Rookies turn overnight millionaires at 2019 IPL auction

Jaipur, Dec 18 - The 2019 Indian Premier League (IPL) auction on Tuesday witnessed a new list of millionaires with Varun Chakaravarthy and Jaydev Unadkat topping the charts among the Indian players with a hefty purse of Rs 8.4 crore each, while Englishman Sam Curran emerged as the highest paid overseas player with a price tag of Rs 7.2 crore.

Varun, a little known mystery bowler, was purchased by the Kings XI Punjab while Unadkat, the left-arm quick, was snapped up by his former franchise -- Rajasthan Royals, who had released him after a satisfactory stint last season.

Among other Indian players to breach the five-crore club are Axar Patel (Delhi Capitals), Mohit Sharma (Chennai Super Kings) and Shivam Dubey (Royal Challengers Bangalore). 

Besides Curran, the other sought-after overseas players were South African Colin Ingram, bought by the Delhi Capitals for a whopping Rs 6.4 crore, while West Indian power-hitter Carlos Brathwaite was snapped up by the Kolkata Knight Riders for Rs 5 crore.

But the major highlight of the day was the emergence of lesser known Indian players earning big in the auction. The trend was initially set by the Punjab franchise, who went for leg-spinner Varun Chakaravarthy, before further bolstering their bowling attack with the addition of Curran, and India's pace spearhead Mohammed Shami for Rs 4.8 crore.

The Punjab side also bought 17-year-old wicket-keeper Prabhsimran Singh for a whopping Rs 4.8 crore while splurging Rs 4.2 crore for West Indian Nicolas Pooran and Rs 1 crore for Australian all-rounder Moises Henriques.

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