New Delhi: In the tenth edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL), Ben Stokes proved why is he regarded as world's best all-rounder at the moment.
The big-hitting left-handed batsman, who had made an impression in the limited-overs series between England and the Men in Blue in January this year, was bought for a whopping Rs 14.5 crore by Rising Pune Supergiant (RPS).
The franchise owners sprung into action the moment his name was announced at the auction and Steve Smith's team finally managed to bag him after an intense bidding war.
While many players buckle under pressure of their price tag, that wasn't the case with Stokes, who played a crucial role in reviving his team's stuttering campaign.
Recalling his run in the IPL, Stokes told The Mirror, “Looking back on the price tag that everyone talks about, the fact is I would have left with the same amount of money had I done poorly or had I done well - so the only way I was going to judge myself was by how I did on the pitch not by the price."
Stokes bank balance was severely inflated overnight and when asked about what he did with the huge sum, the all-rounder said he bought a supercar.
“I won’t be touching the rest for a long time,” he promised. “But I had to treat myself, and I love cars.”
RPS, who ended up at second spot from bottom in the points table last season, made a strong comeback to reach the finals where they eventually lost to Mumbai Indians.
Stokes was delighted over the fact that he could leave India with his head held high by single-handedly producing some match-winning performances.
“Thankfully things did go pretty well in that sense so I left India with my shoulders up and chest out because I felt good that I had managed to produce big performances for the team.
“If it had gone the other way and I hadn’t managed to play well then I would have felt like I’d let myself down.
“It was an amazing six weeks I spent out there, but it does take some getting used to.
Having made headlines with his blitzkrieg knocks in IPL 2017, Stokes will be one of the hottest properties at the auction next year where all player will be up for grabs.
