IPL 2014 Auction | Everything you needed to know about the auction

Thursday's biggest buys

Karn Sharma (INR3.75 crores) Sunrisers Hyderabad spent big after having seen how good this legspinner was last season, especially his deceptive googly

Beuran Hendricks (INR3 crores) to Kings XI. This South African quick took 28 wickets in the domestic T20 competition, 12 more than anyone else
Rishi Dhawan (INR3 crores)The Himachal allrounder had a blockbuster Ranji season and had already shown his potential at Mumbai Indians last season, prompting a lucrative bid from Kings XI
Ross Taylor (INR2 crores) Surprisingly unsold on the first day, this New Zealand batsman was snapped up by Delhi Daredevils
Kedar Jadhav (INR2 crores) His six centuries in the Ranji season led Maharashtra to the finals, prompting to Delhi use their right-to-match card on him

Indians who earned less than Karn Sharma

Irfan Pathan - INR1.35 crores less

Zaheer Khan - INR1.15 crores less
Ishant Sharma - INR1.15 crores less
Umesh Yadav - INR1.15 crores less
Yusuf Pathan - INR0.5 crore less

How the Right-to-match was used

Delhi Daredevils got Kevin Pietersen - crowd puller, match-winner and possible captain - for INR9 crores, which is INR3.5crores less than what it would have cost to retain him

Knight Riders used a similar strategy to re-buy two pillars of their team from the 2011 auction - saving a combined INR4.25 crore over retention
For Chennai Super Kings, it wasn't about the finances, but about getting the player back after having already retained their maximum quota before the auction. Faf du Plessis INR4.75 crore
Not too many people wanted to gamble on a 42-year-old, so Rajasthan Royals could regain Tambe for INR0.1crores, the lowest price at the auction
With the auction heading towards a close, and with their spin department very thin, Daredevils used their card to regain Shahbaz Nadeem, who led the spin department in the previous two seasons

Bargain buys of the auction

Pat Cummins to Kolkata Knight Riders (INR1 crore) His fitness record is a concern, but when in form he can be among the most fearsome bowlers in the world

Pravin Tambe to Rajasthan Royals (INR0.1 crore) He may be 41 but in last year's Champions League, he had the most wickets and the best economy-rate
Virender Sehwag to Kings XI Punjab (INR3.2 crores) His international fortunes are on the wane, but he's a marquee name who can still demolish mediocre IPL attacks
Murali Kartik to Kings XI Punjab (INR 1 crore) Besides the vast experience, he also provides control to the bowling side as he rarely gets clobbered
Ross Taylor to Delhi Daredevils (INR 2 crores) He is in the form of his life, and remains one of the most powerful hitters around