IPL 2018: IPL XI cheaper than Ben Stokes

For the second consecutive year, Ben Stokes finished as the most expensive player in the IPL Auction. In 2017, he signed for Rising Pune Supergiant while in 2018, he has gone to the side that has replaced them, Rajasthan Royals

While the England all-rounder is one of the finest players in the world, there is no doubt that the Royals could have put the 12.5 crores they spent on Stokes to better use. In fact, they could have signed an entire team of players cheaper than the amount that they spent on Stokes.

The team assembled in this article cost a grand total of 12.4 crores, which is still 10 lakhs less than what the Royals paid for Stokes. 11 players for 12.4 crores or just 1 for 12.5 crores. The choice was there for the Royals but they went for the latter. In any case, here is an IPL XI that is cheaper than Ben Stokes:

Openers

Munro could turn out to be the bargain buy of the tournament

Colin Munro - 1.9 crores

One of the biggest surprises of IPL Auction 2018 was the price for which one of the finest T20 openers in the world was sold. Delhi Daredevils managed to claim one of the bargains of the Auction as they bought Colin Munro for just 1.90 crores. A side that already boasts of Rishabh Pant will have another destructive opener in their ranks.

Manan Vohra - 1.1 crores

Although Manan Vohra has never been on the fringes of national selection, he has always been a consistent performer in the IPL. Although RCB have a star-studded batting line-up, having an Indian batsman who can score consistently will be a huge boost for them, especially one they got their hands on for just 1.1 crores.

Middle-order

Billings can keep, play anywhere in the batting order and is an exceptional fielder

Sam Billings - 1 crore

While many England players like Alex Hales, ODI captain Eoin Morgan and Test captain Joe Root went unsold, Sam Billings was snapped up by CSK for his base price of 1 crore. His innovative stroke play coupled with his versatility makes him an invaluable asset for any side. Although CSK have MS Dhoni, who will keep, having someone like Billings means that they possess a batsman who can score quickly, open the innings, play in the middle-order and also operate as the finisher.

JP Duminy - 1 crore

Consistency has been JP Duminy's raison d'être. Whether it is in the IPL or for South Africa in coloured clothing, Duminy has been amongst the runs on a consistent basis, which is what made his move to Mumbai Indians for just his base price of 1 crore all the more surprising. Although the 33-year-old doesn't have a T20 century to his name, he averages over 37 and has a strike rate of almost 125 in T20s. In the IPL, he has fared even better, averaging almost 40 with nearly 2000 runs to his name. He will be a great addition to an already strong MI batting line-up.

Manoj Tiwary - 1 crore

Anyone who saw the IPL Auction will tell you just how eager Kings XI Punjab were to make their mark. While they signed foreign stars, T20 veterans and international superstars, perhaps one of their smartest decisions was buying Manoj Tiwary for 1 crore. The experienced Indian international has been a revelation in the middle-order and can provide the final flourish that Kings XI have at times lacked.

All-rounders

One of the game's best

Colin de Grandhomme - 2.2 crore

RCB have always had plenty of world-class batsmen. With the likes of Mitchell Starc and co., they have also had special bowlers. But one thing they have always lacked is a true all-rounder who can contribute with both bat and ball. In Colin de Grandhomme, they finally have someone who can clear the small boundaries at Bengaluru at will and also chip in with a few overs.

Mohammad Nabi - 1 crore

When SRH signed Mohammad Nabi in 2017, there was a lot of surprise but after a stellar 2017 in T20s which saw him score over 400 runs and pick up 43 wickets, the surprise was even greater when SRH managed to get him back for just 1 crore. The Afghanistan all-rounder is the ideal T20 player and has the skills and experience to contribute in all facets of the game.

Pacers

Dhawal Kulkarni has also represented India

Dhawal Kulkarni - 75 lakhs

Rajasthan Royals are making their IPL comeback after two years. As a result, they didn't have a lot of players on whom they could have used their RTM card. One of the players that they used it on was Dhawal Kulkarni though. The Mumbai fast bowler, who has also represented India, was one of the standout performers for Gujarat Lions in IPL 2016 and his acquisition for just 75 lakhs represents a shrewd investment by RR.

Basil Thampi - 95 lakhs

One of the stories of IPL 2017 was Basil Thampi, who walked away with the Emerging Player of the Year Award. For his consistent performances, and incredible control at the death, he earned an India T20I call-up for the series against Sri Lanka. He was one among the many smart buys by SRH, who now boast of an incredible pace attack for IPL 2018. That he was bought for less than 1 crore just highlights how much of a steal David Warner's side have on their hands.

Billy Stanlake - 50 lakhs

Of the many fast bowlers that SRH managed to get during the IPL Auction 2018, perhaps the shrewdest buy might be that of Billy Stanlake. While the Australian is unlikely to be in the starting line-up for SRH, especially considering the depth of their pace attack, he has a unique skill set that could prove to be invaluable in case of injuries.

Tall, capable of generating bounce and bowling in excess of 150 kmph, Stanlake is capable of inducing fear in the batsmen's minds, even in a T20.

Imran Tahir - 1 crore

Tahir has been incredibly consistent for South Africa

Ranked No. 1 in the ODI bowlers rankings and in the top ten amongst T20I bowlers, Imran Tahir is undoubtedly one of the best limited-overs spinners in the world. So, it was certainly surprising to see that CSK were able to get their hands on the South African leg-spinner for his base price of 1 crore.

While the logic behind going for Tahir is questionable, especially since they already have the likes of Ravindra Jadeja and Harbhajan Singh, you cannot deny the ineluctable quality that Tahir brings to the table. And for 1 crore, he might also turn out to be one of the best bargain buys of the season.