IPL 2020: 5 young overseas players who could attract a lot of attention on auction day

Kolkata will host the IPL 2020 auction on 19 December 2019. As of now, the trade window is open with a deadline of 15 November 2019. IPL enthusiasts expect many exciting updates during these pre-season months.

The franchises preparing for the ultimate showdown become active during this time with their plans and discussions. In their meetings, they would discuss various strategies regarding their approach to the squad-restructuring process.

Putting together a trophy-winning squad is not an easy task. Ask any insider, and they would tell you how hard it is to find the right winning combination. While the actual tournament is tough, the pre-season has its own unique challenges.

Getting the right overseas players is one of the most challenging tasks. A player who has performed exceptionally well in international conditions might find it difficult in the subcontinent, and vice versa. Therefore, extreme caution is necessary while selecting overseas players.

Here is a look at five young overseas players that will likely be on the radar of several franchises come auction day.

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#5 Glenn Phillips

Glenn Phillips

Glenn Phillips is a 22-year-old wicket-keeping batsman from New Zealand who has an explosive batting style similar to that of Brendon McCullum. Although Phillips is yet to do anything spectacular on the international stage, he used the CPL arena well to showcase his massive potential.

In the most recently concluded CPL season, Phillips was a formidable presence for the Jamaica Tallawahs despite the team getting the wooden spoon. The hard-hitter finished the season as the fourth leading-run scorer with 374 runs in 10 matches.

Phillips was also the Tallawahs' leading run-getter in the 2018 season. His 457 runs from 11 matches were a big reason for the team reaching the final that year.

Shining in both the brightest and the darkest seasons of the team is a huge achievement that won't go unnoticed by the IPL franchises.

Also see – World Test Championship points table

#4 Marnus Labuschagne

Marnus Labuschagne

Marnus Labuschagne is a promising 25-year-old batting all-rounder from Australia. The IPL franchises would have seen his exploits in the 2019 Ashes where he played as the first-ever concussion substitute on Day 5 of the second Test, replacing Steve Smith.

The right-hander used Smith's absence well and scored the team's highest second innings score of 59. As a result, the team management included him regularly from thereon.

Labuschagne scored three more fifties and finished the tournament as the leading half-centurion. He was also Australia's second-highest run-getter after Smith.

It was his brilliant county stint with Glamorgan earlier in the year that helped him catch the attention of the selectors. Labuschagne amassed 1114 runs in 10 matches at an average of 65.53, which made him the second leading run-scorer in the 2019 County Championship Divison Two.

Players who do well in red-ball cricket tend to have plenty of patience; even if they don't explode often, they make wise shot selections and anchor the innings. If any of the IPL teams are looking for such a batsman in the upcoming season, Labuschagne is the best choice.

#3 Matt Parkinson

Matt Parkinson

Matt Parkinson is a 22-year-old leg-spinner who plays for Lancashire. He holds the record for being the youngest Lancashire player to take a 5-wicket haul in debut.

Parkinson's consistency and wicket-taking abilities were on full display during the 2019 Vitality Blast. In 11 matches, he claimed 21 dismissals at an average of 14.62, which made him the third highest wicket-taker of the season - just one wicket shy of KKR pacer Harry Gurney.

Showing dexterity in both white-ball and red-ball cricket is one of his most impressive traits that could entice the IPL franchises. After Rashid Khan proved to be immensely successful in the IPL, the franchises would try to find a similar mystery spinner from overseas.

As a leggie with a smooth action and a deceptive googly, Parkinson could be an asset in the spin-friendly subcontinental conditions. He has been called up for England's Test and T20I squads for their tour of New Zealand, and a strong showing there would further strengthen his IPL possibilities.

#2 Brandon King

Brandon King

Brandon King had a splendid CPL season this year with the bat. With 496 runs in 12 matches, King finished the tournament as the leading run-scorer. Not only that but he was also the leading six-hitter (32), and the second-highest boundary-scorer (44).

Many experts believe that King's name will prompt a bidding war in the upcoming IPL auction. A young opening batsman leading so many stats in a highly competitive T20 tournament like the CPL will not go unnoticed by the IPL franchises.

Over the years, West Indies players have created a positive impact in the IPL. Chris Gayle, for instance, has consistently been a star performer throughout the history of the tournament.

Interestingly, in CPL 2019, King was the only other centurion besides Gayle. Most of the franchises would be interested in grooming a strong West Indies opener like King, in the hope that he could one day emulate Gayle.

#1 Tom Banton

Tom Banton

Tom Banton is a young and dynamic English player on the rise. The 20-year-old wicket-keeper batsman has captured the attention of cricket lovers with his strong domestic performances this year.

With 549 runs in 13 innings at an average of 42.23 and a strike rate of 161.47, Banton was the second leading run-scorer in the 2019 T20 Blast. His aggregate was the second-highest for a player 21 or below in a single T20 league season, after Rishabh Pant's 684 in the 2018 IPL.

The right-hander also scored a 51-ball century in that tournament against Kent. In addition, Banton has notched two One-Day Cup hundreds this year.

A rising England superstar and an unorthodox shot-maker with a devil-may-care attitude, Banton has already won a BBL contract. The Brisbane Heat franchise has taken him on board for the 2019-20 season.

The Heat's coach Darren Lehmann was very excited to sign him, as seen in the video below. It is just a matter of time before an IPL franchise ropes him in too.