Sagar Udeshi is a SMAT-only bowler with 4 seasons of data. His economy rate is the story, and it tells a compelling one.

Across 73 overs, Udeshi has conceded at just 6 runs per over while taking 16 wickets. For context, the IPL powerplay economy in 2025 was 9, the middle overs 9, and the death overs 10. His SMAT economy sits 3 runs per over below the cheapest IPL phase. That is an extraordinary level of control.

The wicket-taking is less dramatic. A bowling strike rate of 27 balls per wicket is functional but not threatening. His 16 wickets across 73 overs paints a picture of a containment specialist rather than a strike bowler. He will not bowl teams out, but he may suffocate batting innings by giving away nothing at his end.

The containment profile has a specific value proposition in T20 cricket. If a bowler gives up only 6 runs per over at his end, the batting team is forced to target the other end, which creates pressure asymmetry. That tactical utility is real, even if the wicket column is underwhelming.

His trajectory is flagged as declining, and the projection sits at 0.19 WAR/M for 2026 with medium confidence. The declining marker is worth noting for a bowler whose primary skill is economy; containment bowlers tend to age well if they maintain accuracy, so a decline here may reflect seasonal variation rather than permanent deterioration.

The IPL translation question for Udeshi is straightforward: how much does that 6 economy inflate against lineups where every batter strikes at 150+? Even a 50% inflation would put him around 9, which is competitive. Indian bowlers who can plug overs without leaking runs are auction commodities.

All numbers from SMAT and domestic T20 career data.