Over the last few years, the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) has effectively been an audition for players ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) auction, set to be held on Tuesday in Abu Dhabi.

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With the domestic T20 tournament starting three weeks before the auction, and IPL scouts doing the rounds of different centres where the matches were being played, the players had ample opportunity to showcase their mettle and emerge as contenders for a spot in one of the 10 franchises.

Here are the top five contenders from the Lucknow leg of SMAT 2025-26 who could generate interest at the IPL auction this year.

Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2025-26 – Group A – Lucknow

By Dhruva Prasad

KM Asif (Kerala) – Right-arm fast bowler

A seamer from Kerala who can consistently clock high speeds, Asif was his team’s bowling spearhead in the group stage of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. With 15 wickets in just six matches at a miserly economy rate of 6.73, Asif showcased his ability to excel across phases, especially at the death. Though the 32-year-old has played seven games in the IPL between 2018 and 2023, representing Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals, he fell off the radar and went unsold at last year’s auction. However, after a stellar SMAT campaign, Asif could be on the wishlist of teams looking for a reliable Indian fast bowler as backup, such as Chennai Super Kings, Rajasthan Royals, Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Sunrisers Hyderabad.

Prithvi Raj Yarra (Andhra) – Left-arm fast bowler

Left-arm Indian fast bowlers are a rarity these days, and Prithvi Raj not only brings a unique angle but also variety. Though he is capable of cranking up his pace, Prithvi Raj is also an exponent of the slower variations and can metronomically hit the hard lengths through the middle-overs and at the death. During Andhra’s ongoing Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy campaign, the 27-year-old has picked up 11 wickets in eight matches at an impressive economy rate of 7.23. He played two matches for the Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL 2019, taking one wicket while bowling at 11.40 runs per over, but his stocks have risen since.

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Prithvi Raj Yarra is an exponent of the slower variations and can metronomically hit the hard lengths.
| Photo Credit:
SANDEEP SAXENA

Sarfaraz Khan (Mumbai) – Middle-order batsman

Amidst the cacophony over his non-selection in India’s Test squads for the home series against West Indies and South Africa, Sarfaraz proved his versatility across formats by smashing a 47-ball century for Mumbai, against Assam, in his first match of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2025-26 season. Coming in at No. 3, Sarfaraz also embodied maturity during his scintillating knock, getting to his fifty off 31 balls in tricky batting conditions before shifting gears to raise his maiden T20 hundred. He followed up that century with a brisk 50 in the next game against Kerala and smashed a 25-ball 64 against Haryana in the Super League stage.

Though he has gone unsold in the last two auctions, Sarfaraz has played 50 IPL matches since making his debut in 2015. His average of 22.50 and a strike rate of 130.58 have meant that he hasn’t been able to establish himself as a reliable middle-order batter in the league, but a breakthrough SMAT campaign could certainly change that.

Sadek Hussain (Assam) – Right-arm medium-pacer

A medium-pacer with a round-arm action from Assam, Sadek is still raw but can emerge as an X-factor for teams in the IPL. Though his action is reminiscent of Lasith Malinga, who tormented batters with his slingy action for years, Sadek idolises Australian left-arm pacer Mitchell Starc. Sadek doesn’t watch cricket much and grew up playing local tennis tournaments in Sivasagar. He was identified at a pace-bowling camp in Dibrugarh and fast-tracked into the Assam T20 team. He made his debut earlier this month against Mumbai in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and returned figures of 1/39 in four overs. In his next match, he picked 4/19 in 3.4 overs against Kerala, cleaning up the tail after dismissing opener Rohan Kunnummal. Though Sadek’s pace hovers in the 130s, he has an effective yorker and slower ball and prefers to operate in the middle-overs and at the death. He reportedly attended the trials for Delhi Capitals earlier this year and could be on the radar of a few more teams.

Sadek picked 4/19 in 3.4 overs against Kerala in just his second T20 match.
| Photo Credit:
DHRUVA PRASAD

Muhammed Sharafuddeen (Kerala) – Bowling all-rounder

A burly all-rounder from Kerala, Sharafuddeen can strike a few lusty blows with the bat in the slog overs as well as bowl with the new ball. He displayed his ability to hit the ball cleanly during a 15-ball unbeaten 35, studded with five fours and two sixes, which helped Kerala beat Mumbai in the group stage of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. He also bowled an economical spell in that game, picking 1/23 in three overs. The 30-year-old scored 60 runs at 176.47 and picked six wickets at an economy rate of 7.87 to emerge as a handy utility player. Though the Impact Player rule has reduced the involvement of all-rounders in the IPL, Sharafuddeen’s knack for striking the ball from the get-go and his ability to also chip in with a few overs could prove to be helpful for teams looking to add all-round depth to their squad.

Sharafuddeen can strike a few lusty blows with the bat in the slog overs.
| Photo Credit:
SANDEEP SAXENA

Published on Dec 15, 2025