TNPL 2019: 3 terrific performers who could get an IPL 2020 contract
In a low-scoring final of the Tamil Nadu Premier League held at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on August 15th, Chepauk Super Gillies defeated Dindigul Dragons by 12 runs and emerged as the champions of this edition. Batting first, the Super Gillies could manage just 126 runs, losing 8 wickets in the stipulated 20 overs.
Although the score did seem underwhelming at the end of the first innings, Kaushik Gandhi's men staged an impressive fightback in the second innings. G Periyaswamy's terrific five-wicket haul was the difference between both the sides as the winners of the 2017 edition restricted the Dragons to 114 runs, thereby adding yet another TNPL trophy to their cabinet.
As seen in the previous seasons, Indian Premier League franchises rely on the local T20 competitions such as the Tamil Nadu Premier League and the Karnataka Premier League to hire unknown and talented domestic players to their teams. The TNPL has already seen players such as T Natarajan and Varun Chakravarthy make IPL squads in the past years, and in this season too, there are a few players who deserve an IPL contract for the next season.
They have been consistent throughout this edition, and if they can carry forward this form to domestic tournaments in the coming months, an opportunity to play in the Indian Premier League could be in the offing.
Here are three such players:
#3 Hari Nishaanth
Hari Nishaanth launched 18 sixes in TNPL 2019, the highest by any player this season. A left-handed opening batsman from Ooty, Hari scored 322 runs in the tournament at a strike-rate of 119.7. Hari can anchor an innings to perfection, and if required, can also accelerate at will. Although there have been concerns regarding his ability to convert his starts to bigger scores, the 23-year-old has a lot of time on his hands to improve on his game.
Franchises looking to nurture talent for the future could make use of players in the mould of Hari Nishaanth. They are raw and come with a bundle of talent, and if given a chance, they can turn a game on its head on a given day.
While big-hitters are easily available throughout the country, it is difficult to find a player who has the talent to adapt his game according to the match's situation. Hari is such a player, and hence, teams could go after him in the auctions.