IPL auction: Stokes, Rashid, Rahul, Manish lead the day. Uncapped players make it big

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Bengaluru, January 27: The IPL auctions in the past had churned out tales of miracle and disappointments in plenty. This year's auction too did not veer away from that familiar script.

There were money makers on the expected lines and those who gatecrashed to push past the elite names when the first round of auction concluded here on Saturday (January 27). The second round of auction will take place on Sunday (January 28).

Ben Stokes was in everybody's list to top the auction chart and he did precisely that. Rajasthan Royals bagged him for a whopping Rs 12.5 crore and the price remained unchallenged till the end of the day.

But couple of players came close to the tag. Karnataka duo of KL Rahul and Manish Pandey were picked up for Rs 11 crore by Kings XI Punjab and Sunrisers Hyderabad respectively after an intense bidding war.

India offie R Ashwin was not retained by his home team Chennai Super Kings through the Right to Match (RTM) option and Kings XI Punjab bagged him for Rs 7.6 crore.

But the story of the day was offered by Rashid Khan - the 19-year-old leg-spinner from Afghanistan. Teams went on an all out auction battle for him - particularly between Kings XI Punjab and Royal Challengers Bangalore.

The call stopped at Rs 9 crore in favour of Kings XI and they might have hoped that the huge tag may dissuade Sunrisers from using their Right to Match (RTM) card to retain Rashid.

The eagerness was quite understandable too because Rashid has that kind of year in T20 cricket in the last year or so with Afghanistan, Bangladesh League and Big Bash League in Australia for Adelaide Strikers.

But Sunrisers made light of that heavy Rs 9 crore price tag on him to retain Rashid as the Hyderabad camp exchanged smiles and handshakes in the auction room.

However, he is not the only lesser known - that is a relative term - name to strike it rich in the auction. Krunal Pandya was retained by Mumbai Indians for Rs 8.8 crore while Royals grabbed Kerala wicketkeeper batsman Sanju Samson for Rs 8 crore. Jofra Archer, a West Indian born fast bowling all-rounder, was pocketed Royals for Rs 7.2 crore.

There was enough to cheer for India's under-19 team members too as several of them went for a good price. All-rounder Kamlesh Nagarkoti led the way with a Rs 3.2 crore deal with Kolkata Knight Riders.

India U-19 skipper Prithvi Shaw found his first ever IPL franchise in Delhi Daredevils for Rs 1.2 crore. Shaw's teammate Shubman Gill went to Knight Riders for a slightly higher price at Rs 1.8 crore.

Then there were other uncapped players like Rahul Tripathi (Rs 3.4 crore, Royals) and Suryakumar Yadav (Rs 3.2 crore, Mumbai Indians) who made merry out of nowhere.

Disappointments

But there were stories of rejection too. Chris Gayle and Lasith Malinga, IPL legends, and India players Ishant Sharma, M Vijay and Parthiv Patel found no takers.

Unsold players

Chris Gayle, Joe Root, Murali Vijay, Hashim Amla, Martin Guptill, James Faulkner, Parthiv Patel, Jonny Bairstow, Naman Ojha, Sam Billings, Mitchell Johnson, Josh Hazlewood, Tim Southee, Ishant Sharma, Mitchell McClenaghan, Lasith Malinga, Ish Sodhi, Samuel Badree, Adam Zampa, Himanshu Rana, Siddesh Lad, Nikhil Naik, Ben McDermott, Aditya Tare, Ankush Bains, Vishnu Vinod, Sheldon Jackson, Prashant Chopra.

Purse remaining

CSK: Rs 17 cr

DD: Rs 12.30 cr

Kings XI: Rs 21.90 cr (RTM: 1)

KKR: Rs 7.60 cr

MI: Rs 15.80 cr

RR: Rs 23.50 cr (RTM: 2)

RCB: Rs 15.85 cr (RTM: 1)

SRH: Rs 7.95 cr