Even though India is playing in South Africa at the moment, fans are focused on January 27 and 28, the IPL Auction! The two-time IPL champions Chennai Super Kings and 2008 winners Rajasthan Royals are making a comeback into the league after serving their respective two-year suspensions.

Before the auction, teams were allowed to retain a maximum of 5 players through a combination of player retention and Right To Match Cards (RTMs).

Mumbai, CSK, Royal Challengers and Delhi Daredevils have retained 3 players, Hyderabad and Kolkata Knight Riders have opted for 2, while RR and the Kings XI Punjab have gone for one each. Over the years we have seen many lesser-known players make the headlines by fetching exorbitantly high amounts at the auction. Here are 5 cricketers who could leave us jaw-dropped and flabbergasted on the day of auction:

5) Krunal Pandya

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The senior Pandya was one of the brightest prospects that IPL 2016 gave fans. Krunal belongs to the rare species of versatile, invaluable all-rounders who are equally effective with both bat and ball. Coming in at 3, he can smash big sixes and slip in 4 cheap overs in the middle section of the bowling.

These qualities make him an indispensable asset to any IPL side. He is up for grabs at the auction, and his price could well rise sky-high. However, Mumbai Indians are likely to use RTM on him even if it shrinks their purse a little.

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4) Rashid Khan

The Afghan teen has been setting every T20 league that he is playing in, on fire. He followed his phenomenal IPL season with a hat-trick in the Caribbean Premier League. Thereafter, he has been mighty impressive for Adelaide Strikers in their BBL campaign. Using the googly as his trump card, Rashid has bamboozled the best batsmen in the business.

He is unlikely to disappoint a huge bidder at IPL 2018, but likely to be kept by Sunrisers with their RTM option.