ARCHER IS STOKED BY IPL OFFER
given permission to play again by the governing body while he waits for his court date.
England’s one-day specialist Jos Buttler was also signed by the Royals for £485,000.
Stokes tweeted: “Buzzing to be representing @rajasthanroyals in this year’s IPL and great to be playing alongside @josbuttler.”
Royals chief executive Ranjit Barthakur said: “Ben is a cricketer of today and a cricketer of the future.”
Sussex all-rounder Jofra Archer, 22, was also signed by the Royals for £800,000 to cap a remarkable few months.
Season
Archer finished the county season for Sussex as their leading wicket taker but has seen his stock rise considerably since then.
He was called up to join the Hobart Hurricanes in the Big Bash to replace Tom Curran who was summoned by England – and took the event by storm.
He bowled a doublewicket maiden on his debut and finished with 15 wickets from 10 games, the most by an overseas quick.
One of deliveries was recorded at 94mph while he has also dazzled with his performances in the field.
He tweeted: “Wow can’t put this feeling into words.”
Archer joins Stokes and Buttler at the Royals while their England team-mates Chris Woakes and Moeen Ali were both snapped up by Royal Challengers Bangalore.
Joe Root surprisingly went unsold first time round, but could get bought on day two.
Woakes enjoyed a £300,000 increase on last year’s deal with the Kolkata Knight Riders by being snapped up for £820,000 while Moeen’s first foray into the auction earned him £190,000.
And even though England’s cricketers are some of the best paid in the world behind the Indians, these sums are still a huge windfall for six weeks work between international duty.
“It’s crazy to think as a cricketer you could earn that sort of money for the amount of time you’re going to be playing,” said Woakes. “It’s mindboggling, really.
“This is comfortably lifechanging particularly given the amount of time you’re away from home.
“It’s great to see English players getting the opportunity to play in it and earn that sort of money so it was a great feeling to see I’d been bought.
Picked
“I found out once we touched down in Perth and saw it come through on the app and I was over the moon to get picked up.
“It’s really good that Moeen has gone to RCB as well and I’m sure we’ll hang out – two lads from Birmingham on the other side of the world, Royal Challengers Birmingham!
“It’ll be good to chill with Mo. We get on really well and it’s nice to have a familiar face when you’re away from home.”
And the 28-year-old admitted he couldn’t have timed his run better ahead of the auction as England won their first bilateral ODI series Down Under.
He added: “I seem to have found a decent bit of form, particularly with the bat, and we’ve played some good cricket.”