IPL 2020: 3 strong performers from Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2019 who could get bids at the upcoming auction

Karnataka were able to defend their Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy as they clinched a nail-biting thriller of a final against Tamil Nadu by one run.

Throughout the tournament, there were some brilliant performances from Indian domestic players who have come through the ranks in the last couple of seasons. Since recent form always plays a key role in helping players get bids in the IPL auction, the top performers of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy will be on the radar of all the franchises.

The Indian uncapped players have done a good job in the recent past and they would hope that their performances in the domestic season don't go unnoticed. 634 uncapped Indian players will go under the hammer at the IPL auction on 19 December in Kolkata, and some of them could have very bright futures in the league.

Getting the right Indian players is imperative for every franchise as they help a great deal in team balance. We have seen in the past that local players are always instrumental in the success of their respective teams.

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On that note, here are the three top performers from the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2019 who could get bids in the IPL 2020 auction:

1. Harpreet Singh

Harpreet Singh

Harpreet Singh was able to impress with the bat in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. The left-hander, who represented Chhatisgarh in the tournament, scored 329 runs in the seven matches he played.

Harpreet scored his runs at an impressive average of 65.80 and a strike rate of 146.22. The 28-year-old slammed three half-centuries in the tourney and did a fine job of holding the fort for Chhatisgarh.

Harpreet hasn't had the rub of the green in the IPL. He played four matches for Kolkata Knight Riders and Pune Warriors from 2010 to 2012, but then went years without a franchise. Then at the 2017 auction he was mistakenly identified as Harmeet Singh, against whom a case was registered for driving his car on to Andheri Railway station; because of that none of the franchises bid for Harpreet, and he went unsold.

He was drafted into the Royal Challengers Bangalore outfit later as a replacement for Sarfaraz Khan, but he didn't get to play any games for them and was subsequently released. He will now enter the auction pool on the back of a confidence-boosting domestic stint, hoping to get a contract with one of the teams.

2. R Sai Kishore

R Sai Kishore

R Sai Kishore has produced strong Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy performances in two successive years.

The left-arm spinner had scalped 15 wickets in seven matches in last year's tournament. He continued his sublime form in the 2019 edition as he snared 20 wickets at an average of 10.40 in the 12 matches he played. Furthermore, he bowled at a staggering economy rate of 4.63, which is a rare sight in the shortest version of the game.

Sai Kishore was instrumental in helping Tamil Nadu reach the final of the tournament. His efforts would have certainly caught the eye of everyone in the Indian cricket fraternity.

We have seen that spinners play a key role in the T20 format, and Sai Kishore will be on the radar of several IPL teams this year. Rajasthan Royals, who don't have a quality spinner in their line-up, could possibly make a bid for the 23-year-old spinner.

3. Aditya Waghmode

Aditya Waghmode

Aditya Waghmode made headlines in the recently concluded Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2019. The left-hander from Baroda has the skills to hit the ground running immediately and can accelerate the scoring rate at will.

The 30-year-old scored 364 runs in the 10 matches he played for Baroda. He averaged 45.50 and struck at an impressive rate of 153.58, while also notching up three half-centuries in the tournament.

Teams like Royal Challengers Bangalore, Delhi Capitals and Rajasthan Royals, which need a domestic Indian batsman in their side, could target a player like Waghmode. Furthermore, Aditya can also roll his arm over for a couple of overs, which makes him an even more valuable asset.

The left-hander has played 34 T20 matches in which he has amassed 1108 runs. He has scored his runs at a decent average of 34.62 and strike rate of 128.68 and also has one century to his name.