IPL 2019: 5 Players Kolkata Knight Riders Could Eye In Upcoming Auction
Jaydev Unadkat (Image credits: BCCI)

Indian players were the biggest buys in the IPL auction this season and again, the performance of Indians will be one of the things to look out for in IPL 2018.

Let’s try and pick out six Indian players who will be someone to look out for in the coming season of IPL:

Jaydev Unadkat
(Photo credit should read DIBYANGSHU SARKAR/AFP/Getty Images)

Jaydev UnadkatThe highest paid Indian player in the IPL auction, Jaydev Unadkat, has raised expectations after he was bought for Rs 11.50 Crore by Rajasthan Royals. The second highest wicket-taker of IPL 2017 has now become the talk of the town after bagging such a huge amount.

The performance of this player will now be scrutinised after each over he bowls and it will his performance in the coming season which will be one of the things to look out for.

Shubman Gill
Shubman Gill. (Photo Source: GettyImages)

Shubman Gill – The Bradman of U19 Cricket, which one could call him as. Shubman was expected to be a big buy on the auction day, but no one expected him to go for an amount of Rs 1.80 Crore.

Kolkata Knight kept the bidding on and finally ended it only after ensuring that they are the last one to bid for him.

Now all the eyes will be on Shubman as he has to replicate his success of junior cricket in senior cricket too. He has already shown his great form for India U19 side. Though now the competition will get tougher for him during the IPL and he has to do well to justify the money spent on him by the franchise.

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After returning from U19 World Cup, he is expected to play in the Vijay Hazare Trophy for Punjab, which will surely help him gain more experience of playing in senior level cricket. He has already made his first-class and List A debut last year and was also a part of India A side to face New Zealand A too but was ruled out due to a side strain.

He is still a raw commodity and this IPL will be a perfect platform for him to convert himself into a developed product.

IPL 2018: Five Indian Players To Watch Out

Kamlesh Nagarkoti – He was the highest paid U19 player in this auction and was bought by Kolkata Knight Riders for a huge amount of Rs 3.20 Crore.

He has already shown the world what he is capable of and now, it will be a time for him to keep bowling at the same pace in the IPL as well.

In the past, we have seen players getting a huge amount in the IPL auction and failing to deliver, but Nagarkoti would hope to continue his performance of junior cricket in IPL as well.

Should he get a chance and do well in the season, he can be ranked as a player to watch out for in the future too as he has already pipped likes of Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami, Bhuvneshwar Kumar in terms bowling speed and a national call-up may not be far away if he does well in the coming IPL season.

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IPL 2018: Five Indian Players To Watch Out
Photo credits: PTI

Krishnappa Gowtham –  In the last IPL, Krishnappa Gowtham came in as an unknown commodity and went away with a contract worth Rs 2 Crore. He did not get a chance to play for Mumbai Indians.

He continued his form in domestic cricket and made it to India A side. Though he was pulled out of the team by the board due to some issues that did not refrain franchises from keeping a record of his domestic performances.

Once again, Gowtham drew limelight in the IPL auction and bagged an amount of Rs 6.20 Crore. The world is yet to see him playing IPL, and this time, he is expected to play a major portion of the tournament this time.

He is also in contention to play for India soon but before that, he has to show the world why he went for huge bucks and why he needs to be there in the national reckoning.

IPL 2018: Five Indian Players To Watch Out
Photo credits: (AP Photo/Rajanish Kakade)

Navdeep Saini – Once a player who was tagged to be a player for just first-class cricket, Saini impressed the national selectors in domestic cricket, who sent him to South Africa to assist the Indian cricket team.

The fruits of that Saini accumulated in the auction when Royal Challengers Bangalore spent Rs 3 Crore on him. He can swing the ball both the ways and can also bowl in the death overs, the quality which every pacer should possess.

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Unlike the last year, he is expected to make his IPL debut this year. It is also to be noted that he is in contention to be selected for the national side soon and if the selectors decide to play him during the tri-series against Sri Lanka, it will come as a no surprise.

IPL 2018: Five Indian Players To Watch Out

Ishan Kishan – Him bagging a contract worth Rs 6.20 Crore was the biggest surprise. No one expected him to go at such a huge price, but all the franchises were keen to go after him, which saw his bidding ending on Rs 6.20 Crore.

The former captain of India U19 team has become a talk of the town and will be one of the players to watch out for during the eleventh edition of IPL.