TAUNTON-BORN star Jos Buttler has been snapped up for £485,000 by Rajasthan Royals ahead of the 2018 IPL.

The auction, which is taking place across the weekend, also saw the Royals splash out £1.38m each on Buttler's England teammate Ben Stokes and Australian captain Steve Smith as they build a star-studded line-up.

The move means a change of team for Buttler, who has represented the Mumbai Indians for each of the past two campaigns.

The Royals won the very first IPL in 2008, but this is their first season back in the competition since being banned in 2015 - along with Chennai Super Kings - over a corruption and match-fixing scandal.

England skipper Joe Root went unsold in the first round of bidding - as did former Somerset man Chris Gayle - but Jason Roy (£165,000, Delhi Daredevils), Moeen Ali (£187,000, Royal Challengers Bangalore) and Chris Woakes (£820,000, Royal Challengers Bangalore) were all signed.