3 Under-19 players who can fetch big deals at the IPL 2023 Auction
The Tata IPL Auction 2023 is scheduled to be held today at 2.30 pm IST in Kochi. With 405 exciting players on offer, it promises to be an exciting event as franchises strive to make the best team for their season, in a bid to bring the trophy home.
Over the years, the IPL has given rise to some excellent young cricketers who have gone on to represent their country. In fact in recent years, through the IPL, Indian Cricket has been able to unearth several stars such as Ruturaj Gaikwad, Devdutt Padikkal, Shubman Gill, Prithvi Shaw, Prasidh Krishna, Ravi Bishnoi, Rishabh Pant, Ishan Kishan, among several others.
Most of these players had played Under-19 cricket for India, following which they were awarded IPL contracts, after their consistent performances in the Under-19 circuit. Therefore, IPL has given several youngsters a platform to not just come a step closer to the elusive India cap but also pick the brains of some of the best players in the world.
Let us take a look at three Under-19 cricketers who could fetch big deals at the 2023 IPL Auction:
#1 Dinesh Bana (Base price - ₹20 lakhs) - 18 years 8 days
Famous for smashing two consecutive sixes to take India over the line against England in the final of the 2022 Under-19 Cricket World Cup, Dinesh Bana is a hard-hitting keeper-batsman. While he is known for his exploits in the Under-19 World Cup Final, Bana also played a mind-boggling cameo in the semi-final against Australia, smashing 20* runs off just 4 balls. In the tournament, he scored at a whopping strike-rate of 190.90 and an average of 31.50. Given his aggressive batting style and ability to keep wickets, it won't be a surprise to see Dinesh Bana trigger a bidding war amongst franchises.
#2 Kumar Kushagra (Base price - ₹20 lakhs) - 18 years 61 days
Kumar Kushagra made his Under-19 debut for India in 2020, at the school-going age of 16. He played just one match in the campaign, scoring 13* off 11 balls against minnows Japan. He made his first-class debut in February 2022, playing the Ranji Trophy for the state of Jharkhand. It was in March 2022 that he caught the interest of the world, smashing a free-flowing double-ton (266 of 269 balls) in the preliminary quarter-finals of the Ranji Trophy. His marathon knock comprised of 37 boundaries and 2 maximums. He followed this up with an impressive knock of 89 runs in the second innings. Kumar Kushagra is surely a player for the future and could feature in this years auction.
#3 Allah Mohammad Ghazanfar (Base price - ₹20 lakhs) - 15 years 161 days
A 15-year old Afghan prodigy, Allah Mohammad Ghazanfar is a mystery - a spinner who can turn the ball both ways. He was picked by Mis Ainak Knights in the first-class circuit of Afghanistan. He is the youngest player registered for this year's auction. While very little has been said about him, the famous exploits of his countrymen like Rashid Khan and Mujeeb Ur Rahman might spark curiosity amongst the franchises for this young finger-spinner.
With that, we conclude our list on top 3 Under 19 players who might fetch big deals in the 2023 Tata IPL Auction. Are you aware of any such Under-19 players in the auction? Let us know in the comments section below.