IPL: Five Cut-Price Indians Who've Outshone Pricey Stars

With IPL 7 moving into the business end, the big-ticket players are taking centerstage but there are some uncapped Indian players who have matched the international star cast in their performances so far. Here, gocricket.com takes a look at the top five uncapped players who have surprised everyone in IPL 7.

Yuzvendra Chahal - seven innings, eight wickets, economy 5.96

Picked up for Rs 10 lakh, the legspinner has not only justified his place in the star-studded playing XI of Royal Challengers Bangalore, but has done remarkably well for the franchise. Chahal has been preferred ahead Muttiah Muralitharan and has reaffirmed RCB's faith by claiming seven wickets from seven matches, most importantly at a miserly economy of 5.26 runs per over. The 23-year-old's guile has left many big players in a tizzy and he has so far reaped the rewards flighting the ball up to the batsmen. His bowling against Delhi Daredevils and Mumbai Indians in the UAE were exemplary performances, for which Chahal won one Man-of-the-Match prize and deserved a second.

Suryakumar Yadav - eight innings, 127 runs, average 42.33

Suryakumar Yadav played just one game in the IPL for Mumbai Indians last year and scored a duck, but glimpses of his a hard-hitting pedigree were on view at the Champions League Twenty20 later in the year, and Kolkata Knight Riders roped him in for 70 lakh and slotted him as a finisher in their XI. Despite KKR's poor run of form, Yadav has managed to string together decent scores - 24*, 34, 31 against RCB, KXIP, RR - coming in during the slog overs. His enterprising brand of strokeplay has lifted the team as well. His 31 off 19 balls helped spark life into the KKR chase in the Super Over match versus Rajasthan Royals and even in the field he has been a live-wire - a total value for money for KKR.

Karun Nair - five innings, 138 runs, average 34.50

Coming into IPL 7 on the back of a stupendous 2013-14 first-class season in which he hit centuries in three successive Ranji Trophy matches for Karnataka, RR decided to be give the 22-year-old a chance in the fourth game after Abhiskek Nayar's continuous failure as an opener. Nair did not start off well scoring 8 and 1, but RR persisted with him and he hit 73 off 50 balls leading his team to a win against Daredevils. In the next game, he contributed a brisk 44 against KKR. Picked up for Rs 75 lakh, Karun has so far proved to be a good gamble for RR and in all probability will continue to open.

Pravin Tambe - eight games, 13 wickets, economy 6.21

IPL's very own Cindarella story. The 42-year-old legspinner has been a revelation in IPL 7 with 13 wickets in eight games, briefly holding the Purple Cap for most wickets. Again part of the RR setup, who have the knack of getting the maximum out of their budget players, Tambe has proved to be the most vital cog in the bowling attack. In IPL 6 Tambe played three matches taking two wickets but it was in the Champions League that he made headlines by picking up 12 wickets in five matches. Getting the services of the Mumbai legspinner by using their right-to-match card at the IPL auctions, RR got it right - and Tambe has proved an excellent purchase for just 10 lakhs.

Akshar Patel - seven innings, six wickets, economy 6.50

While all the talk around KXPI has centred on their explosive batting and foreign imports, the impact of allrounder Akshar Patel has gone by under the radar. Used more as a bowler than a batsman, the left-arm orthodox spinner has been able to provide vital breakthroughs. Patel, 20, features very high among those who have sent down the most dot balls in IPL 7 and has taken six wickets at an economy of 6.50 runs per over. The BCCI Young Player of the Year Award for his stirring performances in Under-19 tournaments in 2012-13, purchased by KXIP for 75 lakhs, is clearing finding his footing among the big boys and should be a regular in the coming matches.