Explainer: Scouting Process in IPL & the value it adds to cricket’s biggest league

IPL 2025: How the scouting process is shaping franchises, strengthening Indian Cricket, and elevating the game.

A global phenomenon, the Indian Premier League (IPL) is celebrated worldwide not only for offering thrilling games but also for its significance in discovering and nurturing young cricketing talents. Behind this supreme performance lies the massive role of each franchise’s talent scouting process.

These behind-the-scenes operations are vital for structuring competitive squads and maintaining the league’s success over the years in terms of delivering new stars. It’s the building block for any side aiming to keep excelling in the high-intensity tournament format.

Decoding IPL scouting process 
Among all of Priyansh Arya (Punjab Kings), Digvesh Rathi (Lucknow Super Giants), Vipraj Nigam (Delhi Capitals), and Aniket Verma (Sunrisers Hyderabad), one thing is common — they are relatively unknown cricketers outside the inner circle. This is where the scouts come in.

They travel around various T20 leagues like the Tamil Nadu Premier League, Uttar Pradesh T20 League, Delhi Premier League, Sher-e-Punjab T20 League, and others to discover these gems. It’s a meticulous effort from the scouts — some of these players hadn’t even played for their state sides before getting an IPL contract.

Mumbai Indians sent their left-arm wrist spinner, Vignesh Puttur, to South Africa after the recent IPL 2025 mega auction. The plan was to hone his skills as a net bowler for MI Cape Town during the SA20 league. This was part of MI’s strategy to develop young talent and help them learn from veterans like Rashid Khan and Trent Boult.

Verma, a 23-year-old all-rounder from Madhya Pradesh, hadn’t represented any side at the senior level before the auction. But the scouts tracked him down in the state Premier League, where the right-handed batter smacked 273 runs in six innings at a strike rate of 195 — including a blistering knock of 123 runs in just 41 balls.

Meanwhile, Digvesh Rathi got his T20 debut for Delhi only after being picked by the Lucknow Super Giants. These scouting success stories are not new. Former India coach John Wright once discovered Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya, and Krunal Pandya from the grassroots for Mumbai Indians.

Prasanna Kannan, CEO of the TNPL, addressed how the scouting teams operate across various leagues.

“Suppose some youngster is catching the eye of these franchises — what they’ll do is monitor him, his fitness, and any injury concerns. They have a dedicated team of physios and trainers. This team looks after the squad development,” Kannan said in a recent interaction with The Indian Express.

Read More: Who is MI’s Vignesh Puthur, the young left-arm wrist spinner from Kerala?

Their job is to keep looking for raw talent across the globe — mostly in India — whether in age-group or senior events, throughout the year.

Young players add value to respective franchises and their country 
Most of the young uncapped players this season have performed fabulously. Verma has accumulated 159 runs in seven innings at a strike rate of 184.88. Priyansh celebrated the second-fastest IPL century by an India batter, scoring it in just 39 balls against Chennai Super Kings (CSK).

In Mumbai’s very first game of the season, Vignesh broke CSK’s middle order. The left-arm wrist spinner ended with figures of 3/32 in four overs, including the wickets of opposing captain Ruturaj Gaikwad and Shivam Dube.

Ashwani wreaked havoc among the Kolkata Knight Riders’ batters with excellent figures of 4/24 in three overs. Digvesh is Lucknow’s second-leading wicket-taker this season, with nine scalps in seven innings at an economy rate of 7.42.

Sunrisers decided to replace their injured premier leg-spinner, Adam Zampa, with a batter, showcasing their trust in young Zeeshan Ansari, whom Pat Cummins has thrown the ball to in tough situations.

Read More: Priyansh Arya the next best thing in Indian cricket?

Importance of massive scouting team
It’s incredibly important to carry a massive scouting team. Various leagues take place in India and around the globe during nearly the same period, making it nearly impossible for one person to travel to all locations.

For example, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) have four scouts. Malolan Rangarajan, the head of the scouting team, is part of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL). In the past, S Sriram, their spin coach, and Adam Griffith, their bowling coach, used to keep an eye on the Australia players.

Others stay in India for the domestic tournaments. Malolan pointed out how, at certain stages, the brain gets fried, which is why they set a specific number of games for each individual in the scouting team.

“I ensure our scouts get breaks. In a hectic schedule, I make sure one watches the bowlers while the other focuses on the batters. This method brings balance to our job,” he wrote in the Deccan Herald.

He revealed how they plan around three unknown players with a message to the franchise to go for one of those three players. That depends on the player’s high demand and the franchise’s remaining money in the auction.

The IPL is the connecting bridge between the domestic and international circuits. In the past, Hardik and Bumrah joined Mumbai in this way. Hardik is currently leading the franchise, while Bumrah is the premier all-format pacer around the globe. These stories continue to motivate the next generation.

At the end of the day, the success of scouting is paralleled by the players’ performance. However, as the saying goes, one can only lead a horse to water. It’s up to the uncapped players to keep improving and secure their futures.

Read More: Who is Ashwani Kumar: Another bright prospect from Mumbai Indians’ talent factory