The IPL 2020 season fantasy is here once again and it gives the fans a chance to build their own fantasy team to compete with others in a season long tournament mode. There are a total of 110 transfers that can be used during the duration of the tournament and thus it needs to be used wisely. Also, the popular players come at quite a hefty price-tag and hence, it becomes important to go for some budget picks to accommodate them. Here, we shall take a look at five batsmen who come at a budget price.
Devdutt Padikkal (6.5 credits – RCB)
The Karnataka batsman is expected to start at the top of the order for RCB in this season. He was in stellar form in the last domestic season. Padikkal was the highest run-getter in the Vijay Hazare Trophy and Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and scored the most runs for Karnataka in the Ranji Trophy as well. Padikkal bats left-handed and is a naturally aggressive batsman. His presence at the top of the order for RCB will give them some much needed firepower.
Sarfaraz Khan (7.5 credits – KXIP)
He has had a terrific domestic season as well and will be eager to carry that form forward into the IPL. Sarfaraz had scored 928 runs in the 2019/20 Ranji Trophy at a terrific average of 154.66. He is expected to bat in the middle-order for Kings XI Punjab in IPL 2020. The right-handed batsman performed pretty well in the last edition of the IPL as well. He scored 180 runs at an average of 45 and it included a best score of 45 as well.
Mayank Agarwal (8.5 credits – KXIP)
The Karnataka batsman will either open or bat at No.3 for Kings XI Punjab in IPL 2020. He had an excellent outing in the last edition of the tournament as he amassed a total of 332 runs at an excellent strike-rate of 141.88. That included two scores of fifty or more as well. Agarwal has been in fine form in Test cricket for India as well and played pretty well in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy before the COVID-19 pandemic as well. He is an excellent top order asset to have in your Team at just 8.5 credits.
Prithvi Shaw (8.5 credits – DC)
He has been opening the innings for Delhi Capitals for two seasons now and has amassed closed to 600 runs in the two editions combined. The last IPL season in particular was terrific for Shaw. He scored 353 runs at a strike-rate of over 130 and thus helped the Capitals in finishing third in the tournament. His runs included two fifties as well, one of which was a match-winning effort of 99 runs. He will be eager to carry his good form into IPL 2020 now.
Nitish Rana (8.5 credits – KKR)
He has become a vital cog of the KKR middle-order in the last two editions. After making a move from Mumbai Indians to Kolkata Knight Riders in 2018, Rana has amassed over 300 runs in each edition. His tally of 344 runs in IPL 2019 was his highest in the four seasons he has played so far. His runs came not only at an excellent average of 34.40 but at an equally good strike-rate of 146.38 as well. Moreover, he is a handy part-time spinner as well and has claimed seven wickets in the last two IPL editions at an excellent strike-rate of 13.00.