IPL 2018 Auction: 5 most expensive players

#3 KL Rahul to Kings XI Punjab (Rs. 11 crores)

After missing out the entire IPL 2017 due to injury, KL Rahul will be seen in action once again

His India career might not be at its peak at the moment, but KL Rahul is still a hot property in the IPL, despite missing the entire tournament last year due to a shoulder injury. Before that, KL Rahul was an integral member of the Bangalore franchise in 2016, batting at the crucial No.4 slot and doubling up as a wicket-keeper in the absence of a proper one.

A fluent stroke-maker who prefers hitting the ball the traditional way, Rahul is adept at finding gaps and can be an ideal opener with his penchant for striking the ball over the infield.

The record-holder for the fastest century by an Indian in T20Is, Rahul can be an ideal choice as an opener for the Kings XI side, with several options (including Chris Gayle) as his opening partners. He could also be one of the candidates for the captaincy role.

IPL career stats: Matches - 39, Runs - 725, Average - 30.20, Strike-rate - 125.64