IPL 2018: 4 extremely cheap buys who performed beyond expectations on their debuts

Just like any other installment of the annual Indian cricketing fiesta, IPL 2018 has already offered us some unexpected surprises. Some of the hot prospects like D'Arcy Short and Evin Lewis, whom everyone expected to hit the ground running have failed to attract eyeballs with their first impression.

On the contrary, some of the comparatively lesser-known hidden gems have shown their true colors, leaving their owners in a state of unbridled joy and other owners scratching their heads for missing out on them.

Here's a list of 4 cricketers whose performance isn't at par with their extremely low salary:

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#4 Billy Stanlake (Sunrisers Hyderabad)

The tall and lanky Australian pacer had previously played just 2 IPL games, in which he conceded 70 runs at an economy rate of just under 9 runs per over, and picked up only a couple of wickets. As a result, very few expected Stanlake to attract many bidders, and Sunrisers Hyderabad picked him for just Rs 50 lakhs.

Stanlake wasn't expected to a member of Hyderabad's playing XI, but he did feature in SRH's first match against Rajasthan Royals and justified his place. He conceded just 29 runs in 4 overs and picked up the crucial wicket of Ben Stokes. He surprised everyone with his pace, and his 145.6 kmph bullet might still haunt Rahul Tripathi.

#3 Deepak Chahar (Chennai Super Kings)

Deepak Chahar (left)

His brother Rahul Chahar received a contract worth Rs 1.9 crores from defending champions Mumbai Indians, whereas pacer Deepak Chahar was sold for just Rs 80 lakhs. But with his exceptional spell in the opening encounter of IPL 11, he proved why CSK coach Stephen Fleming and his scouting compatriots have hit the bullseye.

Chahar made a name for himself in the match against his brother's team MI, by conceding just 14 runs in 3 overs at a staggering economy rate of under 5 runs per over. If that isn't impressive enough, he dismissed the big-hitting Caribbean beast, Evin Lewis.

#2 Sam Billings (Chennai Super Kings)

Sam Billings

The 'Whistle Podu' army were probably the most criticized team after the auctions, but 5 matches into IPL 11, they're sitting comfortably at the top of the table, and two CSK players in this list tell us exactly why. English batter Sam Billings was sold to Dhoni's team for just Rs 1 crore, and hardly anyone expected him to be a part of their first team.

But in a gut-wrenching tie against KKR, Sam Billings was CSK's main architect in the monumental 203 runs chase. Billing scored 56 runs in 23 balls at a strike rate of over 240. His highly entertaining innings was filled with 5 boundaries and two mammoth hits.

#1 Mayank Markande (Mumbai Indians)

Mayank Markande

It is too early to jump to a conclusion, but if asked to select the find of this year's IPL after each team's first game, then young leggie Mayank Markande is running away with the crown. The 20-year-old from Bathinda, filled to the brim with unadulterated talent, mesmerized everyone as he went about spinning webs around CSK batters' minds.

Markande conceded just 23 runs in 4 overs, and more importantly, took 3 wickets. Ambati Rayudu, Deepak Chahar, and CSK's skipper MS Dhoni's names are present in his victim list. Unfortunately for him and for Mumbai, he caught Kedar Jadhav leg before wicket, but umpire got his decision wrong, and Rohit Sharma's decision of not using DRS cost Mumbai the game as Jadhav won the match for the returning franchise.