IPL 2020: 5 cheap buys of this year who can have a great impact on their teams

Each year in the Indian Premier League (IPL) auction, hundreds of players come under the hammer to get picked in what is certainly the most prestigious T20 competition in the globe.

The million-dollar picks are widely discussed and become household names in no time, whereas the less expensive and less renowned ones are often shoved under the carpet - deemed inadequate for the limelight.

This year, too, there have been several such additions to IPL squads and, in this article, we take a look at five of the cheapest buys who can have a prominent impact on their respective teams' campaigns.

Joshua Philippe to Royal Challengers Bangalore (₹20 Lakh)

Joshua Philippe

It would be unfair to deem Joshua Philippe's sell-off to the Royal Challengers Bangalore in this IPL auction is anything less than a bargain. At ₹20 lakh only, Virat Kohli and Co. have gotten hold of a street-smart young cricketer - an agile wicket-keeper and a dashing top-order batsman.

The 23-year old emerged as a batting sensation in BBL 08 where the Western Australian young gun hit 304 runs at an explosive strike-rate nearing 160, including the highest ever score by a Sixer - 86 not out from just 49 balls against the Hobart Hurricanes at the SCG.

Philippe’s knock made headlines for his vast array of shots and included nine fours plus three sixes. He also took the gloves for the Sixers in BBL 08 claiming nine catches and three stumpings.

The Perth-born youngster has received his maiden call-up into the senior Australia side that will be travelling to England in the early phase of September for a limited-overs tour. Whether he features regularly in the IPL or not remains to be seen given the wicket-keeping depth that the Royal Challengers Bangalore possess, but Philippe can prove to be extremely valuable in this year's IPL if cleverly used.

David Miller to Rajasthan Royals (₹75 lakh)

David Miller

The Rajasthan Royals have picked up David Miller for this year's IPL for a bargain ₹75 Lakh. Miller first rose to the spotlight in the IPL when he took the cricketing world by storm - battering a 37-ball hundred against the Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2013.

The dynamite left-hander is vastly experienced in the competition, having scored 1850 runs at a healthy average of 34.25 while striking a tad under 140.

Although the South African has had a slump in form lately, he can never be written off given his ability to win games single-handedly. The Royals could also benefit from Miller’s leadership qualities and his expertise at fielding in the outfield. He is a remarkable all-round package and he has proven it time and again at the biggest stage.

James Neesham to Kings XI Punjab (50 Lakh INR)

James Neesham

After lengthy initial deliberation, Kings XI Punjab sealed the deal to pick the Kiwi all-rounder at a meager sum of ₹50 Lakh. James Neesham was first noticed in the Champions League T20 in 2013 when he made significant contributions for the Otago Volts. He was then picked in the IPL by the Delhi Daredevils where he just featured in 4 games.

The 29-year-old has recently evolved as a player with both bat and ball and played a key role in New Zealand’s 2019 ODI World Cup campaign. With 1754 runs and 113 wickets in T20s, Neesham sure knows his craft and has become a globe-trotting entity because of his all-round prowess.

In an IPL auction where all-rounders such as Sam Curran, Chris Morris, Marcus Stoinis, Chris Woakes and Nathan Coulter-Nile bagged huge paychecks, Kings XI will be glad to have Neesham - an all-rounder of similar guile and impact - on board for a relatively cost-effective agreement.

Tom Banton to Kolkata Knight Riders (₹1 Cr)

Tom Banton

Tom Banton has been fast-tracked into the England limited-overs side and that has a lot to do with the bravado-like character and skill that the young batsman possesses. Banton had a stellar Natwest T20 Blast in 2019, where he was the second highest run-getter - scoring a whopping 549 runs in 13 innings at a strike rate of 161.47.

Banton also provides an option with the gloves, but is unlikely to be the chosen glove-man as the Kolkata Knight Riders would ideally turn to Dinesh Karthik for that job in the IPL.

Banton, who is often compared to the great Kevin Pietersen, has been backed by numerous greats of the game and is hailed as the next big thing in English white-ball cricket. It is uncertain how many times the Buckinghamshire-man will take the field in this year's IPL but he surely has it in him to go on and become an IPL great.

Tom Curran to Rajasthan Royals (₹1 Cr)

Tom Curran

The Royals have often struggled with pace bowling at the death in the IPL. To bring an end to these woes, they’ve splashed huge amounts of money on quicks such as Jaidev Unadkat and Jofra Archer over the years.

This year, the coaching staff has decided to acquire the services of the Englishman Tom Curran. Curran is renowned to be a complete T20 package and his skills suit the Royals’ lineup.