IPL 2018 Auction: 5 most expensive players

India's biggest shopping festival of the year, the two-day entertainment-filled IPL auctions, introduced to the world a new set of millionaires, with the franchises not shying away from splurging on players in the fresh auctions that changed the entire look of most teams.

This year, 169 players were sold, with a total amount of ₹4,31,70,00,000 spread across two days. Rajasthan Royals shed their 'Moneyball' image and splurged big amounts on players, picking the two most expensive players this time.

Here are the five most expensive players from this year's auction:

#5 Chris Lynn to Kolkata Knight Riders (Rs. 9.6 Crores)

Immensely talented but perennially injury-plagued, Chris Lynn's brazen batting style was one of the glittering points in Kolkata Knight Riders' upward curve in the 2017 IPL.

Smothering the ball at a strike-rate of 180.98 last year, Lynn was a major attraction for the purple and gold franchise but had to miss a part of the tournament owing to a shoulder injury.

He, however, has admitted he will have to take huge care of his body in a bid to stay fit and do justice to the hefty price tag he currently has on his head, also conceding that he might not be a 100% fit for the next 12 months.

At the top of the order, Lynn has been a vital force for KKR, and they will look towards him for giving the same blistering starts that he did through the most part of the IPL 2017.

IPL career stats: Matches - 12, Runs - 384, Average - 38.40, Strike-rate - 158.02

#4 Manish Pandey to Sunrisers Hyderabad (Rs. 11 crores)

Manish Pandey turned a new leaf in his career with the Kolkata Knight Riders

For quite a few years, it felt that the 19-year-old, who had scored a thundering unbeaten century in South Africa during the second IPL, was not able to translate his talent into success. It took him seven years to break into the national side, and he is still not a permanent member of it, but Pandey has proved that his versatile batting can be more than useful in T20s.

After plying his trade with the Royal Challengers Bangalore until 2011 and later with the Pune Warriors India, Pandey was picked up by the Kolkata Knight Riders the subsequent year. The move worked wonders for him, as crucial knocks from him helped the side win their second IPL title, and also helped him gain his maiden India call-up.

He will now change ships and move to the Sunrisers Hyderabad, where he could get a much more prominent role in the top-half of the batting order.

IPL career stats: Matches - 103, Runs - 2215, Average - 28.39, Strike-rate - 120.11

#3 KL Rahul to Kings XI Punjab (Rs. 11 crores)

After missing out the entire IPL 2017 due to injury, KL Rahul will be seen in action once again

His India career might not be at its peak at the moment, but KL Rahul is still a hot property in the IPL, despite missing the entire tournament last year due to a shoulder injury. Before that, KL Rahul was an integral member of the Bangalore franchise in 2016, batting at the crucial No.4 slot and doubling up as a wicket-keeper in the absence of a proper one.

A fluent stroke-maker who prefers hitting the ball the traditional way, Rahul is adept at finding gaps and can be an ideal opener with his penchant for striking the ball over the infield.

The record-holder for the fastest century by an Indian in T20Is, Rahul can be an ideal choice as an opener for the Kings XI side, with several options (including Chris Gayle) as his opening partners. He could also be one of the candidates for the captaincy role.

IPL career stats: Matches - 39, Runs - 725, Average - 30.20, Strike-rate - 125.64

#2 Jaydev Unadkat to Rajasthan Royals (Rs. 11.5 crores)

Unadkat was the costliest Indian in this year's auctions

Having played only 12 international games over the last six years, it is safe to say that Jaydev Unadkat is not a Team India star yet, but his performances for the Rising Pune Supergiant last year made heads turn. Such has been the transformation of the left-arm pacer, that he turned out to be the costliest Indian this year, after having played just two IPL games combined in 2015 and 2016.

He has been working on his physique for the last two years and has added more variations to his arsenal: the slower ball and the cutters being his preferred weapons of choice. Last year, he picked up 24 wickets from 12 games, including a hat-trick against the Sunrisers Hyderabad.

IPL career stats: Matches - 47, Wickets - 56, Best - 5/25, Economy - 8.00

#1 Ben Stokes to Rajasthan Royals (Rs. 12.5 Crores)

Stokes became the most expensive IPL player two years in a row

A pending case against him didn't deter Rajasthan Royals from going all out against the star all-rounder, whose England career over the next few months seems to be under a cloud of doubt. The costliest player last year as well, Stokes proved how he was worth every penny (and more) for the Rising Pune Supergiant, stitching together game-changing performances to take the team to the playoffs.

His big-hitting ability was witnessed throughout last year's IPL, including a century against the Gujarat Lions while chasing, so was his ability to slip in yorkers at will and bowl stifling spells in the middle-overs. Another striking aspect of his contribution was his livewire fielding, with the Kiwi-born throwing himself around without care, pouching some stunners and effecting direct hits with ease.

IPL 2017 stats: Matches - 12, Runs - 316, Average - 31.60, Strike-rate - 142.98