5 top all-rounders to watch out for in TNPL 2024 ft. Shahrukh Khan
The 2024 Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL) is scheduled to begin on July 5 with a clash between the defending champions Lyca Kovai Kings and the Chepauk Super Gillies. The past editions of the tournament have been widely successful, with entertaining high-quality matches and raw talents.
TNPL has also encompassed the impact player rule like the Indian Premier League (IPL), and although that diminishes the value of all-rounders to an extent, it does not extinguish it.
The franchises will have to turn to multi-skilled players in order to establish depth and balance in the playing XI, and even in the past, all-rounders have proven to be game-changers in the tournament.
On that note, let us take a look at five top all-rounders to watch out for in TNPL 2024.
#1 Washington Sundar
With Ravindra Jadeja not in the scheme of the Indian T20I squad anymore, the upcoming set of months are crucial for Washington Sundar. The all-rounder is on the selectors' radar due to his skillset and ability, but form and injuries have been a concern.
As a result, the upcoming TNPL tournament comes across as extremely important for him to cement his place in the Indian side. Although he is set to miss a phase of the tournament due to his involvement with the Indian team on the tour of Zimbabwe, he can be a great asset to the Siechem Madurai Panthers once back.
Playing a bit up the order in the TNPL, he has the chance to showcase his ability with the bat. He could use some spotlight after making only two appearances for the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the 2024 IPL. In the last edition of the TNPL, he amassed 119 runs in five innings at an average of 39.66 and a strike rate of 138.
#2 R Sai Kishore
R Sai Kishore has had a significant last couple of months. He led Tamil Nadu to the Ranji Trophy semifinals and also finished as the highest wicket-taker. Additionally, he also had a solid campaign with the Gujarat Titans (GT) in the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL).
He has gradually improved his batting in recent times. Sai Kishore had scored 122 runs, including one fifty, in five innings in the last edition at a strike rate of 167.12. Although he is still far from a bonafide all-rounder, this tournament could witness him making that transition, making him one of the players to watch out for.
His bowling credentials need no validation. The left-arm spinner picked up seven wickets in six matches last season with an economy rate of 6.83.
#3 Shahrukh Khan
Shahrukh Khan's bowling came across as a huge revelation as he ended up as the leading wicket-taker of TNPL 2023 with 17 scalps, with an economy rate of 6.66. His handy off-spin only increases his value for the defending champions, which he captains as well.
Despite the improvement in his bowling, his most important attribute remains his power-hitting. He did not have the best of TNPL 2023 campaigns, scoring 133 runs in seven innings, but his strike rate read 190.
He did not have the best of domestic campaigns, and his maiden IPL season for the Gujarat Titans (GT) was also only decent at best. He will be looking forward to this avenue to return to form.
#4 Sonu Yadav
The 24-year-old is raring to go after an eventful 2023 TNPL season where he scored 115 runs in seven innings at a strike rate of 123.65. He was also impactful with the ball, after taking 11 wickets with his pace bowling at an economy rate of 8.27.
He was released by the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) ahead of the 2024 auction and will be looking to have an impressive TNPL season to find a suitor in the upcoming mega IPL auction.
#5 Swapnil Singh
One of the unsung heroes of RCB's incredible turnaround in the 2024 IPL, Swapnil Singh made an impression with his left-arm spin bowling as well as the ability to keep things tight with the new ball. His batting services were not much needed for RCB considering the firepower they have at the top, but he is capable of contributing in this facet of the game as well.
In TNPL 2023, he scored 150 runs at an average of 25 and a strike rate of 131.57 for the Siachem Madurai Panthers. With the ball, he took five wickets in eight matches at an economy rate of 6.79.
On the back of the confidence from a memorable IPL campaign, Swapnil Singh is definitely one of the all-rounders to watch out for in the upcoming TNPL season.