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#3 Ben Stokes
As expected, Ben Stokes ended up as the richest player at the auction yet again, just like he did last year. After a long-drawn bidding war, Rajasthan Royals finally got their prized asset for a staggering ₹12.5 crore. The English all-rounder was the Most Valuable Player last season and he was expected to play a major part in the Royals' success this year.
The English all-rounder came into the tournament with limited match practice having been temporarily suspended from international cricket due to his involvement in a post-match brawl. That rustiness has clearly been visible, especially in his bowling. Though he has run in and bowled at good pace, he has failed to establish any sort of control. In 14 overs across 5 innings, he has picked up just 1 wicket and he has conceded runs at over 10.5 per over.
His batting has been decent as he has got to starts. The Royals though will hope that he can convert it into substantial match-winning scores as that is what is expected from one of the most important players in the tournament. Stokes' all-round performances might make the difference in them sneaking into the playoffs towards the end.
