IPL 2018: 3 all-rounders who have flopped in this year's IPL

All-rounders are the most important players for a team. They lend the team balance, and the performance of these players directly impacts the way the team plays. Quality all-rounders are limited in number, and this is one of the reasons why they are more valuable.

In IPL too, we saw all-rounders commanding exorbitant prices. They become important in the following scenarios. Suppose regular bowlers get hit for runs then to fill in the gap, the captain can benefit from an extra option. In another situation, if there is a batting collapse then they can bail out the team.

#1 Ben Stokes: Rajasthan Royals

Ben Stokes' exploits last year made him the costliest player in this year's IPL auctions. Unfortunately, he has not been able to replicate the form that saw him win the Most Valuable Player of the IPL award.

During the last IPL, he had scored 316 runs at an average of over 30 and picked up 12 wickets for Rising Pune Supergiant. Last year's performances played a large part in Rajasthan Royals bidding for his services.

During this season, the Englishman has scored a paltry 196 runs at a lowly average of 16. His bowling has also been poor as he has taken only 8 wickets in this year's IPL. His poor run of form meant that Rajasthan did not get the return on the huge amount (12.5 crores) that they spent on buying him.