IPL 2018: 5 players who made an immediate impact after being called upon

To do well in the IPL, it is vital to have a strong squad. Teams try to cover all bases by buying players according to their needs at the auction. In the initial stages of the tournament, the playing XI includes big names and those that have done well in the past rather than on current form.

With teams having a lot of options to choose from, good players do not get enough chances.

This year has been no different as players have had to wait for their chance before they were given an opportunity to perform. We will look at 5 such players who made an immediate impact after being included in the playing XI.

---

#5 Alex Hales

Sunrisers are in a desperate need of consistency in their batting

Sunrisers Hyderabad suffered a major blow ahead of the IPL as their captain, David Warner, was banned from participating in IPL 2018, and he was replaced by England opener Alex Hales. SRH has won a lot of matches because of their fantastic bowling, but have found themselves in precarious situations because of their weak batting.

Dhawan got injured when he was in full flow, and the middle order has been inconsistent. This prompted SRH to give Alex Hales an opportunity, and the Englishman delivered, giving much-needed stability to the top-order.

In the two matches that he has played so far, he has made 90 runs at an average of 45 runs. Even though these are early days for Hales in IPL 2018, he seems to be the solution to SRH's batting woes.

#4 Lungi Ngidi

Ngidi has looked sharp with his raw pace

Chennai Super Kings are in the top half of the points table because of some stunning batting by their experienced batting line-up. However, their bowling has been a major cause for concern, throughout IPL 2018.

The CSK bowlers have leaked too many runs, especially in the death overs. Lungi Ngidi, the new South African pace sensation, wasn't included in the playing XI at the start of the IPL. CSK persisted with the likes of Imran Tahir and Shardul Thakur, who were very expensive with the ball.

Ngidi had to go back to South Africa because of the sudden demise of his father. After his return, he was included in the playing XI. Ngidi has played just three matches so far, but has already made an impact. He has bowled brilliantly with the new ball and has looked threatening.

While most of the CSK bowlers have gone for more than 9 runs per over, Ngidi has given runs at 7.81 runs per over and has also picked up 3 wickets. Going into the playoffs, Ngidi will have a key role to play in CSK's quest for their third IPL title.

#3 Jofra Archer

Archer celebrating a wicket in his unique style

Jofra Archer was bought by Rajasthan Royals at the auction for a jaw-dropping price of Rs. 7.20 crores. Archer suffered an injury before the IPL and missed the initial part of the tournament. But strangely, Rajasthan Royals preferred D'Arcy Short and Ben Laughlin over Archer even when he was fit to play.

The Royals finally selected the all-rounder in their sixth match and that brought instant success to them. Archer contributed massively to the team's victory against Mumbai Indians.

He has continued his good form since then. In the four matches that he has played so far, he has taken 8 wickets at an average of 15.25. Apart from this, Archer has troubled most of the batsmen with his raw pace.

He has also shown promise with the bat. Rajasthan Royals would have fared much better if Archer was picked right from the beginning.

#2 Sandeep Sharma

Sandeep Sharma has been able to keep the opposition batsmen quiet in powerplays

Sunrisers Hyderabad has always been known for its bowling might. This year too SRH made sure that they form a strong bowling attack.

They bought several domestic Indian bowlers like Siddharth Kaul, Sandeep Sharma, Basil Thampi and Khaleel Ahmed. Even with such a strong Indian fast-bowling contingent, SRH picked overseas seamers like Chris Jordan and Billy Stanlake.

However, with Stanlake being ruled out of the tournament and Bhuvneshwar Kumar getting injured, Sandeep Sharma was given a long run in the side. The Punjab pacer didn't disappoint and has been brilliant with the new ball as he has picked up 6 wickets in 5 matches.

The most staggering part of his performance this year has been his spectacular economy of 5.31 runs per over. Sandeep Sharma will be vital to SRH's chances going forward in the tournament.

#1 Prithvi Shaw

Prithvi Shaw has impressed everyone with his aggressive batting

Delhi Daredevils had a horrible start to its campaign this year. After a string of defeats, Gautam Gambhir stepped down as the captain of the side and he was also left out of the playing XI.

Gambhir's absence at the top of the order meant a chance for young Prithvi Shaw to prove his worth.

Shaw, the captain of the victorious Indian U19 team, seems to have graduated brilliantly from junior level to senior level. He already has a brilliant Ranji Trophy record and has carried his good form in IPL.

The 18-year-old, who has already drawn comparisons with Sachin Tendulkar, has scored 205 runs at an impressive average of 41 and an outstanding strike-rate of 170.83. With such an amazing show, one wonders if Delhi Daredevils missed a trick by not playing Shaw right from the beginning.