IPL 2019 Auction: Jaydev Unadkat, Sam Curran steals the show with big bucks

The 2019 Indian Premier League auctions, held in Jaipur on Tuesday, witnessed over 350 players going under the hammer. There were some surprises, some expected buys and some players who broke the bank to be acquired by the franchisees. Indian and overseas capped players had decent returns in this auction and their addition will give the franchisees balance and depth during the tournament which will be held in mid-March 2019. After six hours, when the final player went under the hammer, the final list of players was complete. Here is a look at some of the most expensive capped players who were bought by the franchise in this auction.

1.)    Jaydev Unadkat – Rs 8.4 crore to Rajasthan Royals

Jaydev Unadkat and IPL Auctions share a special relationship. In the 2018 Auction, Unadkat fetched the highest price when he was taken for Rs 11.5 crore by Rajasthan Royals. After a middling performance, Unadkat was let go by the franchise again. In this season, he was the highest priced Indian with Rs 1.5 crore. He was once again bought by Rajasthan Royals for Rs 8.4 crore.

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2.)    Sam Curran – Rs 7.2 crore to Kings XI Punjab

The England all-rounder had expected big gains after his stunning all-round show in the series against India, where he averaged 62 with the bat and 23 with the ball. He was involved in a big bidding war between Rajasthan Royals and Kings XI Punjab but in the end, he went for Rs 7.2 crore to Kings XI Punjab. For the second consecutive auction, an England player had become the most expensive buy in the auction.

Read More | IPL 2019 Auction: Unadkat, Chakaravarthy and Curran steal the show

3.)    Colin Ingram – Rs 6.4 crore to Delhi Capitals

The South African left-hander was one of the surprise picks in this auction. Having opted out of a Cricket South Africa contract, Ingram became a Kolpak player and amassed plenty of runs for Glamorgan in the England domestic T20 circuit. Ingram had a base price of Rs 2 crore and it came as a big surprise when he was picked up by Rs 6.4 crore by Delhi Capitals.

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4.)    Carlos Brathwaite – Rs 5 crore to Kolkata Knight Riders

The West Indies Twenty20 captain had acquired a reputation as a big hitter and he chipped in with vital contributions for the Sunrisers Hyderabad team. However, in this auction, Sunrisers Hyderabad and Kolkata Knight Riders bid for him and he went to the two-time IPL champions for a decent price. It would be a great feeling for Brathwaite to return to the Eden Gardens, the site where he made a name for himself when he hit four consecutive sixes off Ben Stokes to help West Indies win the World T20 title for the second time in 2016.

5.)    Mohit Sharma – Rs 5 crore to Chennai Super Kings

Mohit Sharma was propelled to the Indian cricket team when he performed brilliantly for Chennai Super Kings in 2013 and 2014. When he went to Kings XI Punjab, his performances dipped and he was out of the reckoning. However, Mohit came back to the Chennai Super Kings franchise as they broke the bank to get him for Rs 5 crore. In a way, it was a happy homecoming for Mohit.