It’s the beginning of another T20I league with the second season of the Mzansi Super League (MSL). It is a tournament that seeks to have a major impact on cricket in South Africa. Therefore, the players have a great opportunity to step up and demonstrate what they have.
On the verge of IPL auctions, the five-week tournament is taking place. The season 2020, which will end in April, will be auctioning the players on December 19. It’s also an additional incentive for the teams.
Everyone wants to participate in the IPL, considered one of the world’s best T20I leagues.
For six teams looking for that elusive trophy, the players will also be looking to make a mark not only in South African cricket but also for the not too far away IPL auction.
Here are three players from the 2019 season of the MSL who could earn big bids in the 2020 season of the IPL:
1. JJ Smuts (Nelson Mandela Bay Giants)
A very accomplished cricketer, Jon-Jon Smuts has been playing domestic cricket since 2007. He has appeared across all formats in more than 100 matches, but he is only played eight international games, all in T20I cricket. Smuts is one player who is handy with both bat and ball.
As a left-arm spinner, he can also take the new ball and be successful. A batsman in the top order, he can also be destructive. He demonstrated that earlier this year when hit a fine 121 that went in vain in the final of the CSA T20I challenge.
Last year, Smuts had an excellent MSL season. The all-rounder of the Warriors scored 219 runs and also picked seven wickets.
2. Rassie van der Dussen (Jozi Stars)
Rassie van der Dussen’s batting has been excellent over the past year. He was one of the greatest white-ball cricket batsmen in South Africa. Whether it’s T20s or ODIs for South Africa, he is the second-highest in T20Is.
It was only last October that he made his international debut against Zimbabwe in a T20I, and in a year he became one of the pillars of South Africa. Last year, he was also the MSL’s top run-getter. In 11 innings, he aggregated 469 runs and led Jozi Stars to a maiden season win.
Van der Dussen was, therefore, at the center of attention and worked well. Another successful MSL season might well give him an IPL contract that might see him receiving some high bids.
3. Ravi Bopara (Durban Heat)
Ravi Bopara, despite being one of the world’s top all-rounders in the T20, hasn’t featured much in the IPL. In reality, his 24 games spanned over six years, spanning three seasons. In 2009 and 2010 he played for the Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) before sitting out for the next five years. In 2015, Bopara returned to the IPL, representing Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in nine matches.
Bopara has been in fine form this season. He scored 291 runs at an average of 48.50 in the T20 Blast this year. These runs came at a strike-rate of 162.56. He also picked up 12 wickets in the tournament. It was his all-round effort (2/30 and unbeaten 36 off 22 balls) which took Essex to bag the title in the final.
The all-rounder from England is a big-match player, but he is also very underestimated. He can quietly go about his job in all three departments and go unnoticed. Bopara will be turning out for the
Durban Heat in the upcoming MSL. Because of his form, he also has a fair chance of attracting some major bids for the 2020 season in the IPL auctions.
