KPL 2019: 3 top performers who could earn an IPL 2020 contract

The 8th edition of the Karnataka Premier League came to a close on Saturday with the grand finale that was held between the Hubli Tigers and the Ballari Tuskers at SNR Wodeyar Ground in Mysore. Hubli Tigers emerged victorious in the final and clinched their maiden KPL Trophy.

Opting to bat first, Hubli Tigers found it difficult to get going in the first few overs of the game. They lost two wickets quickly before Aditya Somanna and Luvnith Sisodia steadied the ship for the Tigers. Courtesy of a few big blows from Praveen Dubey at the end, Hubli set a modest target of 153 runs for the Tuskers.

The Ballari batting line-up never looked in a position to chase the target after a rocky start to their innings. Devdutt Padikkal's valiant knock gave his team the hopes to get close to the target but after he lost his wicket, the Tigers completed the formalities to lift the trophy.

Indian Premier League franchises rely on local T20 tournaments such as TNPL and KPL to hire raw unknown talent to their squads. We have seen a few KPL performers go on to play the IPL in the past and this season too, there are a few players who have displayed fine performances and these players could be on the radar of IPL teams.

With quality domestic players an integral part of any IPL squad, these players could as well be rewarded with an IPL 2020 contract for proving themselves in this edition of KPL.

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#3 Praveen Dubey

Praveen Dubey has been a part of IPL in the past

Having previously been a part of the IPL side Royal Challengers Bangalore, Praveen Dubey could not feature in a single game during stint with RCB. However, with his performances in KPL 2019, there are chances that Praveen could make his IPL debut in 2020.

Retained by Hubli Tigers ahead of the auction, Praveen helped his team lift the trophy this season with his solid all-round contribution. Praveen's ability to bat higher up the order made him a valuable asset to the Hubli Tigers as in this edition, he amassed 237 runs at a healthy average of 39.50. His tally included a half-century and eight huge sixers. Apart from this, he also was decent with the ball as he picked up 4 wickets with his wily leg-spin.

He can easily fit in as a quality backup to the No.7 or No.8 position in any IPL squad and if required, can also be made use of as a pinch-hitter too and stands a good chance of landing an IPL 2020 contract.

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#2 Aditya Somanna

Aditya Somanna

For the second consecutive season, Aditya Somanna impressed with his bowling skills in the Karnataka Premier League. While he picked up 10 wickets from six games in the previous edition, he accounted for 15 wickets from nine games in this season for the Hubli Tigers.

In fact, Aditya was the Man of the Match in the final as he scored 47 vital runs for his squad, coming in as an opener for the first time this season and contributed with the ball as well, as he finished with three wickets to derail the Tuskers' chase.

Aditya can contribute well in both the departments of the game and has shown consistency in this format. Domestic pace-bowling all-rounders are scarce in India and hence, cricketers such as Aditya Somanna can be a valuable asset to a number of IPL franchises.

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#1 KV Siddharth

Siddharth is a solid top-order batsman

KV Siddharth was Karnataka's highest run-scorer in the 2018-19 season of the Ranji Trophy. He scored 728 runs in 20 innings for his side and impressed many with his technical proficiency. The 26-year-old carried his rich vein of form to the recently concluded season of the Karnataka Premier League as well.

Playing for the Mysuru Warriors, Siddharth scored 248 runs in the six games that he played for his side. He scored at an average of 124, the best for any player this season. He helped his side win a few games from unlikely situations and also showed his temperament and the ability to construct an innings.

These qualities would be required for most IPL franchises as teams with solid depth in the batting department usually go on to do well in the tournament.