State T20 League-Wise Players Announced In India-A ODI Squad vs Australia-A

Naman Dhir & Rajat Patidar (Source: Web)On Wednesday, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the India A squads for a multi-format series against Australia A.The series will be played entirely in Puducherry and will begin with two four-day unofficial Tests, from September 22 to 25 and from September 29 to October 2. This will be followed by three one-day games on October 6, 9, and 11.Notably, Hardik Pandya has been included in the India A squad for the three one-day games. The Indian all-rounder was last in action during IPL 2026 and has spent much of the intervening time undergoing rehab at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru.Apart from that, the team also features a pool of young talent across the nation.State T20 leagues playing a vital role in India’s cricket ecosystemMany Indian states now have a T20 league administered and managed by the state associations. These games are even telecast on TV and played with full power and energy comparable to the Indian Premier League. In recent times, several players have made their way out of these state T20 leagues into the Indian senior teams.That being said, in this article, let’s dissect India A’s recent ODI squad against Australia A and explore which state T20 league has contributed the most talent.Delhi Premier League (1 player)Priyansh AryaLeft-handed opener Priyansh Arya is quickly becoming a name to remember in Indian cricket. The Delhi batter stunned one and all with a blistering 103 off just 42 balls for Punjab Kings in IPL 2025.However, before that, Arya first came into the limelight making waves in the Delhi Premier League (DPL 2024), where he blasted six sixes in an over en route to a brutal 120 off 50 balls. That single performance sent scouts and IPL franchises scrambling, culminating in a bidding war at the 2025 auction.Also read: Priyansh Arya Humbled By Digvesh Rathi’s Notebook Celebration After Sooryavanshi ClaimPBKS secured his services for a hefty Rs 3.8 crore, a steep jump from his base price of Rs. 30 lakh.He has since been a regular opener for the Punjab-based franchise and has recently been regularly included in India A squads.Moreover, across three DPL seasons, Arya has amassed 1,125 runs playing for South Delhi Superstarz in the first edition and Outer Delhi Warriors in the next two.Tamil Nadu Premier League (2 players)Sai SudharsanAnother left-handed prospect for the opening spot in the senior Indian team, Sai Sudharsan initially burst onto the scene playing for the Kovai Kings in the Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL 2021), finishing as the second-highest run-scorer in the tournament.In his TNPL journey from 2021 to 2024, Sai Sudharsan scored a total of 1303 runs across 40 games.He soon transitioned from a breakout star in the TNPL to becoming a cornerstone batter for the Gujarat Titans in the IPL.Gurjapneet SinghThough Gurjapneet Singh is yet to prove his mettle on bigger stages like the IPL, he has been a regular name in the India A squads.He started his promising TNPL journey with Dindigul Dragons in the year 2021. After missing the 2022 season of the TNPL, he made a strong comeback in 2023. Playing for the Siechem Madurai Panthers, he picked 15 wickets in the season. In TNPL 2025, Gurjapneet Singh showed his batting prowess when he clattered ten boundaries in 33 balls, including six sixes.Having impressed the one and all through the Tamil Nadu Premier League, the left-arm quick has since been on and off with the senior team as a net bowler, eventually earning an IPL contract in 2025.After his IPL gig with the Chennai Super Kings, Gurjapneet entered the BCCI’s pool of targeted fast bowlers.Maharaja T20 Trophy (1 player)Devdutt PadikkalEmerging talent Devdutt Padikkal has captured attention with stellar performances. His emergence was duly rewarded when he became the highest-bid player in the Maharaja T20 Trophy 2025.Devdutt was bought by Hubli Tigers for a hefty Rs 13.20 lakh in the player auction. He too had a breakout season, finishing as the top run-scorer of the season with 449 runs.Maharashtra Premier League (2 players)Ruturaj GaikwadRuturaj Gaikwad plays as the marquee player and captain for the Puneri Bappa franchise in the Maharashtra Premier League (MPL).He was associated with the franchise as a star batter and marquee player, though national commitments and squad rotations meant he featured in select capacities or squad lists alongside players like captain Yash Kshirsagar and Naushad Shaikh.Arshin KulkarniArshin Kulkarni has delivered standout performances in the Maharashtra Premier League (MPL) representing the Eagle Nashik Titans, highlighted by a record-shattering century in 2023 and a crucial match-winning performance in the 2025 final.He turned up under pressure in the 2025 MPL final, scoring a match-winning 77 off 53 balls for the Eagle Nashik Titans to claim the Player of the Match award.Madhya Pradesh League (2 players)Rajat PatidarThe 2-time IPL title-winning captain, Rajat Patidar, captains the Gwalior Cheetahs in the Madhya Pradesh League (MPL).Also read: Rajat Patidar’s Duleep Trophy Return Falls FlatIn the latest edition, 2026, Rajat Patidar amassed 306 runs across 8 innings with an impressive strike rate of 198.70. He has delivered explosive performances as an all-out aggressor and led from the front.Arshad KhanIn the Madhya Pradesh League (MPL) T20, left-arm seam-bowling all-rounder Arshad Khan has established himself as a highly impactful performer.In the 3rd edition of the tournament, he captained Bhopal Leopards. Representing his franchise in the tournament, his capability to score quick lower-order runs and provide critical breakthroughs makes him a vital asset.Jharkhand Premier League (1 player)Kumar Kushagra In the Jharkhand Premier League 2026, Kumar Kushagra played a crucial role in helping the Chota Nagpur Royals win the title.Kushagra won Player of the Match for his stellar performance of an unbeaten 78 off just 39 balls in the final. Though he only played two games throughout the tournament, he amassed 136 runs at an impressive strike rate of 209.23.Uttar Pradesh Premier League (1 player)Vipraj NigamThe leg-spinner all-rounder plays for the Lucknow Falcons in the Uttar Pradesh T20 Premier League, where he has starred with tight bowling spells and useful lower-order contributions.He first turned heads by taking 20 wickets in 12 matches during the 2024 tournament at an impressive economy rate of 7.45 and strike rate of 11.15.His stellar performance in the UPT20 league earned him a multi-format state debut for Uttar Pradesh and an IPL contract with the Delhi Capitals.He continuously delivered economical spells in the 2026 season and took 12 wickets in 12 matches.Sher-E-Punjab T20 League (2 players)Naman DhirNaman Dhir is looking to be at the peak of his powers in the first edition of the Sher-E-Punjab T20 League. So far in the tournament, he has already amassed 430 runs in just 6 games.On top of that, on September 8, 2026, the Mumbai Indians all-rounder smashed a record-breaking, unbeaten 173 runs off 64 balls for the Amritsar Soormas against the Mohali Kings.Prabhsimran SinghAfter being picked for the Zimbabwe T20I series, he was recently dropped from India’s squad for the Afghanistan T20I series.After the rejection, Prabhsimran Singh has been running havoc in the Punjab-based T20 league.Captaining the Jalandhar Warriors in the ongoing Sher-E-Punjab T20 League 2026, Prabhsimran Singh is enjoying the form of his life. The tournament is yet to enter its business end, but Prabhsimran has already amassed 484 runs in just 7 games.Note for the readers: Nishant Sindhu, Yash Thakur, and Hardik Pandya play for Haryana, Vidarbha, and Baroda, respectively. These states do not have their own T20 League.Also read: Imran Tahir Bags CPL Fifer Aged 47; Surpasses Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Rashid Khan