5 cricketers whose Ranji performances could earn them IPL 2018 contracts

#1 Rajneesh Gurbani

Gurbani's hat-trick in the final helped Vidarbha clinch the title

Underdogs Vidarbha miraculously won their maiden Ranji Trophy title. One of the pivotal reasons for their success was the emergence of 24-year-old pacer Rajneesh Gurbani.

Gurbani finished the tournament as its second-highest wicket-taker with 39 scalps. He incredibly won the Man of the Match award in all of Vidarbha's knockout games. His spell of five for 38 in Kerala's first innings in the quarter-final saw them bundle out for just 176 runs. This helped Vidarbha bounce back in the game after a mediocre first innings with the bat.

Gurbani made a long-lasting mark in the semi-final with a marvelous performance against a strong Karnataka lineup. His figures of 5 for 94 and 7 for 68 guided Vidarbha to a narrow 5-run victory in a humdinger of a match. Rajneesh then lit up the final with a hat-trick in Delhi's first innings which restricted them to a lowly total of 295. Impressively, all three hat-trick victims were dismissed bowled. His figures of 6 for 59 earned him the Man of the Match award for his third consecutive match.

Gurbani's ability to swing the ball either way is the reason behind his exceptional success. Gurbani's near flawless Ranji Trophy performance couldn't have come at a better time, with the IPL auction just a few weeks away.