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How will the England players fare in the 2018 IPL? Matt Floyd examines...

Stokes and Woakes' price tags means they will play huge roles for Rajasthan and RCB respectively

Ben Stokes top-scored for England, striking an unbeaten 63 off 74 balls

Ahead of the 2018 IPL, which is live in full on Sky Sports, Matt Floyd looks at the English players involved and how likely they are to make a big impact…

Sam Billings (Chennai Super Kings)

HOBART, AUSTRALIA - FEBRUARY 07:  Sam Billings of England bats during the Twenty20 International match between Australia and England at Blundstone Arena on

IPL history
Took part in the previous two seasons with Delhi, where he played 11 games and scored two half-centuries.

Why he's been picked up?
Billings' innovation is one of his real strengths and he offers something different to the more traditional hitters in CSK's batting line up. He was also relatively cheap and can provide wicketkeeping cover for MS Dhoni. He showed glimpses of his talent while at Delhi.

Chances of playing regularly: 4/10
With Shane Watson and Faf du Plessis the other overseas top-order batsmen in the squad, opportunities for Billings could be limited. If he does play, it may well only be when others haven't taken their chances or need a rest.

Mark Wood (Chennai Super Kings)

PERTH, AUSTRALIA - DECEMBER 13: Mark Wood of the Lions bowls during the Twenty20 match between the Perth Scorchers and England ALoins at Optus Stadium on D

IPL history
None

Why he's been picked up?
When fit and firing, Wood has looked every inch an international cricketer and he has something which no one else in the squad has - raw pace. He may not have been CSK's number-one choice but they were aware they needed a genuine quick and Wood was the man they managed to pick up.

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Chances of playing regularly: 7/10
Most franchises generally like to spread their overseas resources as evenly as possible, which could lead to a straight choice between Wood and Lungi Ngidi. The Englishman's injury record could count against him, though.

Also See:

Ben Stokes (Rajasthan Royals)

IPL history
More than lived up to his huge pay packet last year by playing a big part in the Supergiant's run to the final. Picked up three Player of the Match awards in 12 games.

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Dominic Cork and Isa Guha reflect on Rajasthan Royals’ decision to pay £1.4m for all-rounder Ben Stokes in the 2018 IPL auction

Why he's been picked up?
All the franchises would've loved to have Stokes in their squad so it was merely a question of who could afford him. In the end Rajasthan splashed the cash and have a number of ways in which they could use him. With Steve Smith out they could push him up the order but looking at the squad, it has a number of aggressive top-order options and less for the back end of the innings. With the ball he may also be called upon in the final few overs, although Jaydev Unadkat and Jofra Archer may be the first-choice death bowlers.

Chances of playing regularly: 9/10
You don't spend £1.4 million on a player just for them to sit on the bench. Stokes will play every game he is available for barring injury or a dreadful loss of form.

Jos Buttler (Rajasthan Royals)

HAMILTON, NEW ZEALAND - FEBRUARY 25: England batsman Jos Buttler hits out during the 1st ODI between New Zealand and England at Seddon Park on February 25,

IPL history
His second season in Mumbai was an improvement on his first but hasn't quite shown his best form yet - he's passed fifty just once in 24 games.

Why he's been picked up?
There is a feeling that there is more to come in IPL from Buttler. He played a couple of spectacular innings for the Indians after his promotion to the top of the order and the Royals may use him in that way also. However, with Ajinkya Rahane, D'Arcy Short, Rahul Tripathi and Sanju Samson all openers by trade, I expect Buttler could revert to his role as 'finisher'.

Chances of playing regularly - 9/10
He has strong competition for the gloves from Samson but even if he doesn't keep wicket, he should be used as a specialist batsman, especially with Smith banned.

Jason Roy (Delhi Daredevils)

HAMILTON, NEW ZEALAND - FEBRUARY 25:  England batsman Jason Roy hits out during the 1st ODI between New Zealand and England at Seddon Park on February 25,

IPL history
Frustrating first year with Gujarat Lions, where he played just three games. Didn't do much wrong when he did.

Why he's been picked up?
Gautam Gambhir has been signed by Delhi to provide solidity to the batting line-up which means there is room for more explosive players around him. Roy certainly fits that bill and, as we've seen in an England shirt, he can blow the opposition away when on form.

Chances of playing regularly - 5/10
It could be a fight between Roy and Colin Munro to open the batting with Gambhir although Shreyas Iyer and Rishabh Pant are other options. The New Zealander may have the edge as he's scored three T20 international centuries since the start of 2017 and can bowl some dibbly-dobbly seamers if required.

Chris Woakes (Royal Challengers Bangalore)

ADELAIDE, AUSTRALIA - JANUARY 26:  Chris Woakes of England celebrates after dismissing David Warner of Australia during game four of the One Day Internatio

IPL history
Had a successful debut season with Kolkata playing almost every game and finished the side's joint leading wicket taker. Didn't do much with the bat.

Why he's been picked up?
Woakes is often referred to as 'reliable' and his stats back that up - he rarely goes through prolonged slumps in form. He provides an option with the new ball or at the death, where his skills have improved immensely. While he hasn't shown it yet in the IPL, his batting could come in very handy when the team is under pressure, even if he is unlikely to consistently clear the ropes.

Chances of playing regularly - 8/10
As with Stokes, the money spent on Woakes indicates he will be a first-choice starter. The injury to Nathan Coulter-Nile has further increased his importance to the side. As usual though, RCB have an array of overseas stars to choose from so you are only ever one bad performance away from being rotated out of the side.

Moeen Ali (Royal Challengers Bangalore)

ADELAIDE, AUSTRALIA - DECEMBER 01:  Moeen Ali of England bowls during an England nets session at Adelaide Oval on December 1, 2017 in Adelaide, Australia.

IPL history
None

Why he's been picked up?
Given that the Bangalore pitch has gone from being a batting paradise to slow and low, RCB have packed their squad with spinners. Moeen, of course, also offers options with that bat - he can hit the ball out of the park down the order or get a side off to a fast start against the new ball.

Chances of playing regularly - 5/10
RCB are one of the toughest teams to break into for overseas players. I suspect that the seam bowling all-rounders Woakes, Corey Anderson and Colin De Grandhomme could be ahead of him in the pecking order and that isn't his only problem - RCB also have good Indian spin-bowling stocks to choose from in Yuzvendra Chahal, Washington Sundar, Pawan Negi and Murugan Ashwin.

Chris Jordan (Sunrisers Hyderabad)

England's Chris Jordan celebrates after bowling out New Zealand's Kane Williamson during the first Twenty20 cricket match between New Zealand and England a

IPL history
Played nine games for RCB in 2016, including the final, but just one for the Sunrisers last season.

Why he's been picked up?
The Sunrisers decided to retain Jordan despite the fact he was kept on the sidelines in 2017, so the management clearly rate him. With Billy Stanlake the only other overseas fast bowler in the squad they needed cover and he is still one of the better yorker bowlers at the end of an innings.

Chances of playing regularly - 5/10
Led by Bhuvneshwar Kumar, the Hyderabad franchise have strong Indian seam options which lessens Jordan's chances of playing regularly. It could be a choice between himself and the giant Australian paceman Stanlake but the absence of David Warner could also mean we see more of him.

Alex Hales (Sunrisers Hyderabad)

BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 02:  Alex Hales of Notts celebrates with the trophy after winning the NatWest T20 Blast Final between Birmingham Bears and

IPL history
Called up late in the 2015 tournament as an injury replacement by the Mumbai Indians but didn't play a game.

Why he's been picked? Given the sudden unavailability of Warner, the Sunrisers needed a last-minute replacement and Hales was about as good as they could get. The side' successes in recent years have been based around the great starts provided by the openers and he will be expected to help continue in that vein.

Chances of playing regularly - 7/10

The loss of their captain and last year's leading run scorer has been a huge blow for the Sunrisers and they may not want to further disrupt things by altering the balance of the team. That would mean that Hales slots straight in alongside Shikhar Dhawan at the top of the order. They do have other options, though, such as playing two overseas all-rounders and using either Kane Williamson or Wriddhiman Saha as an opener.

Tom Curran (Kolkata Knight Riders)

Tom Curran celebrates during the third ODI between England and New Zealand

IPL history
None

Why he's been picked?
Death bowlers are arguably the most important members of a T20 team and Curran has now firmly established himself as one of the best in England. Although he's not a like-for-like replacement for Mitchell Starc, KKR will hope he can become a banker for them at the end of the innings.

Chances of playing regularly - 6/10
Kolkata have the smallest squad in the IPL and a handful of players under an injury cloud which makes it likely we will see a fair amount of Curran. Providing that Chris Lynn and Andre Russell are fit and Sunil Narine is cleared to bowl, it may be a choice between the Englishman and Mitchell Johnson for the first game. Despite his young age not many others in the squad have his death-bowling credentials.

The thrills and spills of the IPL return on Saturday, with defending champions Mumbai up against the returning Chennai Super Kings in the tournament opener, live from 3pm on Sky Sports Cricket. FULL LIVE ON SKY LISTINGS

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