The 'Light on Pocket, High on Impact' players of IPL 2024 so far

The ongoing season of the Indian Premier League IPL has proven to be nothing short of extraordinary With 200plus totals being posted regularly records being broken every single day and nailbiting thrillers the current season could very well go on to bring a paradigm shift in the way T20 cricket is playedThe IPL 2024 has put the spotlight on some great international and Indian talent both capped and uncapped They might not have the star power high price tags and aura associated with superstars like Virat Kohli Pat Cummins MS Dhoni Glenn Maxwell Rohit Sharma etc but they have delivered impactful performances These are the Light on Pocket High on Impact players that make this league the phenomenon it isHere are some players who have made an impact despite their low price tagJake Fraser McGurk Delhi Capitals for Rs 50 lakhThe freshest and most inexperienced entry on this list perhaps This 22yearold Australia batter could very well become the countrys next destructive hitter and carry on what David Warner and Glenn Maxwell had done all these yearsIn four matches McGurk has scored 163 runs at an average of 4075 and a strike rate of over 211 He has scored two halfcenturies with the best score of 65 His fifty in 15 balls against Sunrisers Hyderabad SRH is the fastest for the franchiseTristan Stubbs Delhi Capitals for Rs 50 lakhStubbs is a muchhypedup name in the South African cricket circuit Despite slightly underwhelming returns for Proteas so far a lot is spoken about his allround talent of bowling spin hitting big sixes being an absolute gun fielder and an occasional wicketkeeperAt 50 lakh Stubbs has been a steal for DC scoring 225 runs at an average of 5625 and a strike rate of 19230 with two halfcenturies His best score was a knock of 71 in 25 balls against Mumbai Indians MI which consisted of three fours and seven sixesHe also took two wickets against Gujarat Titans in a lowscoring clash and saved five runs in the second encounter between both sides on Thursday which DC won by four runs while defending 225 runsAlso Read World T20 Rahul vs Sanju Avesh vs Bishnoi amp Axar Pandyas form under scrutinyPhil Salt Kolkata Knight Riders for Rs 15 croreKolkata Knight Riders KKR got hold of this number two ranked T20I batter for such a low price as a replacement player for Jason Roy and he has been prolific at the top since match one His opening partnership with Sunil Narine has paid rich dividends and laid a foundation for Andre Russell Rinku Singh and others to swing their bats freelyIn seven matches he has scored 249 runs at an average of 4150 and a strike rate of 16938 with two halfcenturies His best score is 89 He has been prolific at Eden Gardens which is KKRs home scoring 201 runs in four games at an average of 67 with two halfcenturiesGerald Coetzee Mumbai Indians for Rs 5 croreAfter impressing with a 20wicket Cricket World Cup campaign last year in India Coetzee was snapped by MI for Rs 5 crores One can see the shades of the legendary Dale Steyn in his pace intensity and aggressive celebrations following a wicketCoetzee is the joint secondhighest wickettaker in IPL 2024 with 12 scalps in eight games at an average of 2400 and a strike rate of 1425 an economy rate of 1010 His best figures of 434 came against Delhi CapitalsAshutosh Sharma Punjab Kings for Rs 20 lakhThe 25yearold batter from Madhya Pradesh has been a blessing to his franchise in his debut season acing the runchases and soaking in the pressure like a seasoned veteran In five matches he has made 159 runs at an average of 3975 with a strike rate of over 18928 and a halfcentury a knock of 59 against MI during a tense runchase of 193 against MI where he took PBKS to the brink of win after a toporder collapse His dismissal made such an impact that the team fell short by nine runsShashank Singh Punjab Kings for Rs 20 lakhOnce an accidental buy for PBKS during the last years auction due to a mixup involving another player from Bengal with the same name Shashank could have accidentally become the strongest and best investment they have made this season as far as Indian talent is concernedHis knock of 61 in 29 balls consisting of some delightful shotmaking guided PBKS to a tense runchase of 200 runs against GT and his subsequent performances have helped him create hype for himself In eight matches he has scored 195 runs at an average of 4875 and a strike rate of 16810 with a halfcenturyTravis Head Sunrisers Hyderabad for Rs 68 croreThe man who starred in Australias ICC World Test Championship and ICC Cricket World Cup title wins against India was bought by SRH for just Rs 68 crores Though he missed one game Head was put into playing eleven as an opener and from then on started the chapter in IPL 2024 where 200plus runs are being smashed for fun and powerplay records have been shattered Head has played formatdefining knocks for SRH which have caused debates about the future of T20 cricket Even a 10runrate innings appears slow in front of the destruction this Aussie causes at the top with Indian uncapped opener Abhishek SharmaIn six matches Head has scored 324 runs at an average of 5400 and a strike rate of 21600 He has scored a century and two fifties with the best score of 102 The arrival of Travball to SRH has turned them into heavy favourites and popular title contenders putting aside the inconsistency and dullness of the past few seasonsShahbaz Ahmed Sunrisers Hyderabad for Rs 24 croresThe Bengal allrounder was bought from Royal Challengers Bengaluru RCB for Rs 24 crores Though the price tag might not be very high for this Indian domestic veteran his performances have been high on impact In five innings he has made 129 runs at an average of 4300 and a strike rate of over 161 with a halfcentury and a knock of 59 against his former franchise RCB It is his quickfire cameos that have pushed SRH to 220plus totals this season He has also taken three wicketsWith agency inputs