The <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/category/t20/ipl-indian-premier-league/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Indian Premier League</strong> </a>(IPL) is often known to make or break careers and in reality, it is majorly true as well- if you’re able to do well for the franchise consistently, you’re rewarded; if not, you’re forgotten. However, when you talk about the following five players, the story is a bit different because they are among the few players to have defied that notion. Despite having jittery starts in the tournament for the initial seasons, they grew and flourished in the years to come so much so that some of them are a franchise’s dream pick.

Their growth has not only been understood by numbers but their success outside the league too. They proved to become inseparable for the teams they play for, and as a result, some of them have also made sure they attract the moolah in the upcoming edition of IPL and the recent mega-auction for 2018.

Read on to find out who these players are:

<a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2017/11/Bhuvneshwar-Kumar-India.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-192430" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Bhuvneshwar-Kumar-India.jpg" alt="Bhuvneshwar Kumar India" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-192430" class="wp-caption-text">Bhuvneshwar Kumar. (Photo Source: Twitter)</figcaption>

It is tough to imagine Bhuvi in this list now that he has been topping the leading wicket-takers list for two consecutive years with Sunrisers Hyderabad. However, one can attribute his success in the last couple of years with his evolution as well as better utilization by the management.

He played for <strong>Royal Challengers Bangalore</strong> and Pune Warriors and was underutilized and not used to his potential. After being bought by SRH in 2014, there was a transformation in him and he slowly started becoming the team’s go-to man in not only the opening spells but also during death. He started IPL with 3 wickets at an average of 22.33 in 2008 and now is at a stature where picked up 26 wickets at an average of 14.19 in 2017.

<a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2018/02/Yuzvendra-Chahal-celebration.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-218672" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Yuzvendra-Chahal-celebration.jpg" alt="Yuzvendra Chahal" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-218672" class="wp-caption-text">Yuzvendra Chahal celebrates a wicket. (Photo Source: Getty Images)</figcaption>

The leggie with a “big heart” as understood by his slightly high economy rate is one of the best wrist spinners in the world today. He started his IPL journey with <strong>Mumbai Indians</strong> in 2011 where he played only one game across three seasons but then went on to play all matches in the 2011 Champions League. He took 2/9 in 3 overs against RCB in the final. He was then bought by the Bangalore-based outfit in the 2014 Player Auction.

Since then, there has been no turning back for him. He has been their leading wicket-taker for three consecutive runs and is a must feature in the top 5 leading wicket-takers in the last couple of years. His experience of bowling in a batsman’s paradise at the Chinnaswamy stadium has cemented his reputation as the wicket-taking bowler who is not afraid of being hit for runs. From being wicketless in his first outing in IPL to bagging 12, 23, 21, 14 wickets in the years to come, his success is one to remember.

<a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2017/12/KL-Rahul.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-200755" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/KL-Rahul.jpg" alt="KL Rahul" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-200755" class="wp-caption-text">KL Rahul. (Photo Source: Twitter)</figcaption>

He was bought by Royal Challengers Bangalore as a wicket-keeper in 2013 but was released to be bought by Sunrisers Hyderabad in the following year. In the five matches he played in 2013, he scored 20 runs only. He then improvised in 2014 and brought up 166 runs in 11 matches and 142 runs in 9 matches in 2015.

However, he was brought back by RCB in 2016 and had an exceptional year as he scored 397 runs in 14 matches. He missed out on IPL in 2017 due to a serious shoulder injury and his presence was felt by RCB who could have used him both up the order or the middle order. However, he became one of the tops buys in the 2018 auction as the wicket-keeper batsman was bought by King XI Punjab for 11 Cr. He may well be in the running to lead the side.<br>

<a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2018/01/Axar-Patel-KXIP.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-206208" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Axar-Patel-KXIP.jpg" alt="Axar Patel KXIP" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-206208" class="wp-caption-text">Axar Patel of KXIP. (Photo Source: Twitter)</figcaption>

The growth of ‘Bapu’, the bowling all-rounder from Gujarat has been an interesting one. He earned his maiden IPL contract with the Mumbai Indians ahead of IPL 2013. He followed that up with 369 runs in seven matches and 29 wickets for Gujarat during the 2013-14 season of the Ranji Trophy and was then bought by KXIP ahead of the 2014 edition of IPL.

Even though 2014 remains his best year with the ball with 17 wickets at an average of 23.82 at an economy rate of 6.13, it is important to note his ability with the bat did not show with 62 runs in 17 matches. In 2015, he amassed 206 runs in 14 matches and picked 13 wickets. He then slumped to 111 runs and 13 wickets in 2016 even though he became the first bowler to take a hat-trick in that edition but put his best foot forward in 2017 with 227 runs in 14 matches and 15 wickets. As a result, he became the only player to be retained initially by KXIP.

<a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2017/04/Manoj-Tiwary-2.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-136522" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Manoj-Tiwary-2.jpg" alt="Manoj Tiwary" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-136522" class="wp-caption-text">Manoj Tiwary. (Photo Source: Twitter)</figcaption>

One of the most recognized batsmen in the Indian domestic circuit, Tiwary was first bought by Delhi Daredevils. He was traded for Moises Henriques in the Kolkata Knight Riders and became an integral part of their middle order for the years to come. In February 2017, he was bought by Kings XI Punjab after playing for the Rising Pune Supergiant in 2016 and 2017.

However, his reputation only grew gradually. During his time with DD, he managed to amass 104 runs in 2008 and a meager 9 runs in 2009 in the solitary match he played. However, his potential was explored and utilized better by KKR as he became a handy middle-order batsman. His time with them in 2011 was his personal best with 359 runs in 14 innings. He came close his best in 2017 with RPS with 324 runs and may perhaps have performed better had there not been consecutive changes in his batting position.

<p>The <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/category/t20/ipl-indian-premier-league/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Indian Premier League</strong> </a>(IPL) is often known to make or break careers and in reality, it is majorly true as well- if you’re able to do well for the franchise consistently, you’re rewarded; if not, you’re forgotten. However, when you talk about the following five players, the story is a bit different because they are among the few players to have defied that notion. Despite having jittery starts in the tournament for the initial seasons, they grew and flourished in the years to come so much so that some of them are a franchise’s dream pick.</p>
<p>Their growth has not only been understood by numbers but their success outside the league too. They proved to become inseparable for the teams they play for, and as a result, some of them have also made sure they attract the moolah in the upcoming edition of IPL and the recent mega-auction for 2018.</p>
<h3>Read on to find out who these players are:</h3>
<h3>1. Bhuvneshwar Kumar</h3>
<figure id="attachment_192430" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-192430" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2017/11/Bhuvneshwar-Kumar-India.jpg"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-192430" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Bhuvneshwar-Kumar-India.jpg" alt="Bhuvneshwar Kumar India" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-192430" class="wp-caption-text">Bhuvneshwar Kumar. (Photo Source: Twitter)</figcaption></figure>
<p>It is tough to imagine Bhuvi in this list now that he has been topping the leading wicket-takers list for two consecutive years with Sunrisers Hyderabad. However, one can attribute his success in the last couple of years with his evolution as well as better utilization by the management.</p>
<p>He played for <strong>Royal Challengers Bangalore</strong> and Pune Warriors and was underutilized and not used to his potential. After being bought by SRH in 2014, there was a transformation in him and he slowly started becoming the team’s go-to man in not only the opening spells but also during death. He started IPL with 3 wickets at an average of 22.33 in 2008 and now is at a stature where picked up 26 wickets at an average of 14.19 in 2017.</p>
<p></p>
<h3>2. Yuzvendra Chahal</h3>
<figure id="attachment_218672" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-218672" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2018/02/Yuzvendra-Chahal-celebration.jpg"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-218672" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Yuzvendra-Chahal-celebration.jpg" alt="Yuzvendra Chahal" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-218672" class="wp-caption-text">Yuzvendra Chahal celebrates a wicket. (Photo Source: Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>
<p>The leggie with a “big heart” as understood by his slightly high economy rate is one of the best wrist spinners in the world today. He started his IPL journey with <strong>Mumbai Indians</strong> in 2011 where he played only one game across three seasons but then went on to play all matches in the 2011 Champions League. He took 2/9 in 3 overs against RCB in the final. He was then bought by the Bangalore-based outfit in the 2014 Player Auction.</p>
<p>Since then, there has been no turning back for him. He has been their leading wicket-taker for three consecutive runs and is a must feature in the top 5 leading wicket-takers in the last couple of years. His experience of bowling in a batsman’s paradise at the Chinnaswamy stadium has cemented his reputation as the wicket-taking bowler who is not afraid of being hit for runs. From being wicketless in his first outing in IPL to bagging 12, 23, 21, 14 wickets in the years to come, his success is one to remember.</p>
<p></p>
<h3>3. KL Rahul</h3>
<figure id="attachment_200755" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-200755" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2017/12/KL-Rahul.jpg"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-200755" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/KL-Rahul.jpg" alt="KL Rahul" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-200755" class="wp-caption-text">KL Rahul. (Photo Source: Twitter)</figcaption></figure>
<p>He was bought by Royal Challengers Bangalore as a wicket-keeper in 2013 but was released to be bought by Sunrisers Hyderabad in the following year. In the five matches he played in 2013, he scored 20 runs only. He then improvised in 2014 and brought up 166 runs in 11 matches and 142 runs in 9 matches in 2015.</p>
<p>However, he was brought back by RCB in 2016 and had an exceptional year as he scored 397 runs in 14 matches. He missed out on IPL in 2017 due to a serious shoulder injury and his presence was felt by RCB who could have used him both up the order or the middle order. However, he became one of the tops buys in the 2018 auction as the wicket-keeper batsman was bought by King XI Punjab for 11 Cr. He may well be in the running to lead the side.<br>
</p>
<h3>4. Axar Patel</h3>
<figure id="attachment_206208" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-206208" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2018/01/Axar-Patel-KXIP.jpg"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-206208" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Axar-Patel-KXIP.jpg" alt="Axar Patel KXIP" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-206208" class="wp-caption-text">Axar Patel of KXIP. (Photo Source: Twitter)</figcaption></figure>
<p>The growth of ‘Bapu’, the bowling all-rounder from Gujarat has been an interesting one. He earned his maiden IPL contract with the Mumbai Indians ahead of IPL 2013. He followed that up with 369 runs in seven matches and 29 wickets for Gujarat during the 2013-14 season of the Ranji Trophy and was then bought by KXIP ahead of the 2014 edition of IPL.</p>
<p>Even though 2014 remains his best year with the ball with 17 wickets at an average of 23.82 at an economy rate of 6.13, it is important to note his ability with the bat did not show with 62 runs in 17 matches. In 2015, he amassed 206 runs in 14 matches and picked 13 wickets. He then slumped to 111 runs and 13 wickets in 2016 even though he became the first bowler to take a hat-trick in that edition but put his best foot forward in 2017 with 227 runs in 14 matches and 15 wickets. As a result, he became the only player to be retained initially by KXIP.</p>
<p></p>
<h3>5. Manoj Tiwary</h3>
<figure id="attachment_136522" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-136522" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2017/04/Manoj-Tiwary-2.jpg"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-136522" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Manoj-Tiwary-2.jpg" alt="Manoj Tiwary" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-136522" class="wp-caption-text">Manoj Tiwary. (Photo Source: Twitter)</figcaption></figure>
<p>One of the most recognized batsmen in the Indian domestic circuit, Tiwary was first bought by Delhi Daredevils. He was traded for Moises Henriques in the Kolkata Knight Riders and became an integral part of their middle order for the years to come. In February 2017, he was bought by Kings XI Punjab after playing for the Rising Pune Supergiant in 2016 and 2017.</p>
<p>However, his reputation only grew gradually. During his time with DD, he managed to amass 104 runs in 2008 and a meager 9 runs in 2009 in the solitary match he played. However, his potential was explored and utilized better by KKR as he became a handy middle-order batsman. His time with them in 2011 was his personal best with 359 runs in 14 innings. He came close his best in 2017 with RPS with 324 runs and may perhaps have performed better had there not been consecutive changes in his batting position.</p>

<p>The <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/category/t20/ipl-indian-premier-league/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Indian Premier League</strong> </a>(IPL) is often known to make or break careers and in reality, it is majorly true as well- if you’re able to do well for the franchise consistently, you’re rewarded; if not, you’re forgotten. However, when you talk about the following five players, the story is a bit different because they are among the few players to have defied that notion. Despite having jittery starts in the tournament for the initial seasons, they grew and flourished in the years to come so much so that some of them are a franchise’s dream pick.</p>
<p>Their growth has not only been understood by numbers but their success outside the league too. They proved to become inseparable for the teams they play for, and as a result, some of them have also made sure they attract the moolah in the upcoming edition of IPL and the recent mega-auction for 2018.</p>
<h3>Read on to find out who these players are:</h3>
<h3>1. Bhuvneshwar Kumar</h3>
<figure id="attachment_192430" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-192430" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2017/11/Bhuvneshwar-Kumar-India.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-192430" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Bhuvneshwar-Kumar-India.jpg" alt="Bhuvneshwar Kumar India" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-192430" class="wp-caption-text">Bhuvneshwar Kumar. (Photo Source: Twitter)</figcaption></figure>
<p>It is tough to imagine Bhuvi in this list now that he has been topping the leading wicket-takers list for two consecutive years with Sunrisers Hyderabad. However, one can attribute his success in the last couple of years with his evolution as well as better utilization by the management.</p>
<p>He played for <strong>Royal Challengers Bangalore</strong> and Pune Warriors and was underutilized and not used to his potential. After being bought by SRH in 2014, there was a transformation in him and he slowly started becoming the team’s go-to man in not only the opening spells but also during death. He started IPL with 3 wickets at an average of 22.33 in 2008 and now is at a stature where picked up 26 wickets at an average of 14.19 in 2017.</p>
<p></p>
<h3>2. Yuzvendra Chahal</h3>
<figure id="attachment_218672" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-218672" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2018/02/Yuzvendra-Chahal-celebration.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-218672" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Yuzvendra-Chahal-celebration.jpg" alt="Yuzvendra Chahal" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-218672" class="wp-caption-text">Yuzvendra Chahal celebrates a wicket. (Photo Source: Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>
<p>The leggie with a “big heart” as understood by his slightly high economy rate is one of the best wrist spinners in the world today. He started his IPL journey with <strong>Mumbai Indians</strong> in 2011 where he played only one game across three seasons but then went on to play all matches in the 2011 Champions League. He took 2/9 in 3 overs against RCB in the final. He was then bought by the Bangalore-based outfit in the 2014 Player Auction.</p>
<p>Since then, there has been no turning back for him. He has been their leading wicket-taker for three consecutive runs and is a must feature in the top 5 leading wicket-takers in the last couple of years. His experience of bowling in a batsman’s paradise at the Chinnaswamy stadium has cemented his reputation as the wicket-taking bowler who is not afraid of being hit for runs. From being wicketless in his first outing in IPL to bagging 12, 23, 21, 14 wickets in the years to come, his success is one to remember.</p>
<p></p>
<h3>3. KL Rahul</h3>
<figure id="attachment_200755" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-200755" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2017/12/KL-Rahul.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-200755" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/KL-Rahul.jpg" alt="KL Rahul" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-200755" class="wp-caption-text">KL Rahul. (Photo Source: Twitter)</figcaption></figure>
<p>He was bought by Royal Challengers Bangalore as a wicket-keeper in 2013 but was released to be bought by Sunrisers Hyderabad in the following year. In the five matches he played in 2013, he scored 20 runs only. He then improvised in 2014 and brought up 166 runs in 11 matches and 142 runs in 9 matches in 2015.</p>
<p>However, he was brought back by RCB in 2016 and had an exceptional year as he scored 397 runs in 14 matches. He missed out on IPL in 2017 due to a serious shoulder injury and his presence was felt by RCB who could have used him both up the order or the middle order. However, he became one of the tops buys in the 2018 auction as the wicket-keeper batsman was bought by King XI Punjab for 11 Cr. He may well be in the running to lead the side.<br>
</p>
<h3>4. Axar Patel</h3>
<figure id="attachment_206208" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-206208" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2018/01/Axar-Patel-KXIP.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-206208" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Axar-Patel-KXIP.jpg" alt="Axar Patel KXIP" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-206208" class="wp-caption-text">Axar Patel of KXIP. (Photo Source: Twitter)</figcaption></figure>
<p>The growth of ‘Bapu’, the bowling all-rounder from Gujarat has been an interesting one. He earned his maiden IPL contract with the Mumbai Indians ahead of IPL 2013. He followed that up with 369 runs in seven matches and 29 wickets for Gujarat during the 2013-14 season of the Ranji Trophy and was then bought by KXIP ahead of the 2014 edition of IPL.</p>
<p>Even though 2014 remains his best year with the ball with 17 wickets at an average of 23.82 at an economy rate of 6.13, it is important to note his ability with the bat did not show with 62 runs in 17 matches. In 2015, he amassed 206 runs in 14 matches and picked 13 wickets. He then slumped to 111 runs and 13 wickets in 2016 even though he became the first bowler to take a hat-trick in that edition but put his best foot forward in 2017 with 227 runs in 14 matches and 15 wickets. As a result, he became the only player to be retained initially by KXIP.</p>
<p></p>
<h3>5. Manoj Tiwary</h3>
<figure id="attachment_136522" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-136522" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2017/04/Manoj-Tiwary-2.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-136522" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Manoj-Tiwary-2.jpg" alt="Manoj Tiwary" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-136522" class="wp-caption-text">Manoj Tiwary. (Photo Source: Twitter)</figcaption></figure>
<p>One of the most recognized batsmen in the Indian domestic circuit, Tiwary was first bought by Delhi Daredevils. He was traded for Moises Henriques in the Kolkata Knight Riders and became an integral part of their middle order for the years to come. In February 2017, he was bought by Kings XI Punjab after playing for the Rising Pune Supergiant in 2016 and 2017.</p>
<p>However, his reputation only grew gradually. During his time with DD, he managed to amass 104 runs in 2008 and a meager 9 runs in 2009 in the solitary match he played. However, his potential was explored and utilized better by KKR as he became a handy middle-order batsman. His time with them in 2011 was his personal best with 359 runs in 14 innings. He came close his best in 2017 with RPS with 324 runs and may perhaps have performed better had there not been consecutive changes in his batting position.</p>

We take a look at a few players who came a bit late to the party in terms of IPL performances.

5 Players who flourished late in the IPL

The Indian Premier League (IPL) is often known to make or break careers and in reality, it is majorly true as well- if you’re able to do well for the france