IPL auction 2018: Stokes goes to Royals for Rs 12.5 cr. Kings XI snaffle Ashwin, Gayle unsold

Bengaluru, January 27: England all-rounder Ben Stokes became the first super rich to come out of the IPL auction 2018, getting picked up Rajasthan Royals for Rs 12.5 crore but West Indian power hitter Chris Gayle remained unsold, not so surprisingly.

India opener Shikhar Dhawan was the first to go under the hammer and was retained by Sunrisers Hyderabad for Rs 5.2 crore via the Right to Match card (RTM).

Chennai Super Kings had said they will retain Ashwin as a priority but did not do so as Kings XI Punjab picked up India offie for a sumptous Rs 7.6 crore.

Meanwhile, Australian pace spearhead Mitchell Starc was picked up by Kolkata Knight Riders for Rs 9.4 crore and India middle order batsman Ajinkya Rahane stayed with Rajasthan Royals for Rs 4 crore.

Later, Harbhajan Singh went to Chennai Super Kings for his base price of Rs 2 crore as Mumbai Indians, a team that he was part of since 2008, did not bid for quite on the expected lines.

Glenn Maxwell went to Delhi Daredevils for a whopping Rs 9 crore as his former team Kings XI Punjab did not use the RTM. Gautam Gambhir, the former Kolkata Knight Riders captain, too will have a new team this year in the form of his home franchise Delhi Daredevils.

The Chennai Super Kings exercised their RTM to retain West Indian all-rounder Dwayne Bravo for Rs 6.4 crore. The CSK did not use that option for Ashwin earlier. England captain Joe Root remained unsold.

While Yuvraj Singh went to his home team Kings XI Punjab for his base price of Rs 2 crore as his Sunrisers Hyderabad did not use the RTM card.