IPL 2019:  Find out who is each team's X-Factor 

The 12th edition of the Indian Premier League is only a month away. For the first time ever, the IPL is just before the World Cup. Owing to preparations for the big event and fitness concerns, this edition of IPL is likely to have many star players missing. Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, Aron Finch, and Glenn Maxwell are among the major stars who have decided to skip this season's IPL. It is expected that players from South Africa and England might be asked to skip the later stages of the tournament by their respective boards.

However, there are still many talented players in each who can be the trump card of their team. Here we look at one X-factor player from each team:

#8 Kolkata Knight Riders - Andre Russell

Caribbean all-rounder Andre Russel can hit monstrous shots with the bat, has clever variations with the ball, and is a super-athletic fielder. For these reasons, He remains the trump card for the Kolkata Knight Riders. Russell has massively improved as a bowler, as it was evident last season. He provided his team with wickets both with the new ball as well as at the death.

His inhumane hitting prowess is not hidden to anyone in the cricketing fraternity. His power game has won the Knight Riders many games from difficult situations in the past.

Russell holds the key in finishing the innings with his both the bat and bowl. With the abilities he possesses, it would not be a surprise if he wins games on his own regularly. The fact that he can bat and bowl at any stage of the game with equal effectiveness makes Russell a special talent.

#7 Kings XI Punjab - Mujeeb Ur Rehman

Mujeeb-ur-Rehman

Mujeeb ur Rehman's four crore price tag raised many eyebrows last year, however, he justified his value with his accuracy and wicket-taking ability. The mystery spinner, used mostly in the powerplays, did go for runs at times but was among the wickets more often than not. He troubled some of the most celebrated names in the league including Virat Kohli and proved difficult to hit.

With the experience of international cricket, Mujeeb is now a more mature bowler. His performances in the Asia Cup were particularly impressive when he bowled in tandem with Rashid Khan. Last season, a finger injury ruled out him for a significant period of time and his team's performance took a dip in the period.

The fate of Kings XI Punjab this season will depend largely on how oppositions tackle Mujeeb. It would not be a surprise if the Aghan spinner ends up as one of the leading wicket-takers of the season and one of the most difficult bowlers to face in the league.

#6 Delhi Capitals - Chris Morris

Chris Morris

Chris Morris was the first player to be retained by Delhi before the 2018 auctions and he has proved on numerous occasions why he deserves every bit of it. The lanky South African pacer has the ability to extract bounce from any surface and knack of picking wickets at crucial stages of the game. He is eliable at the death with his yorkers and slower ones.

His batting is something his franchise will look up to this season more than ever, considering the fact that they do not have a genuine finisher in the squad. Morris has shown his ability to turn games with his power game with the bat in the past. His ruthless batting along with the bowling and makes him the trump card for the Delhi Capitals. The key to the franchise's success could rest on the form and availability of Chris Morris.

#5 Royal Challengers Bangalore - Shimron Hetmeyer

Shimron Hetmeyer

Shimron Hetmeyer stole the show in the ODI series against India in October and caught the attention of IPL owners. His clean hitting against the famed Indian spinners made him one of the hottest properties in this season's auction. A middle-order batsman capable of turning matches on his own, Hetmeyer adds firepower to the Royal Challenger's Banglore middle order, which is extremely top-heavy.

Often guilty of being over-reliant on Kohli and de Villiers, RCB finally has someone in the middle and lower middle order on whom they can rely on. Given his big hitting prowess Hetmeyer can also be used as a finisher. With Hetmeyer down the order, it will give the top order the license to play with more freedom. This might be the year when RCB is not just about Kohli and De Villiers.

#4 Sunrisers Hyderabad - Rashid Khan

Rashid Khan

Rashid Khan is one of the most sought after players in T20 leagues around the globe and best-limited overs spinners in the world right now. Unsurprisingly, he will yet again be Sunrisers Hyderabad's most important player this season. Rashid the spinner has proven to be one of the most difficult bowlers to face in the IPL in the last couple of years and it's unlikely that will change this year. Not only is he constantly among the wickets, but he is also extremely economical too.

Rashid's clean hitting was on show against KKR in the eliminator last year and even more in the Big Bash League this year. Under-utilized with the bat by SRH till now, this season, he will look to stamp his authority as an all-rounder. The Afghan is also one of the best fielders in the side and has everything a captain wants off a player.

#3 Rajasthan Royals - Jofra Archer

Jofra Archer

Jofra Archer is a flamboyant all-rounder who possesses express speed and deadly accuracy with the ball. He has emerged into one of the most sought after players in T20 leagues in the world. On the verge of getting a call up by England, Archer was magnificent with the ball last season for Rajasthan Royals. His ability to bowl accurate yorkers at any stage of the game makes him a go-to bowler for any captain.

Archer did not get enough chances to express himself with the bat in IPL 2018. However, Given his batting prowess and the composition of the Rajasthan squad, Archer can play the role of a finisher as well as a pinch hitter to perfection. Also, a livewire on the field, Archer can be the x-factor, the Royals are looking for.

#2 Mumbai Indians- Ben Cutting

Ben Cutting

The star of the 2016 finals for Sunrisers Hyderabad, Ben Cutting has evolved into a far better cricketer since that night. Proving his credentials in the Big Bash League with the Brisbane Heat, Cutting is now a finisher, every T20 team would love to have. His six hitting abilities make him a player the opposition would never want to bowl at during the death overs.

Cutting is a more than handy bowler, suited to bowl in the middle overs and has a knack of taking wickets. With Pollard's form on the wane, Cutting should fit into the Mumbai Indians playing XI as the finisher with the Pandya brothers to support him. His bowling also gives him an edge over Pollard. He can be utilized as a floater in the batting lineup. Yet to be a regular starter for any IPL team, Cutting might finally establish himself in the league as a genuine match-winner.

#1 Chennai Superkings - Kedar Jadhav

Kedar Jadhav

Kedar Jadhav played only one match last year because of an injury in the tournament opener. In the only game he played, he came in to bat with his team needing seven runs from one over with only a single wicket in hand. In the final over, Jadhav played three dot balls with utmost composure and followed it by a six and a cover drive to seal a fairy tale victory for the Chennai Super Kings's. His calmness and composure go hand in hand with CSK's no-panic attitude. Jadhav is capable of taking on any bowler at any stage of the game and is a reliable player. He can bat at any position in a rather formidable batting lineup. However, he is likely to play the role of a finisher along with Dhoni and Bravo.

Jadhav has grown into a more than handy off-spinner too. His slinging action makes him a difficult bowler to pick and his accuracy and make him a bowler a captain can trust. Knowing Dhoni's affinity towards part-timers, Jadhav can play an important role for CSK with the ball. As a useful all-rounder, Jadhav is the X factor of the defending Champions.