Tamil Nadu face Tripura as IPL hopefuls get last shot

When Tamil Nadu face Tripura in their Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy T20 (SMAT) Group B opener in Indore on Saturday, it will be the final shot for IPL hopefuls to make their mark ahead of the mega auction. The highly-anticipated auction is set to be held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on Sunday and Monday.
With newly-appointed TN skipper Shahrukh Khan, B Sai Sudharsan and Varun Chakravarthy retained by their respective franchises, the focus will be on others who could be on the radar of IPL teams. The SMAT offers a platform for them to showcase their skills, send a reminder to the IPL sides and perhaps secure a life-changing contract.
However, Shahrukh feels that with just one day to go for the auction, nothing is likely to change. "If the auction was hosted after five or six matches, then there would have been a difference. The scouts have an eye on certain players for a long time. They’ve seen them in the TNPL (Tamil Nadu Premier League) and in the domestic circuit. I don't think one match is going to change a lot," Shahrukh told TOI.
It is to be remembered that several TN players have been part of the IPL fold in the years gone by. Shahrukh mentioned that some of the players, including Gurjapneet Singh, S Mohamed Ali, M Siddharth and R Sonu Yadav, attended IPL trials. Shahrukh said that it is important for players to focus on the game and not let the auction distract them.
"I think everybody is mature enough to know that the team comes first. Obviously, a lot of things would be running in the players’ minds, but it’s vital that they just keep it out of the equation and focus on what's important."