IPL 2019: 4 foreign players who are expected to be potential match-winners

Indian Premier League has always built up enthusiasm ahead of each and every season, right from the auctions up to the day it begins. The fans all around the world start dropping their predictions on who might play the critical part in the journey of their favorite franchise.

There are always some cricketers, who come out of nowhere to astonishingly & unexpectedly winning the hearts of their fans, especially the less known overseas players. We have seen that in the past where players like Shaun Marsh, Sunil Narine, Glenn Maxwell, Sohail Tanvir, Lendl Simmons and many more formed the backbone of their respective teams out of the blue.

Similarly, here is the list of four players that are expected to be the superstars for their team in the forthcoming edition of IPL.

---

#4 Ashton Turner

The tall Australian all-rounder, who caught everyone's eyes through the Big Bash League, has been a rising sensation in the domestic circuit of white ball cricket Down Under. Ashton Turner is a hard-hitting batsman and a capable off-spinner who bats in the middle order for Perth Scorchers.

Considering his ability to take the momentum away from the opposition with his powerful batting skills, Turner earned a national call-up recently against India though he was not able to make it to the final eleven.

The 26-year-old might not be the one to keep an eye out for, but he is expected to mark his arrival in the T20 extravaganza. In the IPL auctions for the 2019 edition, Rajasthan Royals gained his services at his base price of INR 50 Lacs.

T20 Career:

Batting: Inns - 59, Runs - 1060, SR - 139.65, HS - 73

Bowling: Inns - 24, Wkts - 17, Economy - 6.97, BBI - 2/3

#3 Jonny Bairstow

Bairstow has a T20 hundred to his name

The English cricketer might not be a popular choice as a limited-overs batsman, but of late, he has certainly been an effective one for England. Jonny Bairstow, who primarily played Test cricket, has shifted gears to become a dangerous batsman, right at the top of the order.

The 29-year-old cricketer brings a lot to the table with not only his batting skills but also with his glove work behind the stumps. He has been the first choice wicket-keeper in Tests for England and that tells a lot about his capability.

Sunrisers Hyderabad, who were on a witch-hunt for a WK-batsman in the IPL auctions, stumbled upon Bairstow for INR 2.2 crores after a little tussle with Kings XI Punjab.

With the batting lineup known for firepower at the top in Warner, Guptill and skillful wicket-keeper in Saha, Bairstow might provide them with a 2-in-1 package in the upcoming IPL season.

T20 Career:

Batting: Inns - 84, Runs - 1649, SR - 126.45, HS - 102*

#2 Nicholas Pooran

Pooran went unsold in last year's IPL auctions

'If you perform against India in T20s at their own backyard, then you're out for a big IPL deal'. Such is the story of Nicholas Pooran.

In Windies' tour to India last year, the southpaw smashed his way to an unbeaten 25-ball 53 to rack up the attention of many Indian fans. This definitely caught the eyes of Kings XI Punjab, who roped him in for a whopping INR 4.2 crores. The 23-year-old is all set to play a crucial role in the Punjab-based franchise's setup as they lacked a genuine wicket-keeper in their squad.

The Caribbean youngster will lift some weight off from KXIP's best batsman from last year, KL Rahul, who also donned gloves during the entire season. Furthermore, Pooran will strengthen the middle-order of a side who mostly banked on its opener.

T20 Career:

Batting: Inns - 85, Runs - 1618, SR - 142.17, HS - 81

#1 Colin Ingram

Ingram is currently captaining Adelaide Strikers in the BBL

It was way back in 2011 when Colin Ingram made his debut in the Indian Premier League for the Delhi-based franchise. The South African left-hander failed to make an impression for his country due to inconsistency even after slamming 3 centuries but has certainly gained the abundance of experience in T20 cricket.

The 33-year-old is currently going through a purple patch, playing franchise cricket all around the globe. Delhi Capitals bagged him for a jaw-dropping price of INR 6.4 crores after a long battle with Sunrisers Hyderabad during the auctions.

Having plenty of Indian youngsters like Prithvi Shaw, Rishabh Pant, Shreyas Iyer, Manjot Kalra in their batting setup, Ingram along with the home-returning Shikhar Dhawan, will have the onus of guiding their franchise to their maiden IPL title.

T20 Career:

Batting: Inns - 207, Runs - 5487, SR - 139.54, HS - 114