hazare Trophy. With 564 runs in six matches at 112.80, he became Mumbai's highest run-getter and fifth highest overall in the team's otherwise poor run. The run tally also included 25 sixes, the second-most in the tournament.
On October 16 this year, he notched up 203 runs off 154 balls in the same tournament, against Jharkand, to become the youngest double centurion in List-A cricket history. 12 of his 25 sixes in the tournament came in the innings. He followed his sensational run in Vijay Hazare with an unbeaten 108 in a Youth ODI against Afghanistan last month.
Vishnu Vinod: Only one player hit more sixes than Yashasvi in Vijay Hazare tournament 2019 -- Vishnu Vinod of Kerala (29 sixes). A year back he was roped in by Royal Challengers Bangalore as a replacement player, but was not retained by the franchise for the following season. He finished the tournament with 508 runs in eight matches at 63.50 with three centuries and a fifty. Vinod was the eighth-highest run-getter in the tournament. He followed it up with 150 runs in Syed Mushtaq Ali trophy at a strike rate of 156.25.
Priyam Garg: The Uttar Pradesh-based youngster has already made headlines after been named as the captain for India's U-19 World Cup team. However, before travelling to South Africa for the tournament and hoping to join Mohammad Kaif, Virat Kohli, Unmukt Chand and Prithvi Shaw in the elite list of Indian U-19 skippers, Garg might just end up with a million in his kitty. He has been in a fluent touch this season that started off with his gritty 77-ball 74 on a slowish Ranchi track in Deodhar Trophy final when his side lost five early wickets. He followed it up with 287 runs in six matches in Vijay Hazare at 47.83 an average with one century and a fifty.
R Sai Kishore: The six feet three inches tall left-arm fingerspinner emulated his impressive TNPL (Tamil Nadu Premier League) show in Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, bagging 20 wickets at 10.40 and an economy of 4.63. He was the highest wicket-taker in the tournament. Kishore can prove to be a lethal option for powerplay overs, the area he dominates the most. He showed it in TNPL and in Syed Mushtaq where he bagged 15 wickets in the powerplays itself. Besides, he spent quality time as Chennai Super Kings' net bowler.
Ravi Bishnoi: All-rounders are always the best catch in any T20 league. Now add leg-spinning option to his bowling forte' and you get Ravi Bishnoi. While his googlies have earned him 12 wickets at an impressive economy rate of 4.37 in seven youth ODIs as well as in Vijay Hazare and Syed Mushtaq Ali tournaments, he also has the ability to bat lower down the order.
