Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy: Ludhiana Lions wicketkeeper-batter Salil Arora has called the Sher-E-Punjab T20 League an "opportunity" for the young players to catch the attention of the Indian Premier League (IPL) franchises and play in the cash-rich league.
Speaking to IANS, Arora emphasised that the players who do well in this tournament can have a bright future, as the Indian national selectors also pay a visit to watch matches. "This is a very good league. It's an opportunity for youngsters to play IPL. A strong performance here can lead to an IPL contract," Arora told IANS.
"On top of that, you get experience by playing in a big league like this. And there are selectors who come here, like the IPL selectors and the Indian selectors. So this is a very big opportunity for us," he added.
Arora has been a strong performer for Ludhiana as they sit close to a place in the semifinal. He has played a few fiery knocks, including a 38-ball 78 against Fazilka Falcons.
The young batter reflected on his performances in the tournament. "I am getting a lot of confidence (from these knocks). So, I will try to carry this momentum forward in the next match. We want to win the next match and play the semifinals.
Salil, who has played U19 cricket for India, is currently part of the Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL and has been impressive in the limited time he got to bat in the death overs. He opened on his first-year IPL experience and the time he spent with the likes of Pat Cummins, Heinrich Klaasen, Ishan Kishan and Abhishek Sharma.
"Yes, they told me beforehand that my role would be as a finisher. And players like Ishan Kishan and Abhishek Sharma, they used to back me all the time.
"Like, there were 1-2 matches that didn't go well. They used to back me and motivate me that I will do it. And the coaches used to tell me that I am a good player and I will do it. So they didn't let my confidence go down. So in the end, positive results came," he added.
"Yes, they told me beforehand that my role would be as a finisher. And players like Ishan Kishan and Abhishek Sharma, they used to back me all the time.
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"Yes, I see the upcoming Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy as a strong opportunity. I want to perform there and then go to IPL. And then I want to perform in the IPL and play for the Indian team. This is my dream and my goal," he said.