(Cricket news) This year in the auction a lot of money was spent on the Indian players but certain international players went under the radar and subsequently did fetch too many bids from the other franchises. So let us take a look at the top 5 bargain buys at this auction:

1) David Warner (Delhi Capitals 6.25 cr)

Warner is one of the greatest players to play in the IPL and the DC management purchased him for a mere 6.25 crores as players like Nicohals Pooran and Liam Livingstone went above 10cr. In Warner, DC have found an opener who can play the aggressor or drop anchor and the  proven fact that he is a IPL-winning captain and an ace fielder, as 6.25 crores seem peanuts for the exorbitant prices we saw in this year's auction. Along with that his rapport with head coach Ricky Ponting will come in handy. Most importantly Warner and Prithvi Shaw could be one of the IPL's best opening pairs in the powerplay. The added benefit of him being in top form after he single handedly took Australia to the World Cup title last year as he won the player of the tournament will certainly help them. 

2) Devon Conway (Chennai Super Kings 1cr)

The New Zealand international over the last 2 years has become one of the best white ball cricketers in the world. The left hander has had a dream start to his international career, as he averages 50.16 in T20’s after 20 games. He has made 602 runs at a strike rate of 139.35 with a high score of 99* alongside being a handy wicketkeeper as he in the future can replace MS Dhoni behind the stumps. Devon Conway offers a lot of flexibility in the batting order and can slot anywhere till no 5. He played a vital role in New Zealand's run into the finals of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup, scoring 129 runs in very slow and difficult conditions. He was unfortunate to injure himself in the semi-final and was ruled out of the grand finale which played an important role in New Zealand losing the final.

3) Alex Hales ( Kolkata Knight Riders 2cr)

The English opener was bought by last year’s finalists in the accelerated auction and could be the answer if KKR again try to opt with their strategy of going all guns blazing in the powerplay . Venkatesh Iyer was arguably the find of the season after he fired on all cylinders in 2021 as both the tall openers can form a very destructive opening combination. Hales brings with him a T20 strike rate of 146.35 and along with that his consistency and his experience of playing in similar conditions in the Pakistan Super League goes in his favour. Alex Hales has fallen out of contention from the England team which means that he might be available for the entirety of the tournament. Hales comes into this year’s IPL with a point to prove after getting unsold in the previous auctions, he has scored plenty of runs all over the world but hasn’t been able to showcase his talent in the biggest league.

Also read: Prasidh Krishna: India's next fast bowling prodigy with the red ball

4) Chetan Sakariya (Delhi Capitals 4.2 cr)

Last year Sakariya took the tournament by storm as he slowly but steadily became Rajasthan Royals frontline bowler and not only that he led the RR bowling line up also later in the tournament. Chetan Sakariya had played 14 games for RR last season as he went on to grab 14 wickets at an average of 30.42. He had an economy rate of 8.19 and his best bowling figures were 3/31. Sakariya will be hoping that he forms a good pace trio with Shardul Thakur and Anrich Nortje as last year he didn’t get the same support from his fellow fast bowlers in RR. With the IPL most likely to be hosted in India, it will be interesting to see how the left arm pacer varies his line and length according to the Indian pitches.

5) Yuzvendra Chahal ( Rajasthan Royals 6.5cr)

He might be the most expensive buy on this bargain list but he brings excellent value for money especially for struggling side like RR. The spinner became one of the mainstays for RCB over the years especially for his ability to keep things tight on the flat track at the Chinnaswamy Stadium. He’s been picked up at a cheaper price than several uncapped players as Chahal is arguably Indians best white ball spinner and his experience over the years playing for India and RCB will come in handy for RR. The most exciting prospect for the RR fans would be to see the two spin twins Ashwin and Chahal play together in the same franchise. Last year Chahal was one of the leading wicket takers in the league and RR will be desperate that he becomes a regular wicket taker, something that they have been missing over the years.