10 Players to watch out for in the eleventh edition of the VIVO IPL

The curtain is all set to rise on the biggest and the most anticipated T20 league in the world. IPL has provided a platform for numerous players in the past and is expected to provide more of the same this season as well.

Here are ten players who are likely to have a season to savor :

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#10 Colin Munro (Delhi Daredevils)

When Colin Munro was drafted into the IPL auction, one would have imagined him being one of the most expensive buys, but it didn't quite pan out as anticipated.

However, the 1.9 crores dished out by Delhi might turn out to be one of the best bargains in IPL history.

The left-handed Kiwi opener is the only player to have scored three T20 international hundreds and has seven fifties to his name as well.

He can be destructive in the first six overs and can give the right sort of impetus at the start of an innings.

Munro scores his runs very quickly, which could be an added bonus for his side as he will provide the perfect foil for Gautam Gambhir.

Given the fact that the best T20 teams are the ones which have a strong top order, Munro could well be the man to lead the charge for Delhi and steer them to a maiden IPL championship.

#9 Mujeeb Ur Rahman (Kings XI Punjab)

Rahman could be the next big player from Afghanistan

The youngest buy in this year's auction, Mujeeb Ur Rahman has been squaring batsmen for fun in his short career.

He was the leading wicket-taker for his nation in the recently concluded ICC World Cup qualifiers.

The 16-year old off-spinner could provide the much-needed enigma into Punjab's bowling attack, his ability to bowl his stock ball along with the 'carrom ball' with incredible control will trouble any batsman facing him.

He has the ability to bowl inside the powerplay, which will enable his captain to rotate the other bowlers around him.

T20 cricket has often been the ideal stage for mystery spinners in the past, this teenager could be another one to state his claim in the most entertaining form of the game.

#8 Kamlesh Nagarkoti (Kolkata Knight Riders)

The next big thing in Indian cricket?

Whilst the other teams went for trusted and proven talent, KKR was the only side to invest faith in youth. So, it came as no surprise when KKR splashed out 3.2 crores to get this young fast bowler.

'Fast' isn't often the word we use to describe Indian pacers, but this 18-year old has prodigious pace and bowls 140+ kmph consistently with impeccable accuracy.

Nagarkoti caught the eye in the U-19 World Cup earlier this year. The youngster picked up nine wickets in six matches; not only that, he emerged as one of the better fielders in the tournament, which adds an extra flavor to his talent.

This will be his first taste of action at the highest level, and he couldn't have been given a better stage than this one.

With the likes of Starc and Johnson alongside him, he's only going to learn more and become an improved bowler at the end of the season.

#7 D'Arcy Short (Rajasthan Royals)

Short made a name for himself in the BBL 17-18 season

Rajasthan Royals are often known for spending less amount of money on players in the auctions, but this time they decided to go all out and subsequently, they splurged out 4 crores for his acquisition.

Short was the chief tormentor for the Hobart Hurricanes in the BBL last season. He was the top scorer in the competition with 572 runs with his 122* against the Brisbane Heat the highest individual score in the history of the competition.

He recently debuted for Australia in the Trans Tasman Championship earlier in the year. He recorded two fifties in the last two matches of that competition, which included a man of the match performance, in a record run chase at Eden Park.

His explosiveness at the top coupled with Ajinkya Rahane's calmness has the potential to be a match-winning combination for the Royals. He can also chip in with a few handy overs if required.

#6 Evin Lewis (Mumbai Indians)

Lewis is ranked No.7 in the ICC T20 Rankings

It's not new for IPL followers to taste some Caribbean magic and Evin Lewis adds to the whole roster of talent from the Windies in the tournament.

Lewis is one of the six players to have notched up two centuries in T20Is and he is ranked No.7 in the ICC T20 rankings for batsmen.

He has the ability to take the game away from the opposition at the top of the innings, he has a strike rate of 155 in T20I cricket, so, it was no surprise to see the defending champions pay 3.8 crores to add him to their set up.

He could be a key figure at the top for MI, and if he is at his best, it'll give a great opportunity for the three-time champs to defend their title successfully.

#5 Manish Pandey (Sunrisers Hyderabad)

A vital cog in the middle order for SRH?

One of the fascinating stories in this year's auction was the astounding sum spent to acquire the services of Indian players.

Manish Pandey became the third highest buy in the auction when the Sunrisers spent a mammoth 11 crores to get him.

Pandey made his name very early in the IPL when he became the first Indian to score a century in the competition back in 2009.

However, he had a lean patch since then, up and till 2014, when he was bought by KKR.

He helped KKR win two titles during his stay, he was the player of the match in the 2014 IPL final when he scored 94 off 50 balls in his home ground.

Sunrisers has been heavily criticised in the past for being over-reliant on the front two of David Warner and Shikhar Dhawan, but this time around, Pandey could well put an end to that by providing a much-needed balance to their middle order.

The 28-year old has been in and out of the Indian team, if he can put up a good performance for the 'Orange Army' in this year's IPL, it might help cement his place in the national team for years to come.

#4 Rahul Chahar (Mumbai Indians)

Chahar is the only spinner in the squad to have played in the IPL in the past

Rahul Chahar was bought by the Mumbai Indians for 1.9 crores in the auction. He was part of the RPS team last season, however, he didn't get much game time.

In the three games he played, he picked up two wickets with Hashim Amla and Brendon McCullum being his victims.

He made a name for himself when he went to England with the U-19 team, where he took 10 wickets in four youth ODIs.

The 18-year old also caught the eye of many in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, he managed six scalps in four matches in that tournament.

The Rajasthan-born legspinner has been entrusted to be the lead spinner in the MI squad, this could well be the time for him to showcase his talent on the big stage.

#3 Washington Sundar (Royal Challengers Bangalore)

Sundar was a key figure for RPS in IPL 2017

Truth be told, Washington Sundar has been the most talked about player in the last couple of weeks after his eye-catching performances in the recently concluded Nidahas Trophy.

He picked up eight wickets in five matches with a mouth-watering economy rate of 5.7, he was also awarded the man of the series trophy for his excellent bowling.

Washington was bought for 3.2 crores by the Royal Challengers Bangalore, he could well turn out to be the final piece in the jigsaw for them.

The Kohli-led side have had the tendency to leak runs in the first six overs in the past, so Washington's prowess to bowl miserly spells inside the field restrictions comes as a much-needed boost for his side.

He has the knack of picking up crucial wickets at the top, which could be the right sort of catalyst RCB need to finally put their hands on the IPL trophy.

#2 KL Rahul (Kings XI Punjab)

Kings XI Punjab paid 11 crores to get Rahul

KL Rahul showed his skills in the shortest format in the 2016 IPL when he amassed 397 runs in 14 matches with four fifties to his name.

Rahul adds to the plethora of opening batsmen in the Punjab squad and he comes into the tournament on the back of a rather disappointing Nidahas Trophy, where he batted in the middle order.

He made a great start to his international career in T20 cricket, as he notched up a ton in the US against the Windies back in 2016.

He is ranked 12 in the world for batsmen in the ICC T20 rankings.

The 25-year old Karnataka man has been drafted into the KXIP squad as the first choice wicket-keeper if he can show his skills. This move might turn out to be a turning point in his career, as it could lay the groundwork for his to become the future wicket keeper for India.

#1 Suresh Raina (Chennai Super Kings)

This could be Raina's most important IPL season

The highest run scorer in the competition's history, Suresh Raina has been Mr. IPL for the past 10 years.

He remains to be the only player to have piled up 350 + runs in each edition of the competition.

He only recently made his way back into the Indian squad in the recent tour of South Africa. He decided to throw his bat at everything quite strangely and he did come up with a couple of useful cameos.

Even in the Nidahas Trophy he went for broke, once again he failed to stamp his authority.

Given the fact that CSK are returning back after a two-year absence, they will be looking to pick up from where they left off and Raina will once again seek to be the talisman for the men in yellow.

He will have to bat with more responsibility though if he is to help his side lift the trophy for the third time.

With places up for grabs in the Indian ODI squad, ahead of the upcoming World Cup, this season may well be a defining one in his career.