5 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy performers who might earn maiden IPL contract soon

The motto of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is “Where talent meets opportunity”. The most significant aspect of the Indian T20 league is its tendency to give youngsters a chance. This platform is ideal for newbies to showcase their skills to the whole world.  

Several budding stars are recruited by IPL teams and are given a chance. Their performances in domestic tournaments are closely watched, this is done to get a clearer idea of the potential the individuals possess.

What could be a better platform than the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy? Over the years, we have seen many talents emerge from this tournament.

Here are 5 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy performers who might earn maiden IPL contract

1) Ashwin Hebbar

Ashwin Hebbar has been fantastic in this season of the SMAT so far. He is the third-highest run-getter of the season of now. The Andra Pradesh batter has scored 279 innings in five games so far.

His batting average in the SMAT 2021-2022 is a whopping 93. Speaking about his overall numbers, they too are more than decent. In the 41 T20Is he has played so far, the batter has scored 1117 runs so far.

His batting average and strike rate are 34.90 and 125.08. The fact that he can also bowl is an added advantage to his resume. Hebbar has picked 7 wickets in 11 T20s as of now.

2) Kishan Lyngdoh

Kishan Lyngdoh is a player to watch out for. He is someone who is filled with talent and could go on to make his international debut soon. Despite having no exposure, he has already shown glimpses of his talent.

In the five games the Meghalaya batsman has played so far, he has already scored 247 runs. His batting average and strike rate are 61.47 and 142.77 respectively. This includes the three fifties as well.

Raw talent is something that the IPL franchises love having. Besides, the surprise factor adds to their advantage. Another important point to be noted is the fact that Lyngdoh is just 23, and will only get better with age and time.

3) Chirag Khurana

Chirag Khurana is already rated highly among the cricket pundits. He is an opener who can play the big shots, add to that his handy leg-spin bowling. It is safe to call him a complete package.

The all-rounder has already displayed his abilities in the ongoing SMAT. He has scored 225 runs in just the five games at an average of 75. His overall numbers are superb as well.

In the 16 T20Is he has played so far, the opener has scored 353 runs. His batting average and strike rate are 32.09 and 122.99 respectively. Last but not the least, he has also picked nine wickets in 13 T20s so far.

4) Cheepurapalli Stephen

Stephen is an exciting prospect for Indian cricket. A left-arm pacer is always considered to be a boon and this could prove to be a decisive factor during the upcoming IPL auction.

The pacer has been in superb form of late. He is the second-highest wicket-taker of this season of the SMAT as of now. The seamer from Andra Pradesh has picked 14 wickets in this season of the SMAT at an average of 9.07.

When it comes to his overall numbers in the T20s, he has picked 56 wickets in 34 innings. His bowling average and strike rate are 14.98 and 13.6 respectively. His economy rate is on the lower side as well (6.58).

5) Amit Ali

Amit Ali has had a superb time as a cricketer so far. He is sixth on the list of the most number of wickets picked in the SMAT 2021-2022. The leggie has picked 11 wickets in five games so far.

His bowling average and strike rate are 8.09 and 10.3 respectively. The bowler has a superb economy rate of 4.68 as well. The fact that he is a leg-spinner itself would attract several IPL teams towards him.

He can prove to be the X-factor of the team that purchases him. With age on his side, one can only expect him to get better. It wouldn’t be surprising if he turns out to become a millionaire after the IPL 2022 Auction.