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5 Players Who Got IPL Contract Because Of Good Performance In Regional Leagues

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Natarajan and Mayank Agarwal IPL
Photo Source: Twitter

Ever since IPL happened, state and city associations have tried implementing the same concept at the micro-level. A few such attempts, like the Karnataka Premier League and the Tamil Nadu Premier League, have also been successful. In this article, we take a look at five players who got an IPL contract because of good performance in regional leagues.

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It is almost an unspoken rule now that IPL is the main criterion for selection to India’s limited-overs squad. Hence, regional leagues are important for upcoming cricketers to earn an IPL contract. We look at five players who went through this route and became successful.

1) Mayank Agarwal – Earned His First IPL Contract Because Of Good Performance In Regional League

The Man of the Series in the 2010 edition of Karnataka Premier League, Mayank’s performance in this tournament was the main reason behind RCB signing him for IPL 2011. At that time, Mayank had not even played much for his state team. However, over the seasons, Mayank performed extremely well in the domestic competitions and eventually earned a place in Team India. The opener now also has an appearance in IPL as a captain. Hence, he features in this list.

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2) Varun CV

Varun CV TNPL
Photo: TNPL

The Tamil Nadu Premier League has set the best example of the gradual transition of a player from a regional league to IPL and then to the Indian Team. Varun CV started very late in his career, but thanks to TNPL and the performance in one season, he soon made it to IPL. Also, Varun CV broke many records with the bid by Kings XI Punjab to sign him. Although he was not successful in the first stint, Varun later made the shift to KKR, where he has been exceptional.

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3) T Natarajan – Earned His First IPL Contract Because Of Good Performance In Regional League

It is the stories of players like T Natarajan which shows how important regional leagues like KPL and TNPL are. If not for such leagues, Nattu may have never got an IPL contract, and India could have never seen such a talented left-arm pacer. However, thankfully, Natarajan has grown in stature in the last few months. He will be in India’s bowling attack for the World T20 if he is fit.

4) KC Cariappa

Mystery spinners have always made good money at the IPL Auctions. It was Sunil Narine who first set the tone for this. KKR then made many more investments to unearth an unorthodox spinner. One such investment was on KC Cariappa. The cricketer did well in the Karnataka Premier League and caught the eyes of scouts across the country. After intense bidding, Cariappa was brought by KKR. That said, so far, the cricketer is yet to make a mark in the event.

5) Pravin Tambe

Pravin Tambe made his IPL debut at the age of 41. This is usually the age when cricketers hang up their boots. A major reason for this was because of Tambe’s impressive shows in the Kanga Cricket League, which’s held in Mumbai. After IPL, the leg-spinner then also participated in the Caribbean Premier League. He also featured in the T10 cricket league. The Mumbai cricketer is yet to retire from the game.

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