'Bigger, better, mightier' – Players, teams celebrate IPL 2019 auction success

The IPL 2019 auction for the 12th edition of the league ensured that the tournament will again feature some of the brightest stars from India and around the world.

Sam Curran was the star among overseas player, picked up for INR 7.4 crore (1 crore = $0.14 million) by Kings XI Punjab. The 20-year-old reaped rewards for his impressive showing in the Test series against India earlier this year, and he was one of a few big signings for Punjab.

One of the youngsters to have made it big at the auction is Shivam Dube, a Mumbai-based cricketer picked by the Royal Challengers Bangalore for INR 5 crore. Others included Tamil Nadu's Varun Chakravarthy, snapped up by Kings XI Punjab for a whopping INR 8.4 crore and Punjab's Prabhsimran Singh, an U-19 star, also picked by Kings XI for INR 4.8 crore.

Young Shimron Hetmyer, who has hit 30 sixes in ODIs this year, was picked by Bangalore for INR 4.8 crore.

The rechristened Delhi Capitals spent big bucks to buy hard-hitting batsman Colin Ingram, who was excited to have made it through another IPL auction.

Another hard-hitter, Jonny Bairstow, was picked by Sunrisers Hyderabad, where he will join New Zealand opener Martin Guptill and Indian wicket-keeper Wriddhiman Saha.

Bairstow's England teammate Ben Stokes, who will be turning out for Rajasthan Royals, had some thoughts about the new recruit.

Varun Aaron will play alongside Stokes, Livingstone and Jos Buttler at Rajasthan. The fast bowler with his express pace adds a new dimension to their bowling attack.

Carlos Brathwaite was returning to the scene of one of his best moments.

But the show-stopper among Indian picks was Jayadev Unadkat, who initiated a fierce bidding war between franchises before Rajasthan finally got him for INR 8.4 crores.