The beneficiaries from Bengal include Laxmi Ratan Shukla, Ashok Dinda, Debabrata Das, Rohan Banerjee, and Wriddhiman Saha, who have made it to the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) team.
Shahrukh Khan, who owns the Kolkata Knight Riders, spent $75.09 million as the franchisee fee.
The most expensive player of Kolkata Knight Riders is the team's captain Sourav Ganguly, who was bought for $1,092,500.
In the words of Laxmi Ratan Shukla, "This is the first time I am getting to play in front of a crowd of 80,000. Earlier when I used to play for the Ranji Trophy, people would only get to read in the newspapers how good or bad I played. But now, people actually come to see me play."
Exposure is another achievement for them.
For instance, BIG 92.7 FM Kolkata, last week played host to Shukla who visited the studio on the breakfast show - BIG Chumuk - hosted by radio jockey Koushik.
According to a spokesperson of BIG FM, "Laxmi has become a youth icon now, reason why we thought of bringing him to our studio to interact with our listeners. The phone just kept ringing for the three hours that he was here. This was also a programming spike and increased our listenership."
According to Shukla, "IPL have also ensured an increase of salary for me. Besides, to be coached by John Buchanan, who is considered to be the best coach in the world, IPL has also pushed up my market-value."
Consider the achievements of the youngest Knight Riders.
Laxmi Ratan Shukla is an all-rounder from Bengal who made his Ranji Trophy Twenty20 debut at the age of 16. He made it to the Indian team for the Pepsi Cup in 1998. While his international career waned due to injuries and lack of form, he is currently a regular member of the Bengal and East Zone teams.
Another promising batsman from Bengal, Debabrata Das, has also made it to KKR. Das broke into the national U-19 side in the Afro-Asian U-19 Cup in November 2005.
This right-handed batsman managed 156 runs in his first six under-19 innings. Now he is looking forward to benefiting from the tutelage of coach John Buchanan and experienced team members like captain Sourav Ganguly and Ricky Ponting.
Ashok Dinda, a right-arm medium-pacer with the KKR team, made his first-class Twenty20 debut for Bengal in the 2005-06. He was a regular member of the side that reached the final of the Ranji Trophy the next season, although his performance with the ball was not impressive, he took 16 wickets in eight matches at 54.56.
He has been a late addition to the Kolkata Knight Riders' squad for the inaugural season of the Indian Premier League in 2008.
Rohan Banerjee is a Knight Rider at the age of 19. This left-handed batsman from Bengal showed his promise early, breaking into the Bengal U-14 team.
Wriddhiman Saha, is Kolkata Knight Riders' young wicketkeeper-batsman from Bengal, who celebrated his Twenty20 debut with a century in the Ranji Trophy against Hyderabad.
This wicketkeeper from Shaktigarh in North Bengal possesses a safe pair of hands and his performances for Bengal have been rewarded with a place in the East Zone team, in addition to nearly 60 per cent increase in tournament fee after joining the KKR team.
