The much-awaited Indian T20 League 2022 mega auction will be held in Bengaluru on February 12 and 13.
As many as 590 players, including 370 Indian cricketers and 220 overseas talents will go under the hammer in the two action-packed days. Out of the player pool, 228 are capped players while 355 are uncapped and seven cricketers are from associate countries.
The high-profile Indian T20 League is always referred to as a tournament where talent meets opportunity and these uncapped players will have a chance to showcase their talent in the upcoming edition of the Indian T20 League.
With the India Under-19 cricket team claiming the recently-concluded World Cup for the fifth time, several of these young cricketers will be in demand in the mega auction along with talented players who have performed exceedingly well in domestic tournaments.
With that in mind, here are five uncapped players to keep an eye on during the two-day mega auction in Bengaluru:
Yash Dhull
India Under-19 World Cup-winning captain Yash Dhull will be one of the cricketers who all the 10 franchises will look to buy in the mega auction. Even after testing positive for COVID-19 on the eve of their second World Cup match versus Ireland, the Delhi-born cricketer made a stunning comeback after missing out on a few games with a scintillating hundred against mighty Australia in the semi-final. Dhull amassed 229 runs in four matches at an impressive average of 76.33 in the tournament and has already been rewarded after being named in Delhi’s Ranji Trophy squad. Delhi, Kolkata and Bangalore are few franchises who could target him with a base price of 20 Lakhs.
Raj Bawa
Just when the India senior cricket team has been looking for a limited-overs pace bowling all-rounder to replace out-of-form Hardik Pandya, the Under-19 side seems to have a gem in Raj Bawa. The 19-year-old guided India Under-19 team to their fifth World Cup title with a 35-run knock off 54 balls against England in the final. The Himachal Pradesh-born cricketer had also picked five wickets for 31 runs in his 9.5 overs to be adjudged the Player of the Match in the high-profile final. Bawa ended the ICC Under-19 World Cup 2022 tournament with 252 runs and nine wickets in six matches. Bawa is expected to be one of the most in-demand players in the auction this year.
Vicky Ostwal
Vicky Ostwal was the standout bowler in the recently-concluded Under-19 World Cup in the Caribbean. The left-arm orthodox spinner bagged 12 wickets in six matches at an economy of just 3.63, deceiving the batters both off the wicket as well in the air. Ostwal’s 5 for 28 against South Africa helped the Under-19 side defend 232. He also produced impressive spells against Bangladesh and Australia in the knockouts. With a base price of 20 lakhs, the likes of Hyderabad, Kolkata and Chennai could try to add him to their Indian T20 League squad this year.
Dewald Brevis
South Africa Under-19 cricket team batter Dewald Brevis amassed 506 runs in six matches in the recently-concluded World Cup at an impressive average of 84.33, becoming the player with the most runs scored in a single edition of the tournament. The 18-year-old middle-order batter registered two tons and missed out on two others on 96 and 97 versus Ireland and England respectively. Having modelled his game around South Africa legend AB de Villiers, Dewald Brevis was a standout player as he was adjudged as the Player of the Tournament. Franchises such as Mumbai, Hyderabad and Rajasthan will have an eye on Dewald Brevis in the mega auction with a base price of 20 lakhs.
Tanmay Agarwal
Hyderabad captain Tanmay Agarwal was the highest run-getter in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2021-22. The 26-year-old scored 334 runs in seven matches at a strike rate of 148.44. The southpaw registered four half-centuries in the tournament, helping Hyderabad qualify for the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy semi-final. Having impressed in India’s domestic T20 tournament, Tanmay Agarwal will be on the radar of several Indian T20 League franchises this season.
Featured photo: BCCI
