The IPL 2022 is into its business end where every single match is crucial and each win or loss could potentially impact the position of the 8 teams in contention for four playoff spots.
The mega-auction was an exciting event, with some players bagging million dollar deals while some getting picked at their base prices and a little above it.
Here are 5 players picked at cheaper prices but have performed exceedingly well so far:
Bhanuka Rajapaksa
One of the few Sri Lankans in the IPL 2022, Bhanuka Rajapaksa was bought at his base price of 50 lakh by Punjab Kings. Starting in the first eleven in absence of Jonny Bairstow, the left-hander clattered 43 runs off 22 balls in Punjab’s chase of 206 vs RCB. He played another attacking knock of 31 but was dropped when Bairstow returned.
With Punjab slipping games, Rajapaksa was recalled to the eleven and hit two crucial knocks – 40 and 42 – in his last three innings. His strike rate of 168 so far is second best in the Punjab batting line-up, only behind Liam Livingstone’s 186.
Kuldeep Sen
Coming in the Rajasthan Royals eleven for the injured Nathan Coulter Nile, Kuldeep Sen had big boots to fill and also take on the mantle to bowl in the death overs as Samson uses Boult in the powerplay and middle overs. Bought at his base price of 20 lakh, Sen has stepped up in the role impressively.
Categorized as Right arm Fast, Sen has snared 8 wickets in 5 matches and though he’s been slightly on the expensive side, RR won’t mind that as batters have looked to target Sen as RR’s weaker link. He registered his best of 4/20 vs the power-packed RCB line-up including the wickets of du Plessis and Maxwell.
Maheesh Theekshana
Sold for 70 lakh in the mega-auction, just four bids above his base price of 50 lakh, Maheesh Theekshana has lived up to his hype of being a mystery spinner.
Being benched at the start of the season, Theekshana has made a telling impact in keeping alive CSK’s campaign for a while, taking 11 wickets in 7 matches, at an economy of 7.42 – the best of all CSK’s bowlers; his economy of is staggering considering he bowls at least couple of overs in the powerplay.
His best figures so far came vs RCB, when he rattled them with a four-wicket haul.
Mukesh Choudhary
Albeit a bit too late, CSK did manage to find their powerplay specialist in Mukesh Choudhary in the absence of the injured Deepak Chahar. A feft-arm seamer, Choudhary was roped in by CSK for his base price of 20 lakh.
After being taken for runs in his first couple of games, the 25-year-old has made heads turn with his brilliant new-ball bowling. He has a total of 11 wickets in 9 matches, with a best of a four-wicket haul recently against SRH.
Of those 11 wickets, 8 have come in the powerplay; only Mohammed Shami with 9 wickets has more than Mukesh in the first six overs. Choudhary, however, has been really expensive in the death, leaking at 15 runs an over in the last five overs.
Mohsin Khan
The inclusion of 23-year-old Mohsin Khan has allowed Lucknow Super Giants to play an extra overseas all-rounder instead of AJ Tye. A left-arm seamer, Mohsin was bought at the mega-auction for his base price of 20 lakh, another masterstroke pick from Gautam Gambhir.
Ye dosti hum nahi todenge….
#KrunalPandya #MohsinKhan #LucknowSuperGiants #IPL |
— Lucknow Super Giants (@LucknowIPL) March 3, 2022
: The young seamer made quite good a use of his height, nipping out 8 wickets in 4 matches at a terrific economy of 6.07- the best economy for any LSG bowler to have bowled at least 5 overs this season. His best of 4/16 came against a dynamic Delhi Capitals batting order, including the dismissals of Warner, Pant and Powell.
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