IPL XI cheaper than Ben Stokes

Stokes was the most expensive player in this year's auction

Rising Pune Supergiants lacked a game-changer with the bat in the middle-order and also struggled with their death bowling, so it was no surprise to see them killing two birds with one stone as they bought Ben Stokes for INR 14.5 crore.

Extra Cover: IPL 2017 Teams and full list of players sold with price

The England all-rounder was not only the most expensive player in the auction but also the most expensive foreigner in the history of the IPL and second only to Yuvraj Singh in the list of most expensive players in IPL history. While Stokes does solve RPS' problems, could they have spent that money on an entire team?

How good would a team bought for less than what Stokes cost be? Could it challenge for the title? While the latter is debatable, here is an entire XI cheaper than Ben Stokes.

This XI is in line with the IPL regulations that demand seven Indians and four foreign players. Presenting to you an IPL XI that is cheaper than Ben Stokes:

Martin Guptill (Kings XI Punjab - INR 50 lakh)

When it comes to the best limited-overs openers in the current generation, Martin Guptill is never too far away. His ability to simply destroy bowling attacks and make a mockery of boundaries make him an invaluable asset, especially in a format which gives a huge advantage to players opening the innings.

With over 5,000 T20 runs to his name at an average of over 34 and strike rate of nearly 130, the 30-year-old Kiwi opener nearly went unsold once again. But for Kings XI who made an offer that secured his signature for his base price of INR 50 lakh, Guptill would have gone unsold again. And if he plays regularly, he will certainly repay every penny the franchise have paid.