IPL 2018 Auction: 5 star performers from last season who got their due

"Work hard and everything else will follow" is not just a saying. The Indian Premier League has been a big stage for lesser-known players to make it big and win recognition from all over the world.

It is the hard work of the team management who unearth these cricketing gems from all over the world and give them an opportunity to showcase their ability and hone under the guidance of some of the best coaches in the world, and of players themselves.

Every year, the league sees a number of players who use the opportunity to display their potential, delivering spectacular performances for the franchises. Some players come to the limelight in a matter of days while some may take a season or two to get noticed.

Here are a few players who performed brilliantly in the last season and earned big in the auction this year.

#5 Nitish Rana

Auction 2015: Rs. 10 lakh (Mumbai Indians)

Auction 2018: Rs. 3.4 crore (Kolkata Knight Riders)

The Delhi-born batsman grabbed eyeballs in the last season of the IPL after he consistently performed with the bat for the Mumbai Indians.

Nitish Rana, who was bought by the franchise in 2015 at his base price of Rs. 10 lakh, did not get many chances to show his potential until last year.

In the 2017 edition, he scored 333 runs in 13 matches at an average of 30.27 and a strike rate of 126.13. He drew attention soon after he grabbed the orange cap for some time in the initial half of the tournament.

His contributions in the initial half of the tournament played a bigger role in Mumbai Indians finishing at the top of the points table. He took home a bigger amount this season when Kolkata Knight Riders shelled out Rs. 3.4 crore for him.

#4 Washington Sundar

IPL 2017: Replacement for R Ashwin

Auction 2018: Rs. 3.2 crore (Royal Challengers Bangalore)

The 18-year-old off-spinner was drafted in the Rising Pune Supergiants in the last season as a replacement for an injured R Ashwin. Although Sundar is an all-rounder, he could not do much with the bat. He did however bowl brilliantly in the season.

Sundar took 8 wickets in 11 matches at an impressive economy of 6.16. He left everyone surprised after he saved runs for the franchise in pressure situations. His breakthrough performance came in Qualifier 1 against the Mumbai Indians, where he clinched 3 wickets, giving away just 16 runs and being declared the Man of the Match. In the final match of the tournament, he gave away just 13 runs.

He was under the radar of the selectors for his performance in the TNPL, and received his maiden call-up to the international squad as a replacement for injured Kedar Jadhav in the Sri Lanka series.

Sundar was bought by Royal Challengers Bangalore for Rs. 3.2 crore.

#3 Rahul Tripathi

Auction 2017: Rs. 10 lakh (Rising Pune Supergiants)

Auction 2018: Rs. 3.4 crore (Rajasthan Royals)

The young talented batsman who plays for Maharastra in the domestic circuit was bought by Rising Pune Supergiants at his base price of Rs. 10 lakh. Drafted into the playing XI, Tripathi started showing his class by batting destructively.

In the 14 matches that he played in the season, he scored 391 runs at an astonishing strike rate of 146.44. He batted brilliantly and became an overnight sensation among the fans. It was his fast-paced innings at the top that helped Rising Pune Supergiants reach the final of the tournament.

Riding on the back of his performances, Rahul Tripathi got his due in the auction this year when he was sold for Rs. 3.4 crore to Rajasthan Royals.

#2 Ishan Kishan

Auction 2016: Rs. 35 lakh (Gujarat Lions)

Auction 2018: Rs. 6.2 crore (Mumbai Indians)

Ishan Kishan, the Bihar born hard-hitting batsman shot to fame in the last year of the IPL when he destroyed the opposition hitting huge sixes. Ishan Kishan was bought by Gujarat Lions in the 2016 edition of the IPL for Rs. 35 lakh.

Ishan could not do much in his debut season but showed his class in the last season when he made some valuable contributions with the bat for the Suresh Raina led side. He scored 277 runs in 11 matches at an average of 27.70 and a strike rate of 134.46.

Ishan Kishan's name led to a bidding war between the franchises who increased his price to more than 15 times his base price of Rs. 40 lakh. Ishan was finally bought by Mumbai Indians for Rs. 6.2 crore which was higher than the bid for some star players like Shikhar Dhawan and Brendon McCullum.

#1 Jaydev Unadkat

Auction 2017: Rs. 30 lakh (Rising Pune Supergiants)

Auction 2018: Rs. 11.5 crore (Rajasthan Royals)

Jaydev Unadkat, the Indian fast bowler, left everyone surprised with his brilliant performance in the IPL last season. Earlier, Unadkat did not have much by way of numbers to show and was thus bought by Rising Pune Supergiants at his base price of Rs. 30 lakh.

The team lacked a good pacer and Unadkat filled in the gap quite impressively. In the 12 matches that he played for the franchise, Unadkat clinched 24 wickets at an impressive economy of 7.02. He played a big role in Pune reaching the finals of the tournament.

Later, Unadkat was recalled to the Indian T20 international squad where he again troubled the batsmen with his pace variations. Citing his performance in the previous season, his name led to a bidding war in the auction this year. Rajasthan Royals went all-out for acquiring his services and bought him for a whopping Rs. 11.5 crore.