IPL Auction 2018: Jaydev Unadkat Becomes Costliest Indian, Goes to Rajasthan Royals For Rs 11.5 Crore

Rajasthan Royals bag Jaydev Unadkat for whopping Rs 11.5 crore.

New Delhi: Jaydev Unadkat becomes the most expensive Indian player in the ongoing Indian Premier League auction for 2018 edition. Rajasthan Royals, who are returning to IPL after serving the two-year ban, bought Unadkat for whopping Rs 11.5 crores. The 26-year old is one of the most skilled Indian fast bowlers when it comes to Twenty20 cricket, and he had an excellent IPL 2017, picking 24 wickets in 12 games for Rising Pune Supergiants, striking every 11.4 deliveries while conceding runs at 7.02 per over. He even finished as the second highest wicket-taker in the last edition of IPL.

The pacer made headlines when he bowled a hat-trick maiden against Sunrisers Hyderabad in the 20th over of the innings – a feat never achieved in T20s. He also bagged two Man-of-the-Match showings – a career-best 5/30  and 2/12, which helped Pune knock out Kings XI Punjab in 2017.

Jaydev once again came into limelight when he defended 17 off the final over while taking two wickets against Mumbai Indians. Unadkat emerged as one of the best death bowlers in the last season of IPL as his ability to hold his nerve and bowl accurately in the final overs helped Pune to make it into the playoffs last year.

Due to his superb performance in IPL 2017, Unadkat was recalled into the Indian team for the T20 International series against Sri Lanka and he justified his inclusion by performing brilliantly and returning figures of 1/7, 1/22 and 2/15, which earned him the man of the series award as India won all three T20I of the series. Unadkat will now be aiming to justify his price tag in RR, who also bought Ben Stokes for Rs 12.5 crore, thus making England’s all-rounder the costliest player of IPL 2018.