Lucknow: For those closely following the cricket scene, the Chennai Super Kings’ decision to invest ₹8.4 crore in Uttar Pradesh’s batter Sameer Rizvi at the IPL 2024 auction came as no surprise. Rizvi had already made a significant impact in the UPTwenty20 League, which was enough to catch the attention of IPL teams.

Despite a base price of ₹20 lakhs, Rizvi became the subject of a heated bidding war involving CSK, Gujarat Titans, and later, Delhi Capitals. The Titans withdrew their bid at ₹7.6 crore after DC joined the fray, but CSK ultimately emerged victorious.

The upcoming IPL Mega Auction in December for the 2025 edition promises to be equally thrilling, especially with the rise of Swastik Chikara. At just 19 years old, Chikara has taken the cricket world by storm with his stellar performances in the second edition of the UPT20 League.

While Chikara and Rizvi have been standout batters in the state league, leg-spinner Zeeshan Ansari has excelled with the ball, claiming 24 wickets at an average of 13.29, including a five-wicket haul. Ansari is expected to be on the radar of many IPL franchises. Another impressive spinner, Vipraj Nigam, took 20 wickets and also notched a five-wicket haul.

Former Team India pacers Munaf Patel and RP Singh, along with several other scouts, attended the matches to shortlist potential talent for the upcoming auction. They were undoubtedly impressed by the way Chikara and Rizvi dominated the 73-yard boundaries of the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana International Cricket Stadium.

Chikara’s remarkable form saw him score 499 runs, including 47 sixes, earning him the Orange Cap. His ability to hit powerfully and consistently clear the ropes makes him a must-have for teams seeking explosive top-order batsmen.

Moreover, Chikara’s all-around contributions earned him the ‘Most Valuable Player of the Tournament’ award. His performances with both bat and in the field, coupled with his leadership skills in guiding Meerut Mavericks to victory, highlight his potential as a game-changer.

Utkarsh Chandra, ex-UP Ranji cricketer and head coach of Meerut Mavericks, praised Chikara’s big-hitting prowess, stating, “He enjoys big hitting and is capable enough to overpower all types of bowling attacks.”

Chandra added that Chikara’s phenomenal batting this season would make him highly sought after by IPL franchises. “I’ve seen him since his under-16 days as a junior selector, and he is among the best in the country now,” Chandra said.

Sameer Rizvi, now 21 years old, built on his previous season’s success by scoring 469 runs at a strike rate of 152.77, with 31 boundaries and 32 sixes.

The 24-year-old Zeeshan Ansari’s exceptional bowling earned him the Purple Cap. Despite being overlooked by the Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association, Ansari seized his opportunity to shine. The son of a tailor from IT crossing in the city, Ansari had only played six first-class matches since his debut against Railways in 2017 but made a significant impact in the UPT20 League.

In the league, Ansari demonstrated remarkable control over speed and turn, consistently keeping batters guessing. His performances were bolstered by support from Team India batter Rinku Singh, who captained Meerut Mavericks before leaving for a Duleep Trophy match.

“He is a lion-hearted cricketer who didn’t shy away from bowling at half volley. His control kept batters guessing,” coach Chandra remarked.

### Top Performers:

**Batters:**
– Swastik Chikara (499 runs)
– Sameer Rizvi (469 runs)
– Madhav Kushik (366 runs)
– Adarsh Singh (308 runs)
– Akshdeep Nath (289 runs)
– Samarth Singh (284 runs)
– Priyam Garg (283 runs)
– Aryan Juyal (216 runs)
– Shoaib Siddiqui (210 runs)

**Bowlers:**
– Zeeshan Ansari (24 wickets)
– Vipraj Nigam (20 wickets)
– Sunil Kumar (19 wickets)
– Yash Garg (17 wickets)
– Mohsin Khan (15 wickets)
– Abhinandan Singh (15 wickets)
– Ankit Rajpoot (15 wickets)
– Vineet Panwar (13 wickets)
– Shivam Sharma (12 wickets)
– Mukesh Kumar (12 wickets)